The city of Fredericksburg will always be known as a historic community, especially considering its German heritage. At one time, it was certainly considered part of the frontier of the United States westward expansion, and Fort Martin Scott played an important role as the first U.S. Army outpost of the Texas Frontier. Now a Texas Historical Site owned by the city, the fort has an interesting history and is worthy of a visit by history buffs touring the Texas Hill Country.
The fort’s namesake was Major Martin Scott, an army soldier who died in 1847 during the Mexican-American War. Originally from Vermont, Martin Scott enlisted with the “Green Mountain Boys” during the war of 1812. Maj. Scott was well known for his marksmanship and spent his free time hunting wild game. Legend allows that one of his favorite feats of marksmanship was to toss two potatoes into the air, and when they lined up with one another, to shoot through both of them with a single shot. His bravery was unquestioned, and he was cited for gallantry during a number of battles, including Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterrey.
Fort Martin Scott was established in 1848 and was named for Maj. Scott after an order to name frontier posts in honor of officers killed during the war. Prior to 1849, the fort was just known as the “camp near Fredericksburg.”
The fort was originally established by Captain Seth Eastman of the First United States Infantry about two miles southeast of Fredericksburg on Barons Creek to protect settlers and those traveling the area from Indians. While Eastman referred to the fort as Camp Houston, the name was not well established, and the order to name it for Maj. Scott was well founded. The well-known treaty of 1847 between the German settlers and the Comanches went a long way to keeping peace in the area, and while the continued growth of settlers into the fertile areas led to small conflicts, there was not much that could be considered warfare.
However, by 1850, the influx of settlers, soldiers and travelers was creating enough tension with the Indians that an Indian agent was escorted by soldiers from Fort Martin Scott to meet with the Indians. The Fort Martin Scott Treaty resulted from the meeting and improved relations to the point that open hostilities were avoided.
The westward movement of the United States meant Fredericksburg and Fort Martin Scott were no longer a part of the “frontier.” The fort was functionally obsolete, and after being used as a forage depot for about a year, the fort was closed by the Army in 1853. It was used sporadically during the Civil War. Some records indicate it was occupied briefly by the Confederate Army, while others indicate it was never occupied, though it was considered “held” by the Confederates from 1861 until 1865. In 1866, General Sheridan ordered troops to the fort to once again calm any potential Indian uprising, but by the end of 1866, the fort was no longer used by the military.
After the property was abandoned by the military, many of the buildings were destroyed as local area residents removed lumber and stone to use as building material on their own property. The Braeutigam family purchased the property in 1870 and farmed the land for 90 years. The buildings left intact were repurposed by the family as living space and barns. Interestingly, the old officer’s quarters were converted into a saloon. The city of Fredericksburg purchased the property in 1959. The historic site now displays one original garrison building that has been restored and three reproduction garrison buildings, as well as one late 1800’s farm shed.
The Texas Rangers were an important part of keeping the peace along the Texas frontier as well and used the site of Fort Martin Scott as a camp both before and after the military occupations. Adjacent to the fort, the Texas Rangers Heritage Center pays tribute to these brave defenders of Texas. The exhibits include the Ranger Ring of Honor, magnificent bronze statues, a pavilion, amphitheater and the Campanile Bell Tower. The center is a beautiful addition to the attractions of Fredericksburg and hosts a number of special events throughout the year.
Photos by Becky Walker.
Sources:
1. http://www.ftmartinscott.org/.
2. https://www.fbgtx.org/416/Ft-Martin-Scott.
3. https://www.fbgtx.org/927/Martin-Scott-the-Man.
4. https://trhc.org/visit-the-texas-rangers-heritage-center/.
5. https://www.fbgtx.org/924/Braeutigam-Farm.
Written by Bill Smith
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