- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Fort Lancaster was a U.S. Army post located in the Pecos River Valley near present day Sheffield, Texas. The post was originally founded in 1855 as Camp Lancaster. In 1856 it would become a permanant fort designed to protect nearby settlements and to patrol the area, mostly for hostile Native Americans.
In early 1861 with war on the horizon Fort Lancaster was garrisoned by Co. K of the 1st U.S. Infantry. However, Co. K was order to abandon the fort and did so on March 19, 1861. Confederate troops quickly recognized the fort was abandoned and quickly re-garrisoned the position later in 1861. The fort was under the command of Col. John S. Ford however in 1862 Confederate commanders chose to abandon the fort. Col Ford would go on to command Confederate forces at the Battle of Palmito Ranch at the close of the war. Fort Lancaster would lay abandoned for the remainder of the war having never fired a shot in anger.
Following the war the fort would remain abandoned until 1867 when it was once again garrisoned by the U.S. Army. In December of that year it would come under major attack from the Kickapoo tribe however troops were able to withstand the assault forcing the Kickapoo to withdraw. U.S. troops involved sustained minimal casualties. This would be the final major role Fort Lancaster would play.
In 1975 a rancher donated the land on which Fort Lancaster sat to the state of Texas. Today the fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is known as the Fort Lancaster State Historic Site and maintained by Texas. The site houses ruins of multiple buildings and the post cemetery. There is also a visitor center on the site that contains multiple artifacts taken from the area. The site is open all year to visitors.
http://www.visitfortlancaster.com/index.aspx?page=8
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Lancaster_(1)
Links to other "Forgotten Forts Series" forts
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-craig-nm.79104/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-pike.78757/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-livingston.78737/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mcallister.78469/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-caswell.78408/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-wool.78325/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mackinac.77950/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-norfolk.77859/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-clinch.77816/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-adams.77979/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-warren.77775/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-alcatraz.77732/
In early 1861 with war on the horizon Fort Lancaster was garrisoned by Co. K of the 1st U.S. Infantry. However, Co. K was order to abandon the fort and did so on March 19, 1861. Confederate troops quickly recognized the fort was abandoned and quickly re-garrisoned the position later in 1861. The fort was under the command of Col. John S. Ford however in 1862 Confederate commanders chose to abandon the fort. Col Ford would go on to command Confederate forces at the Battle of Palmito Ranch at the close of the war. Fort Lancaster would lay abandoned for the remainder of the war having never fired a shot in anger.
Following the war the fort would remain abandoned until 1867 when it was once again garrisoned by the U.S. Army. In December of that year it would come under major attack from the Kickapoo tribe however troops were able to withstand the assault forcing the Kickapoo to withdraw. U.S. troops involved sustained minimal casualties. This would be the final major role Fort Lancaster would play.
In 1975 a rancher donated the land on which Fort Lancaster sat to the state of Texas. Today the fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is known as the Fort Lancaster State Historic Site and maintained by Texas. The site houses ruins of multiple buildings and the post cemetery. There is also a visitor center on the site that contains multiple artifacts taken from the area. The site is open all year to visitors.
http://www.visitfortlancaster.com/index.aspx?page=8
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Lancaster_(1)
Links to other "Forgotten Forts Series" forts
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-craig-nm.79104/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-pike.78757/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-livingston.78737/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mcallister.78469/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-caswell.78408/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-wool.78325/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mackinac.77950/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-norfolk.77859/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-clinch.77816/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-adams.77979/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-warren.77775/
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-alcatraz.77732/