Fort Phantom Hill

Fort Phantom Hill

In 1851 the US Army consisted of eight regiments of infantry, four of artillery, two of dragoons and one of mounted riflemen, each consisting of ten companies.   In Nov. 1851 five companies of the 5th regiment, 6% of total forces, were sent to establish a post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos river at a place called Phantom Hill.

Despite early communications indicating a pleasant place with abundant wild game and sustenance, experience brought below freezing winters with Texas "Blue Northers," summers with many days over 100° F, and long periods of little or no rain with insufficient grass to feed horses.  According to one of the brochures available at the ruins, "There were hailstorms and tornadoes in the spring and fall, ice and snow in the winter, and the wind seemed to never stop blowing."  According to my good friend W.T. Crider, living 20 miles away in Abilene, it hasn't changed at all.  Especially the part about the wind.  I can personally attest to the windiest (and perhaps, most fun) round of golf I've ever played at the Abilene Country Club.  We hit drives that differed by more than 100 yards depending on whether with or against the wind.  It was a hoot.

Further complicating existence at Phantom Hill the supply system was tenuous at best, and the water near the fort contained excessive minerals and was practically undrinkable.  Water was eventually brought from four (4) miles away, potentially a military disaster waiting to happen in the event of siege.  While a siege was unlikely, the lack of sufficient forage, water, or wood spelled the early abandonment of the fort.

Fortunately for the troops charged with not only building the fort, but with protecting settlers, there were not a large number of Indian deprecations since the location was at the southern edge of the buffalo hunting grounds. In 1854 the killing of Indian Agent Jesse Stem and the abduction and later escape of Jane Wilson provided a backdrop to a likewise confusing abandonment of the fort.  After only three years First Lieutenant Newton C. Givens was ordered to abandon the post and chose to burn it rather than leave it intact.  This action ultimately resulted in two courts martial for the officer, the first finding him innocent while the second resulted in a nine-month suspension.  The site was used for years afterward by the Butterfield Overland Mail Company and as a way point for the Goodnight-Loving trail and buffalo hunter and traders.

   




Entering through the portico entry from the parking lot there is an explanatory display detailing information about the fort.

Commanding Officer's Quarters

Commanding Officer's Quarters

 

Nice Texas spring view.

 

 

 Note the well near the cannon

 

More recent event

Well today.  Note security cover

 Investigation by your intrepid reporter has yielded an incident involving the fort and freshman college students in the mid 1980s.  It seems a so-called weird guy, on a semi-date with an anonymous freshman co-ed, required emergency team assistance to be extricated from the bottom of one of the wells after inadvertently dropping his glasses into the well and attempting to retrieve them.  Evidently, after a considerable time of trying to haul himself up and the inability of his companion to find a rope or other assisting device, the decision was made to call for help.  Driving to the nearest public phonebox the co-ed called in the request for assistance providing the name of the "stuckee," but hedging somewhat as to her name.    The incident, as well as the relationship of the co-ed to my good friends Bill and Martha B. of Tolar, Texas, shall remain a matter of private interest...despite being a hilarious story further sweetened by the fact that the co-ed is now the mother of a freshman co-ed herself.  One suspects the old saw about doing as I say, not as I do, might be heavily invoked in any discussions of this incident between the two today.  Besides, anonymity is important since I do not know the statute of limitations on providing false information to authorities. (Note: the name provided by the caller did not begin with "S" and end with "ara.")