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 an 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, hair 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, whalebone, suspenders, snuff boxes, necklaces, fishing lines, guard chains, flasks, thimbles, court plaisters, hooks and eyes, silk guards, pocket combs, English combs, dressing combs.
APPENDIX II
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 name. Names of temporary commanding officers are indented.
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Colonel Matthew Arbuckle, 7th Infantry | Apr. 1824 | Feb. 6, 1839 |
| Major Alex Cummings, 7th Infantry | Apr. 24, 1825 | Aug. 1825 |
| Lieutenant Colonel James B. Many, 7th Infantry | Aug. 1825 | Sept. 6, 1825 |
| Captain John Philbrick, 7th Infantry | Sept. 1825 | Oct. 1825 |
| Captain Benjamin L. E. Bonneville, 7th Infantry, 1815 | Apr. 1828 | May 1828 |
| Captain N. G. Wilkinson, 7th Infantry | Feb. 6, 1829 | Apr. 20, 1829 |
| Captain N. G. Wilkinson, 7th Infantry | Mar. 26, 1830 | Apr. 23, 1830 |
| Captain N. G. Wilkinson, 7th Infantry | Oct. 14,1830 | Nov. 1830 |
| Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Many, 7th Infantry | Feb. 1, 1832 | July 7, 1832 |
| Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Many, 7th Infantry | May 15, 1834 | Sept. 30, 1834 |
| Major Sullivan Burbank, 7th Infantry | Oct. 1, 1834 | Nov. 4, 1834 |
| Lieutenant Colonel William Whistler, 7th Infantry | Aug. 6, 1835 | Sept. 10, 1835 |
| Lieutenant Colonel William Whistler, 7th Infantry | Apr. 20, 1836 | May 5, 1836 |
| Lieutenant Colonel William Whistler, 7th Infantry | May 11, 1837 | Sept. 13, 1837 |
| Major C. Wharton, 1st Dragoons | Sept. 14, 1837 | Oct. 23, 1837 |
| Major J. S. McIntosh, 7th Infantry | June 15, 1838 | Aug. 1838 |
| Captain E. S. Hawkins, 7th Infantry 1820 | Aug. 1838 | Sept. 1838 |
| Major J. S. McIntosh, 7th Infantry | Sept. 1838 | Jan. 28, 1839 |
| Lieutenant Colonel William Whistler, 7th Infantry | Jan. 29, 1839 | Feb. 6, 1839 |
| Major Bennett Riley, 4th Infantry | Feb. 7, 1839 | Apr. 1839 |
| Colonel Enos Cutler, 4th Infantry | Apr. 1839 | Jan. 1840 |
| Major B. Riley, 4th Infantry | June 21, 1839 | Jan. 17, 1840 |
| Colonel & Brevet Brigadier General M. Arbuckle, 7th Infantry | Jan. 18, 1840 | Feb. 4, 1840 |
| Colonel Alexander Cummings, 4th Infantry | Jan. 1840 | Aug. 1841 |
| Major Clifton Wharton, 1st Dragoons | Feb. 6, 1840 | Feb. 16, 1840 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Riley, 2nd Infantry | Feb. 17, 1840 | Feb. 24, 1840 |
| Major C. Wharton | Feb. 25, 1840 | Mar. 3, 1840 |
| Colonel & Brevet Brigadier General Arbuckle | Apr. 10, 1841 | May 7, 1841 |
| Lieutenant Colonel J. Garland, 4th Infantry | May 27, 1841 | June 19, 1841 |
| Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason, 1st Dragoons | June 20, 1841 | Aug. 1841 |
| Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason, 1st Dragoons | Aug. 1841 | Apr. 28, 1842 |
| Colonel S. W. Kearney, 1st Dragoons | Apr. 29, 1842 | July 3, 1842 |
| Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason, 1st Dragoons | July 4, 1842 | Oct. 7, 1842 |
| Captain Jacob Brown, 6th Infantry | Oct. 8, 1842 | Jan. 16, 1843 |
| Major Clifton Wharton, 1st Dragoons | Jan. 17, 1843 | Jan. 31, 1843 |
| Colonel William Davenport, 6th Infantry | Feb. 1, 1843 | Sept. 17, 1843 |
| Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason, 1st Dragoons | Sept. 18, 1843 | Dec. 17, 1843 |
| Captain W. S. Ketchum, 6th Infantry | Sept. 20, 1843 | Sept. 26, 1843 |
| Captain N. Boone, 1st Dragoons | Sept. 27, 1843 | Dec. 17, 1843 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Gustavus Loomis, 6th Infantry, 1811 | Dec. 18, 1843 | June 19, 1844 |
| Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason, 1st Dragoons | June 20, 1844 | Feb. 27, 1846 |
| Captain Nathan Boone, 1st Dragoons | May 30, 1845 | Aug. 13, 1845 |
| Captain Albemarle Cady, 6th Infantry, 1829 | Feb. 26, 1846 | Mar. 27, 1846 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Gustavus Loomis, 6th Infantry, 1811 | Mar. 28, 1846 | Feb. 24, 1848 |
| Captain A. Cady, 1829 | Apr. 30, 1846 | May 26, 1846 |
| Major B. L. E. Bonneville, 6th Infantry | Feb. 26, 1848 | Nov. 4, 1848 |
| Captain E. Steen, 1st Dragoons | June 16, 1848 | July 25, 1848 |
| Captain William S. Ketchum, 6th Infantry | July 26, 1848 | Nov. 4, 1848 |
| Major Dixon S. Miles, 5th Infantry, 1824 | Nov. 5, 1848 | Dec. 18, 1848 |
| Captain C. L. Stevenson, 5th Infantry, 1838 | Dec. 1, 1848 | Dec. 18, 1848 |
| Lieutenant Colonel & Brevet Brigadier General William G. Belknap, 5th Infantry | Dec. 19, 1848 | May 14, 1851 |
| Captain Isaac Lynde, 5th Infantry, 1827 | Dec. 8, 1849 | Jan. 6, 1850 |
| Captain Isaac Lynde, 5th Infantry, 1827 | Feb. 22, 1850 | Mar. 17, 1850 |
| Captain Isaac Lynde, 5th Infantry, 1827 | May 12, 1850 | June 8, 1850 |
| Captain William Chapman, 5th Infantry, 1831 | June 9, 1850 | July 16, 1850 |
| Major Henry Bainbridge, 7th Infantry, 1821 | May 15, 1851 | July 26, 1851 |
| Captain Henry Little, 7th Infantry | July 5, 1851 | July 26, 1851 |
| Major George Andrews, 7th infantry | July 27, 1851 | Oct. 5, 1852 |
| Captain Henry Little, 7th Infantry | Oct. 6, 1852 | Oct. 30, 1853 |
| Captain Charles H. Humber, 7th Infantry, 1840 | Jan. 15, 1853 | July 27, 1853 |
| Captain Braxton Bragg, 3rd Artillery, 1837 | Oct. 31, 1853 | Dec. 1, 1853 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Pitcairn Morrison, 7th Infantry | Dec. 2, 1853 | May 7, 1855 |
| Colonel Henry Wilson, 7th Infantry | May 8, 1855 | June 22, 1857 |
| Captain Henry Little, 7th Infantry | Feb. 16, 1856 | Apr. 2, 1856 |
| Lieutenant Colonel P. Morrison, 7th Infantry | Apr. 3, 1856 | June 21, 1856 |
| Captain Henry Little, 7th Infantry | May 21, 1857 | June 22, 1857 |
| Lieutenant W. L. Cabell, 7th Infantry, A. Q. M., 1850 | June 23, 1857 | Sept. 1857 |
| Colonel William A. Phillips, 3rd Indian Home Guards | Apr. 14, 1863 | June 1863 |
| Major General James G. Blunt, Volunteers | July 1863 | |
| Colonel Wm. A. Phillips, 3rd Indian Home Guards | Nov. 1863 | July 1864 |
| Colonel Stephen H. Wattles, Hq. Indian Brigade | Aug. 1864 | |
| Colonel James M. Williams, Frontier Div. (Hq. 2d Brig.) 7th Army Corps | Sept. 1864 | |
| Colonel Wattles | Sept. 1864 | Nov. 1864 |
| Colonel Phillips | Dec. 1864 | Mar. 1865 |
| Major General James G. Blunt | May 1865 | |
| Brevet Brigadier General John Ritchie, 3rd Indian Home Guards | May 11, 1865 | June 15, 1865 |
| Major General Blunt | May 11, 1865 | June 15, 1865 |
| Colonel John A. Garrett, 40th Iowa Volunteers | June 15, 1865 | Aug. 3, 1865 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Lewis C. True, 62nd Illinois Volunteers | Aug. 4, 1865 | Nov. 1865 |
| Captain E. M. Jordan, 62nd Illinois Volunteers | Nov. 1865 | Dec. 1865 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Lewis C. True, 62nd Illinois Volunteers | Jan. 1866 | Feb. 17, 1866 |
| Captain James B. Mulligan, 18th Infantry | Feb. 18, 1866 | Mar. 1, 1866 |
| Major Pinkney, Lugenbeel, 18th Infantry, 1840 | Mar. 1, 1866 | May 1867 |
| Captain Robert Ayres, 19th Infantry | May 1867 | June 19, 1867 |
| Captain M. Bryant, 6th Infantry | June 20, 1867 | Nov. 3, 1867 |
| Colonel DeL. Floyd-Jones, 6th Infantry, 1846 | Nov. 4, 1867 | May 1868 |
| Captain M. Bryant, 6th Infantry | Jan. 20, 1868 | May 1, 1868 |
| Captain M. Bryant, 6th Infantry | May 1868 | Feb. 26, 1869 |
| Colonel DeL. Floyd-Jones, 6th Infantry, 1846 | Feb. 27, 1869 | Apr. 1869 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Huston, Jr., 6th Infantry, 1848 | Apr. 24, 1869 | Jan. 29, 1871 |
| Captain Jeremiah P. Schindel, 6th Infantry | Aug. 8, 1869 | Sept. 25, 1869 |
| Captain Jeremiah P. Schindel, 6th Infantry | Oct. 27, 1869 | Nov. 20, 1869 |
| Lieutenant Jacob F. Munson, 6th Infantry | Aug. 22, 1870 | Sept. 4, 1870 |
| Colonel William B. Hazen, 6th Infantry, 1855 | Jan. 30, 1871 | Sept. 30, 1871 |
| Captain Jeremiah P Schindel | July 26, 1871 | Aug. 29, 1871 |
| Captain William W. Sanders, 6th Infantry | Aug. 30, 1871 | Sept. 3, 1871 |
| Post re-established G. O. 1, Headquarters, Fort Gibson, July 31, 1872. | ||
| Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson, 10th Cavalry | July 31, 1872 | Jan. 5, 1873 |
| Captain Gaines Lawson, 25th Infantry | Oct. 29, 1872 | Nov. 11, 1872 |
| Captain Gaines Lawson, 25th Infantry | Jan. 5, 1873 | Feb. 23, 1873 |
| Lieutenant Colonel J. W. Davidson, 10th Cavalry, 1845 | Feb. 24, 1873 | Apr. 20, 1873 |
| Captain John J. Upham, 6th Cavalry, 1859 | Apr. 21, 1873 | Sept. 6, 1873 |
| Captain Andrew S. Bennett, 5th Infantry | June 30, 1873 | July 5, 1873 |
| Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Neill, 6th Cavalry, 1847 | Sept. 7, 1873 | Aug. 6, 1874 |
| Lieutenant Thomas M. Woodruff, 5th Infantry, 1871 | Aug. 7, 1874 | Sept. 7, 1875 |
| Major J. J. Upham, 5th Cavalry | Sept. 8, 1875 | June 6, 1876 |
| Lieutenant Edward L. Randall, 5th Infantry | June 7, 1876 | July 14, 1876 |
| Captain Edmond Butler, 5th Infantry | July 15,1876 | Aug. 6, 1876 |
| Lieutenant George McDermott, 5th Infantry | Aug. 7, 1876 | Oct. 18, 1876 |
| Lieutenant Lewis Smith, 3rd Artillery | Oct. 19, 1876 | Dec. 26, 1876 |
| Captain R. I. Eskridge, 23rd Infantry | Dec. 27, 1876 | June 14, 1877 |
| Captain Caleb Rodney Layton, 16th Infantry | June 15, 1877 | May 18, 1879 |
| Major A. L. Hough, 22d Infantry | May 19, 1879 | Oct. 3, 1879 |
| Captain C. J. Dickey, 22d Infantry | July 29, 1879 | Aug. 5, 1879 |
| Second Lieutenant John G. Ballance, 22d Infantry, 1875 | Oct. 4, 1879 | Jan. 31, 1880 |
| Second Lieutenant John Newton, 16th Infantry | Feb. 1, 1880 | Mar. 5, 1880 |
| Captain Hugh A. Theaker, 16th Infantry | Mar. 6, 1880 | Mar. 28, 1880 |
| Second Lieutenant W. A. Nichols, 23rd Infantry | Oct. 1880 | Nov. 13, 1880 |
| Major R. H. Offley, 19th Infantry | Nov. 14, 1880 | Nov. 1, 1881 |
| Lieutenant Thomas M. Winie, 19th Infantry | Apr. 25, 1881 | May 10, 1881 |
| Lieutenant John G. Leete, 19th Infantry | Sept. 26, 1881 | Oct. 16, 1881 |
| Lieutenant A. H. M. Taylor, 19th Infantry | Nov. 2, 1881 | Nov. 12, 1881 |
| Captain J. C Bates, 20th Infantry | Nov. 13, 1881 | May 14, 1885 |
| Captain A. A. Harbach, 20th Infantry | July 9, 1882 | Oct. 31, 1882 |
| Second Lieutenant J. A. Ivans, 20th Infantry | Mar. 21, 1883 | May 11, 1883 |
| Captain Patrick Cusack, 9th Cavalry | Sept. 29, 1883 | Oct. 19, 1883 |
| Captain A. A. Harbach | Mar. 22, 1884 | Apr. 14, 1884 |
| Captain William S. McCaskey, 20th Infantry | July 26, 1884 | Aug. 4, 1884 |
| Captain Harbach | Aug. 5, 1884 | Oct. 5, 1884 |
| Captain Harbach | Jan. 31, 1885 | Mar. 2, 1885 |
| Captain Harbach | Apr. 30, 1885 | May 8, 1885 |
| Lieutenant W. H. W. James, 24th Infantry, 1872 | May 14, 1885 | June 13, 1885 |
| Captain Birney B. Keeler, 18th Infantry | June 14, 1885 | Sept. 15, 1885 |
| Captain Carroll H. Potter, 18th Infantry, 1857 | Sept. 16, 1885 | Oct. 1, 1886 |
| Lieutenant Colonel John J. Coppinger, 18th Infantry | Oct. 2, 1886 | July 17, 1888 |
| Captain Henry H. Adams, 18th Infantry | June 8, 1888 | July 17, 1888 |
| Captain Henry H. Adams, 18th Infantry | July 17, 1888 | Dec. 9, 1888 |
| Captain Carroll H. Potter, 18th Infantry 1857 | Dec. 10, 1888 | Sept. 5, 1889 |
| Captain H. H. Adams | Sept 6, 1889 | Oct. 2, 1889 |
| Captain Jeremiah P. Schindel, 6th Infantry | Oct. 1, 1889 | Sept. 22, 1890 |
Post finally abandoned September 22, 1890.
Camp at Fort Gibson
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Jacob G. Galbraith, 1st Cavalry, 1877 | Apr. 6, 1897 | July 18, 1897 |
| Major Albert G. Forse, 1st Cavalry, 1865 | July 19, 1897 | Oct. 19, 1897 |
| Captain Herbert E. Tutherly, 1st Cavalry, 1872 | Oct. 20, 1897 | Nov. 1897 |
“This command is now, October 31, in tents on the old parade ground at Fort Gibson, the old buildings being uninhabitable.”