The Junior Historian, Volume 8, Number 4, January 1948 Page: 17
24 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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THE JUNIOR HISTORIAN
FORT MARTIN SCOTT
by CAROLYN NICHC LS
Fredericksburg High S;choolI I walls could speak, I should like to
hear the narrative told by the walls
of my grandfather's home. MyI
grandfather's name is Henry Braeuti-
gain. HIis home, a rock dwelling located
two miles from Fredericksburg, is al-
most a century old. Indeed these walls
could tell an interesting tale, for they
at one time formed a part of old Fort
Martin Scott, the officers' quarters, to
)be exact.
Fort Martin Scott, a United States
a-11y post, was established on December
5, 1848; on December 28, 1849, it was
named for Major Martin Scott, brevet
lieutenant colonel in the 5th United
States Infantry, who was killed at
Molino del Rey in 1847.
The building plan of Fort Martin
Scott was laid off to form a rectangle
with the southeast side open. The large,
heavy doors measured forty-two by
ninety-two inches and had two long
panels running almost the length of
the door. A huge double fireplace was
constructed, with a flue four feet across
and extending four feet above the roof,
lut it smoked so badly that it was re-
moved. To the side of the officers' quar-
ter-s and facing the west was the rock
stable where the horses were kept. The
soldiers at the fort had a blacksmith
shop and a bakery. The location of the
blacksmith shop is not exactly known.
The quarters of the soldiers, a row of
houses, six or more in number, were in
line with the commissary.
The establishment of the fort was a
blessing for the infant colony of Fred-
c'ricksburg. The coming of the soldiers
brought to the people of Fredericksburg
more assurance of protection against
the Indians. It meant profitable employ-
ment for the men of the colony, for
these men were needed as carpenters
and stonemasons and for hauling build-ing s ones in oxcarts. Old-timers tell
how during starving time when they
were children they went to the soldiers'
camp, where there was an abundance
of feed for the horses, gathered the
grain, the horses dropped, washed them,
and took them home to grind into meal.
There was, however, a darker side
to Fort Martin Scott and its relation
to the little village next door. The
character of some of the soldiers was
any thing but commendable. According
to stories told by the settlers, the soldiers
were a thieving, undisciplined lot, who
frequently indulged in heavy drinking.
One cf these soldiers stole a rifle from
Weirich's gunsmith shop; several times
soldiers came into homes and helped
themselves to food; and a drunken sol-
dier broke down the door of Wehmeyer's
bakery with an ax.
On one occasion a soldier, already
under the influence of liquor, wanted
to buNr some more whiskey from J. M.
Hunter, the principal merchant in town,
who also served as county clerk. It was
closing time for the store, and Hunter
warn d the soldier to go on his way;
but the soldier refused. A struggle en-
sued, and the soldier was stabbed, dying
a few minutes later. Some of the sol-
diers of the fort learned of the accident
and came to town to get revenge against
Hunter. The result was that they burned
down the Hunter store containing the
first 'egal records of Gillespie County.
I-Iunt-r was not indicted for the stab-
bing, and the soldiers were never heard
from again. In suffering this rowdy
conduct, the townspeople always had
the satisfaction of knowing that the
guilty soldiers would be punished at
the f.)rt if caught at lawbreaking.
By the end of 1853, it appeared that
Fort Martin Scott had had its day;
the line of forts for defense against theI7
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Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 8, Number 4, January 1948, periodical, January 1948; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391365/m1/19/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas State Historical Association.