Fort Gibson: A Brief History

GRANT FOREMAN CAROLYN THOMAS FOREMAN
To the Friends whose assistance has made possible the restoration now in evidence in Fort Gibson
Copyright by Carolyn Thomas Foreman
Books by GRANT FOREMAN Published by the University of Oklahoma Press Norman, Oklahoma
INDIAN REMOVAL (Out of Print) ADVANCING THE FRONTIER 1830-1860 THE FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES INDIANS AND PIONEERS FORT GIBSON DOWN THE TEXAS ROAD ADVENTURE ON RED RIVER (Editor) MARCY AND THE GOLD SEEKERS A TRAVELER IN INDIAN TERRITORY (Editor: Privately Printed) SEQUOYAH A PATHFINDER IN THE SOUTHWEST (Editor) A HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA MUSKOGEE: THE BIOGRAPHY OF AN OKLAHOMA TOWN PIONEER DAYS IN THE EARLY SOUTHWEST (Editor: Cleveland, Ohio) INDIAN JUSTICE (Editor: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
HOFFMAN-SPEED PRINTING CO., MUSKOGEE, OKLA.
Fort Gibson was not only the oldest and most celebrated military establishment in the annals of Oklahoma but in its early days it was the farthest west outpost of the United States, and in many respects continued for years to be one of the most important on that frontier. It was one of the chain of forts reaching from the northern to the southern boundaries of the nation, which included Fort Snelling, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Gibson, Fort Towson, and Fort Jesup, at times there were as many soldiers stationed at Fort Gibson as in all the other forts together. It was constructed in a wilderness frequented by bears, wolves, and panthers, while the neighboring prairies were the feeding grounds of wild horses, buffalo and deer. The nearby streams were rich in beaver, and furs were shipped by trappers and traders to eastern markets.
This fort actually owed its establishment to the indomitable spirit of the Osage Indians who ranged the surrounding country and claimed exclusive right to the game in that locality; consequently they challenged the hunters from eastern Indian tribes, notably the Cherokees, and were constantly engaging in savage battles with them. This situation resulted in the establishment, in 1817, of a garrison at Belle Point, subsequently called Fort Smith, which it was hoped would be able to abate the warlike activities of the Osages. As it was not able to achieve the desired results, the garrison was abandoned and the troops were directed to find a new location at the mouth of the Verdigris River, where they would be near the towns of the Osages and better able to watch and control their movements.