Fort Gibson, Oklahoma - Transcribed & submitted by Nalora Burns! - Genealogy - http://maxpages.com/mygenroots/Fort_Gibson_pg

APPENDIX I

National Cemetery

There were several small cemeteries around Fort Gibson in which the dead were buried from the earliest days of the fort. The number of interments was increased to such an extent during the Civil War that more space was required, and in 1869 the National Cemetery was established on land that was originally part of the military reservation of Fort Gibson. After the abandonment of the fort, the reservation was transferred to the Department of the Interior on February 11, 1891, a parcel of seven acres being reserved for cemeterial purposes.

On August 6, 1872, William W. Belknap, Secretary of War, gave instructions to have the remains of his father, General William Goldsmith Belknap, removed from Fort Washita, where they were interred in 1851, to the cemetery at Keokuk, Iowa, the home of the Secretary. At the same time he directed the quartermaster general to arrange for the removal of the remains of other soldiers and their families found at Fort Washita, Fort Towson and Fort Arbuckle, to the National Cemetery at Fort Gibson. Bids were advertised for, and a contract let to P.J. Byrne of Fort Gibson, who succeeded in removing the remains of forty-six persons in 1872: only two of them, however, were definitely known to be soldiers. Owing to the careless manner in which the men who served at the remote post had been buried, and the fact that fires had been permitted to run through the cemeteries and burn off all wooden headboards, and the difficulty of finding other marks of identification in the graves, or indeed, of finding the remains and the boxes containing them in such condition that they could be removed at all, instructions were given to abandon further removal. However, information was later acquired of forty-six additional graves at Fort Washita; fifty-four at Fort Arbuckle, and eighteen at Big Sandy Creek on the Fort Smith and Fort Arbuckle road. Efforts were then renewed, and another contractor undertook to remove the remains to the Fort Gibson National Cemetery but this effort proved abortive also.

In 1873, it was reported to the office of the Adjutant General at Washington that the bodies of one hundred and twenty-five soldiers killed in the Battle of the Washita were buried on that battlefield. This again stimulated interest in the subject of removal, and the visitor will see in the Officers' Circle in the National Cemetery the grave of Major Joel H. Elliott of the Seventh Infantry, killed on November 27, 1868, at the Battle of the Washita.

The removal of remains from all these burial places was attended with much difficulty because of the lack of identifying marks. It was impossible to determine whether they were removing soldiers or civilians, and the whole undertaking was attended with much confusion. It appeared that during the Civil War a large number of Confederates died and were buried near Fort Washita. The correspondence relating to the subject would indicate that removal of the dead from this cemetery was limited to those known to have been in the service of the Union Army, and the Confederate dead were probably not disturbed.

The result was summarized in a report of December 31, 1893, which accounted for graves in the National Cemetery at Fort Gibson, of 231 known to be soldiers and 2,212 whose identity and service were unknown. Of the comparatively few who are identified by inscriptions on monuments, the greatest number are to be seen within what is known as the Officers' Circle. Among these is Flora, the young Cherokee wife of Lieutenant Daniel H. Rucker, who died at Fort Gibson June 26, 1845. Her husband survived her to become in later years Quartermaster General of the United States Army. John Decatur, brother of Stephen Decatur, died on November 12, 1832, while a sutler at Fort Gibson. Lieutenant John W. Murray of the West Point Class of 1830, of the Seventh Infantry, was killed on February 14, 1831, by being thrown from his horse. Murray's classmate, Lieutenant James West, died at Fort Gibson on September 28, 1834.

On May 27, 1831, Lieutenant Fredrick Thomas of the Seventh Infantry, a West Point graduate of 1825, was drowned in the Arkansas River. His classmate, Lieutenant Benjamin W. Kinsman, also of the Seventh Infantry, died May 14, 1832. Lieutenant Thomas C. Brockway, a graduate of West Point of the class of 1828, died at Fort Gibson, September 28, 1831. Among those removed from Fort Towson were West Point graduates of the class of 1826, Lieutenant Charles L.C. Minor and Alexander G. Baldwin, both of the Fifth Infantry, who died at Fort Towson in 1833 and 1835 respectively, and Lieutenant James H. Taylor of the Third Infantry, who was drowned near Fort Towson in the Cositot River, in 1835. Also in the Officers' Circle is the monument of Captain Billy Bowlegs, the celebrated Seminole warrior, who served in the Union Army and died during the Civil War, and who is buried in another part of the cemetery.

General John Nicks (also buried in this cemetery) acquired his title from the appointment, by the Governor of Arkansas Territory, as commanding general of the Arkansas militia. He was later sutler at Fort Gibson, where he died December 31, 1831. He was survived by his widow, Sallie Nicks, who continued to "sutle" at the post. Sallie was a popular young widow whose charms were enhanced by the fact that the estate left by the General was valued at $20,000. When Washington Irving visited the post in 1832, he recorded in his notebook that several of the officers at the post paid court to her, and the quartermaster serenaded her so often and so vigorously that he disturbed the sleep of others, and made himself a good deal of a nuisance in the post. According to Irving, General William Clark and Colonel Arbuckle were both fascinated by the young widow, and a civilian named Lewis paid such ardent court that all of the officers united against him.

Sutlers were licensed to do business in the post, and there was considerable rivalry for the privilege, as the profits were tempting. At one time Sam Houston was an aspirant for the position of sutler at Fort Gibson. During his absence in the East on a political mission, he heard that General Nicks was to be removed from his post as sutler, and on his way back to Fort Gibson he wrote a letter to the Secretary of War, making application for the post. Houston was returning with a keelboat load of supplies for Wigwam Neosho, his little store northwest of Fort Gibson. They included nine barrels of whiskey, brandy, gin, rum, wine and other goods with which he meant to stock the sutler's store he intended to take over if Nick's removal should pave the way for his appointment. However, after arriving at Fort Gibson and learning of the gossip said to have emanated from Washington concerning him, he indignantly withdrew his application with and excoriating letter to the Secretary of War, obviously written while he was drunk.

To one who wonders what care the soldiers at Fort Gibson took of their personal appearance, a long inventory of merchandise in the sutler's store at Fort Gibson in 1845 will be illuminating. The following is about one-sixth of the total list. It was submitted to the commandant for the purpose of establishing the prices at which these articles might be sold to the soldiers:

Cigars, shaving boxes, round shaving soap, transparent soap, flotant soap, chrystalline wash balls, whisker pomatum, spontaneous compound, oleophane, bear's oil, philocome, fancy soap, perfume boxes, fancy cologne water, round cologne water, farina cologne water, prevost cologne water, red and white powder, sweeping brush, clamp brush, horse brush, shoe brush, counter brush, hat brush, wall brush, cloth brush, shaving brush, teeth brush, ivory brush, nail brush, violin strings, razor strops, mirrors, shirt butts, cotton purses, silk purses, pencil cases, whalebones, suspenders, snuff boxes, necklaces, fishing lines, guard chains, flasks, thimbles, court plaisters, hooks and eyes, silk guards, pocket combs, English combs, dressing combs.

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List of officers who commanded at Fort Gibson, with beginning date of service; graduates of United States Military Academy, West Point, are indicated by year of graduation following infantry.

ARBUCKLE, Matthew - Colonel, 7th Infantry,
Apr 1824 to Feb 6, 1839

CUMMINGS, Alex - Major, 7th Infantry,
Apr 24, 1825 to Aug 1825
Jan 1840 to Aug 1841

MANY, James B. - Lt. Colonel, 7th Infantry,
Aug 1825 to Sep 6, 1825
Feb 1, 1832 to Jul 7, 1832
May 15, 1834 to Sep 30, 1834

PHILBRICK, John - Captain, 7th Infantry,
Sep 1825 to Oct 1825

BONNEVILLE, Benjamin L. E. - Captain, 7th Infantry,
Apr 1828 to May 1828
Feb 26, 1848 to Nov 4, 1848

WILKINSON, N. G. - Captain, 7th Infantry,
Feb 6, 1829 to Apr 20, 1829
Mar 26, 1830 to Apr 23, 1830
Oct 14, 1830 to Nov 1830

BURBANK, Sullivan - Major, 7th Infantry,
Oct 1, 1834 to Nov 4, 1834

WHISTLER, William - Lt. Colonel, 7th Infantry,
Aug 6, 1835 to Sep 10, 1835
Apr 20, 1836 to May 5, 1836
May 11, 1837 to Sep 13, 1837
Jan 29, 1839 to Feb 6, 1839

WHARTON, C. - Major, 1st Dragoons,
Sep 14, 1837 to Oct 23, 1837
Feb 25, 1840 to Mar 3, 1840

MCINTOSH, J. S. - Major, 7th Infantry,
Jun 15, 1838 to Aug 1838
Sep 1838 to Jan 28, 1839

HAWKINS, E. S. - Captain, 7th Infantry, 1820,
Aug 1838 to Sep 1838

RILEY, Bennett - Major, 4th Infantry,
Feb 7, 1839 to Apr 1839
Jun 21, 1839 to Jan 17, 1840

CUTLER, Enos - Colonel, 4th Infantry,
Apr 1839 - Jan 1840

ARBUCKLE, M. - Colonel & Brevet Brigadier General, 7th Infantry,
Jan 18, 1840 to Feb 4, 1840
Apr 10, 1841 to May 27, 1841

WHARTON, Clifton - Major, 1st Dragoons,
Feb 6, 1840 to Feb 16, 1840
Jan 17, 1843 to Jan 31, 1843

RILEY - Lt. Colonel, 2nd Infantry,
Feb 17, 1840 to Feb 24, 1840

GARLAND, J. - Lt. Colonel, 4th Infantry,
May 27, 1841 to Jun 19, 1841

MASON, R. B. - Lt. Colonel, 1st Dragoons,
Jun 20, 1841 to Aug 1841
Aug 1841 to Apr 28, 1842
Jul 4, 1842 to Oct 7, 1842
Sep 18, 1843 to Dec 17, 1843
Jun 20, 1844 to Feb 27, 1846

KEARNEY, S. W. - Colonel, 1st Dragoons,
Apr 29, 1842 to Jul 3, 1842

BROWN, Jacob - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Oct 8, 1842 to Jan 16, 1843

DAVENPORT, William - Colonel, 6th Infantry,
Feb 1, 1843 to Sep 17, 1843

KETCHUM, William S. - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Sep 20, 1843 to Sep 26, 1843
Jul 26, 1848 to Nov 4, 1848

BOONE, Nathan - Captain, 1st Dragoons,
Sep 27, 1843 to Dec 17, 1843
May 30, 1845 to Aug 13, 1845

LOOMIS, Gustavus - Lt. Colonel, 6th Infantry, 1811,
Dec 18, 1843 to Jun 19, 1844
Mar 28, 1846 to Feb 24, 1848

CADY, Arlbermarle - Captain, 6th Infantry, 1829,
Feb 26, 1846 to Mar 27, 1846
Apr 30, 1846 to May 26, 1846

STEEN, E. - Captain, 1st Dragoons,
Jun 16, 1848 to Jul 25, 1848

MILES, Dixson S. - Major, 5th Infantry, 1824,
Nov 5, 1848 to Dec 18, 1848

STEVENSON, C. L. - Captain, 5th Infantry, 1838,
Dec 1, 1848 to Dec 18, 1848

BELNAP, William G. - Lt. Colonel & Brevet Brigadier
General, 5th Infantry,
Dec 19, 1848 to May 14, 1851

LYNDE, Isaac - Captain, 5th Infantry, 1827,
Dec 8, 1849 to Jan 6, 1850
Feb 22, 1850 to Mar 17, 1850
May 12, 1850 to Jun 8, 1850

CHAPMAN, William - Captain, 5th Infantry, 1831,
Jun 9, 1850 to Jul 16, 1850

BAINBRIDGE, Henry - Major, 7th Infantry, 1821,
May 15, 1851 to Jul 26, 1851

LITTLE, Henry - Captain, 7th Infantry,
Jul 5, 1851 to Jul 26, 1851
Oct 6, 1852 to Oct 30, 1853
Feb 16, 1856 to Apr 2, 1856
May 21, 1857 to Jun 22, 1857

ANDREWS, George - Major, 7th Infantry,
Jul 27, 1851 to Oct 5, 1852

HUMBER, Charles H. - Captain, 7th Infantry, 1840,
Jan 15, 1853 to Jul 27, 1853

BRAGG, Braxton - Captain, 3rd Artillery, 1837,
Oct 31, 1853 to Dec 1, 1853

MORRISON, Pitcairn - Lt. Colonel, 7th Infantry,
Dec 2, 1853 to May 7, 1855
Apr 3, 1856 to Jun 21, 1856

WILSON, Henry - Colonel, 7th Infantry,
May 8, 1855 to Jun 22, 1857

CABELL, W. L. - Lt., 7th Infantry, A.Q.M., 1850,
Jun 23, 1857 to Sep 1857

PHILLIPS, William A. - Colonel, 3rd Indian Home Guards,
Apr 14, 1863 to Jun 1863
Nov 1863 to Jul 1864
Dec 1864 to Mar 1865

BLUNT, James G. - Major General, Volunteers,
Jul 1863
May 1865
May 11, 1865 to Jun 15, 1865

WATTLES, Stephen H. - Colonel, Hq. Indian Brigade,
Aug 1864
Sep 1864 to Nov 1864

WILLIAMS, James M. - Colonel, Frontier Div. (Hq 2d Brig.)
7th Army Corps, Sep 1864

RITCHIE, John - Brevet Brigadier General, 3rd Indian Home
Guards, May 1865

GARRETT, John A. - Colonel, 40th Iowa Volunteers,
Jun 15, 1865 to Aug 3, 1865

TRUE, Lewis C. - Lt. Colonel, 62nd Illinois Volunteers,
Aug 4, 1865 to Nov 1865
Jan 1866 to Feb 17, 1866

JORDAN, E. M. - Captain, 62nd Illinois Volunteers,
Nov 1865 to Dec 1865

MULLIGAN, James B. - Captain, 18th Infantry,
Feb 18, 1866 to Mar 1, 1866

LUGENBEEL, Pinkney - Major, 18th Infantry, 1840,
Mar 1, 1866 to May 1867

AYRES, Robert - Captain, 19th Infantry,
May 1867 to Jun 19, 1867

BRYANT, M. - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Jun 20, 1867 to Nov 3, 1867
Jan 20, 1868 to May 1, 1868
May 1868 to Feb 26, 1869

FLOYD-JONES, Del - Colonel, 6th Infantry, 1846,
Nov 4, 1867 to May 1868
Feb 27, 1869 to Apr 1869

HUSTON, Daniel, Jr. - Lt. Colonel, 6th Infantry, 1848,
Apr 24, 1869 to Jan 29, 1871

SCHINDEL, Jeremiah P. - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Aug 8, 1869 to Sep 25, 1869
Oct 27, 1869 to Nov 20, 1869
Jul 26, 1871 to Aug 29, 1871

MUNSON, Jacob F. - Lieutenant, 6th Infantry,
Aug 22, 1870 to Sep 4, 1870

HAZEN, William B. - Colonel, 6th Infantry, 1855,
Jan 30, 1871 to Sep 30, 1871

SANDERS, William W. - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Aug 30, 1871 to Sep 3, 1871

Post re-established G.O. 1, Headquarters,
Fort Gibson, July 31, 1872.

GRIERSON, Benjamin H. - Colonel, 10th Cavalry,
Jul 31, 1872 to Jan 5, 1873

LAWSON, Gaines - Captain, 25th Infantry,
Oct 29, 1872 to Nov 11, 1872,
Jan 5, 1873 to Feb 23, 1873

DAVIDSON, J. W. - Lt. Colonel, 10th Cavalry, 1845,
Feb 24, 1873 to Apr 20, 1873

UPHAM, John J. - Captain, 6th Cavalry, 1859,
Apr 21, 1873 to Sep 6, 1873
Sep 8, 1875 to Jun 6, 1876

BENNETT, Andrew S. - Captain, 5th Infantry,
Jun 30, 1873 to Jul 5, 1873

NEILL, Thomas H. - Lt. Colonel, 6th Cavalry, 1847,
Sep 7, 1873 to Aug 6, 1874

WOODRUFF, Thomas M. - Lieutenant, 5th Infantry, 1871,
Aug 7, 1874 to Sep 7, 1875

RANDALL, Edward L. - Lieutenant, 5th Infantry,
Jun 7, 1876 to Jul 14, 1876

BUTLER, Edmond - Captain, 5th Infantry,
Jul 15, 1876 to Aug 6, 1876

MCDERMOTT, George - Lieutenant, 5th Infantry,
Aug 7, 1876 to Oct 18, 1876

SMITH, Lewis - Lieutenant, 3rd Artillery,
Oct 19, 1876 to Dec 26, 1876

ESKRIDGE, R. I. - Captain, 23rd Infantry,
Dec 27, 1876 to Jun 14, 1877

LAYTON, Caleb Rodney - Captain, 16th Infantry,
Jun 15, 1877 to May 18, 1879

HOUGH, A. L. - Major, 22nd Infantry,
May 19, 1879 to Oct 3, 1879

DICKEY, C. J. - Captain, 22nd Infantry,
Jul 29, 1879 to Aug 5, 1879

BALANCE, John G. - Second Lieutenant, 22nd Infantry, 1875,
Oct 4, 1879 to Jan 31, 1880

NEWTON, John - Second Lieutenant, 16th Infantry,
Feb 1, 1880 to Mar 5, 1880

THEAKER, Hugh A. - Captain, 16th Infantry,
Mar 6, 1880 to Mar 28, 1880

NICHOLS, W. A. - Second Lieutenant, 23rd Infantry,
Oct 1880 to Nov 13, 1880

OFFLEY, R. H. - Major, 19th Infantry,
Nov 14, 1880 to Nov 1, 1881

WINIE, Thomas M. - Lieutenant, 19th Infantry,
Apr 25, 1881 to May 10, 1881

LEETE, John G. - Lieutenant, 19th Infantry,
Sep 26, 1881 to Oct 16, 1881

TAYLOR, A. H. M. - Lieutenant, 19th Infantry,
Nov 2, 1881 to Nov 12, 1881

BATES, J. C. - Captain, 20th Infantry,
Nov 13, 1881 to May 14, 1885

HARBACH, A. A. - Captain, 20th Infantry,
Jul 9, 1882 to Oct 31, 1882
Mar 22, 1884 to Apr 14, 1884
Aug 5, 1884 to Oct 5, 1884
Jan 31, 1885 to Mar 2, 1885
Apr 30, 1885 to May 8, 1885

IVANS, J. A. - Second Lieutenant, 20th Infantry,
Mar 21, 1883 to May 11, 1883

CUSACK, Patrick - Captain, 9th Cavalry,
Sep 29, 1883 to Oct 19, 1883

MCCASKEY, William S. - Captain, 20th Infantry,
Jul 26, 1884 to Aug 4, 1884

JAMES, W. H. W. - Lieutenant, 24th Infantry, 1872,
May 14, 1885 to Jun 13, 1885

KEELER, Birney B. - Captain, 18th Infantry,
Jun 14, 1885 to Sep 15, 1885

POTTER, Carroll H. - Captain, 18th Infantry, 1857,
Sep 16, 1885 to Oct 1, 1886
Dec 10, 1888 to Sep 5, 1889

COPPINGER, John J. - Lieutenant Colonel, 18th Infantry,
Oct 2, 1886 to Jul 17, 1888

ADAMS, Henry H. - Captain, 18th Infantry,
Jun 8, 1888 to Jul 17, 1888
Jul 17, 1888 to Dec 9, 1888

SCHI8NDEL, Jeremiah P. - Captain, 6th Infantry,
Oct 2, 1889 to Sept 22, 1890

Post finally abandoned Sept 22, 1890.

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Camp at Fort Gibson

GALBRAITH, Jacob G. - Captain, 1st Cavalry, 1877,
Apr 6, 1897 to Jul 18, 1897

FORSE, Albert G. - Major, 1st Cavalry, 1865,
Jul 19, 1897 to Oct 19, 1897

TUTHERLY, Herbert E. - Captain, 1st Cavalry, 1872,
Oct 20, 1897 to Nov 1897

"This command is now, October 31, in tents on the old parade
ground at Fort Gibson, the old buildings being uninhabitable."

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Camp at Fort Gibson

DONALDSON, T. Q., Jr. - Captain, 8th Cavalry, 1887,
Apr 7, 1901 to Sep 20, 1901

LOTT, A. G. - Squadron Adjutant, 3rd Cavalry, 1892,
Sep 21, 1901 to Nov 19, 1901

Jacque Hopkins Wolski
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