Fort Richardson (Texas)

Texas

In 1872 the largest army post in the United States sat in a small town in north Texas, with 666 officers and men.

historicalmilitary

In 1872 the largest United States Army installation in the country was not on a coast or near a capital. It sat on Lost Creek, outside Jacksboro in north Texas. Six hundred sixty six officers and men were stationed there. The post had been built for five companies and then stretched to hold ten or more. Construction started in 1867 and cost eight hundred thousand dollars, on three hundred acres. The Sixth Cavalry raised it after an earlier site near Buffalo Springs failed. That ground had no timber and not enough water, and the surrounding country was considered too dangerous to hold. A whole town nearby, Henrietta, had been abandoned in 1862 for lack of security. So the cavalry moved south and dug in. The fort took its name from a Union general who died at Antietam. Fifty five buildings went up, many of stone and cottonwood lumber.

This is the first of 2 parts. The rest runs about 2 minutes and is read to you as you drive past. Hear the whole piece.

What this was written from
in 1872, with a population of 666 officers and men, it was listed as the largest U.S. Army installation in the United States

Written from Wikipedia, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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