Escapees July-August 2022

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Two-story and one story commanding o ffi cers’ housing

Fort Davis Nationa Historic Site Fort Davis, T

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Many of the duties were related to protection from the Indigenous Americans, who were forced into Mexico during the last campaign in 1880. In 1891, the military consolidated its frontier garrisons and declared that Fort Davis had outlived its usefulness, and the fort was once again abandoned. In 1892, a contractor moved 100 bodies from the Fort Cemetery to San Antonio National Cemetery. Over the years the buildings and land had various uses and passed ownership a few times. Eventually, local citizens began campaigns to preserve the buildings. In 1961, the Fort was designated as a national historic site. Buildings were preserved and a few were restored. Visitors can go inside or look through windows of the restored build ings, some of which are furnished to the time period. There is so much more to this wonderfully restored site. Go and learn for yourself about the illnesses that plagued the residents of the fort and the treatments for them; about Henry Ossian Flipper, born a slave and then became the fi rst African-American to graduate from West Point and the controversial accusation of “conduct unbecoming an of fi cer and a gentleman” and his sentencing for dismissal from the U.S. Army; the history of the Comanches and Apaches and their rela tionship to the Fort; the history of the Buffalo Soldiers who built the second Fort Davis; what day-to-day life was like at the fort and the problems encountered

Fort Davis National Historic Site, named after Secretary of War, Je ff erson Davis, is one of the best remaining examples of a frontier military post. Our visit started out with a 15-minute video about the history of the park. We then toured the informative museum at the visitor center. T here were two Fort Davises. In 1854, the fi rst Fort Davis was established to protect travelers, mail and goods going west between San Antonio and El Paso. At that time, many travelers were also heading to the Gold Rush in California. The U.S. Army abandoned the fi rst Fort Davis in 1861, but during the Civil War, Confederate troops occupied the fort from 1861 to 1862. In the summer of 1862, Union troops again took possession, but soon abandoned it. The buildings were shabbily built and quickly deteriorated as it lay deserted for the next fi ve years. Between 1867 and 1881, the Buffalo Soldiers (all-black troops) were the only troops stationed at Fort Davis. That’s when the building of the new Fort Davis began with well-built buildings that have lasted over the years. By the 1880s Fort Davis had become a major installation with more than 100 structures and quarters for over 400 soldiers.

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ESCAPEES Magazine July/August 2022