The Ghost of Fort Washita - - Aunt Jane

Well, I missed the opportunity to meet Aunt Jane -- the Ghost of Fort Washita.

The fort was established in 1842 to protect the peaceful Indians from their more aggressive neighbors and squatters.  Although the population could get up to 1600 soldiers, it generally housed 50-300 men. 

Near Fort Washita was a town, Hatsboro (also known as Rugglesville).   It was the "camp town" and soldiers with free time could spend their money in the saloons.  It was also the nearest place for the families to get supplies.   

After the Civil War, the fort was abandoned in the 1870s.  In the late 1880s, the remaining residents in the area burned the fort to the ground.  It had become a haven for robbers and other undesireables who squatted in the vacant buildings.  

"Aunt Jane" is the resident ghost at Fort Washita.  Who is/was she?  There are several stories about her untimely demise that have been handed down over the years. However, it is possible that she was killed at the fort some time between 1842 and 1861.

One story suggests that Aunt Jane was a free Negro that came to Fort Washita during the Civil War to spy on the Confederate soldiers stationed there.  When the Confederates uncovered her true identity and mission, she was executed by beheading, and her body and head were buried in separate graves.  At various times, her head can be seen rolling toward the grave with the body. 

In the second version, she is wife of an officer stationed at the fort, a white woman.   it was believed that she always carried $20 in gold. One afternoon she walked to Hatsboro to buy supplies.   Thinking that the 3 miles walk back to the fort in the heat of the day would be too exhausting, she waited unit evening when it would be cooler.   As she neared the Government Springs, she was attacked by robbers seeking her gold.  During the attack they chopped off her head.  She walks the grounds at night looking for her head and the gold.

And then there is the love triangle story.  Again she is the wife of an officer stationed at Fort Washita. One night, her husband returned home from a patrol and found her in bed with another soldier. In a fit of rage, he beheaded the two lovers and tossed their heads in the Washita River.  Since that time Aunt Jane is said to float up and down the river in hsearch of her head. 

Even though the possible causes of Aunt Jane’s death are in debate, the timing of her frequent appearances are not. The ghost of Aunt Jane is said to search for her head and/or her hidden cache of gold only on the nights of the full moon in the months of March and October, the "witching moon."

Fort Washita OK

Thanks to the Welcome Center, there is plenty of literature on Fort Washita.  Although I didn't get on the grounds, I did manage to get on the fence and get some pictures!  Maybe this is an excuse to make another trip this way sometime. 

In 1841 Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians were building schools and establishing law and order in southeastern Indian territory. However, this stability was threatened by raiding plains Indians and non-Indian intruders. The discovery of gold in California provided the Chikasaw with the safety they needed as the governmant commissioned General Zachary Taylor to select the site for a fort to protect the settlers and provide a safe trail for west-bound white settlers

In the late summer of 1841, Taylor, with a small detachment of mounted troopers, rode into Indian Territory, on a mission to find the best site for a new outpost.  After exploring the area, he selected a site 18 miles north of the Red River on the Washita River, 1 1/2 miles from the stream. At the mouth of the muddy Washita River, just 18 miles north of the Red River, the General marked a site on a ridge overlooking the "Twelve-Mile Prairie". The site was a strategic location as one could see advancing travelers from the prairie, consider bringing supplies by river navigation, and obtain raw material for building from the heavily wooded areas surrounding the site.

Occupied in April 1842, named Fort Washita, it was the southwestern-most military post of the US.  Its mission was to protect the recent arrivals of Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians and maintain the stability in the Chocaw Nation, Indian Territory and to protect the recent arrivals of Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians. 

Even by frontier standards, Fort Washita was isolated.  Securing supplies was difficult.  Local materials had to be used for construction and food had to be obtained locally. Construction, under the leadership of Capt George Blake, was started with Companies A and F of the 2nd Dragoons and was slow due to the lack of materials.  Manufactured supplies had to be shipped overland from St. Louis or New Orleans and then moved up the Red River to the Washita.  Temporary log barracks were built in 1842 to serve until the pemanent buildings were constructed.  However, that didn't happen until 1850 due to the difficulty in getting supplies.  

Fort Washita was active during the 1840s & 1850s.  It served as a staging area for incursions into the western region against raiding plains tribes. The Comanches proved to be the most consistent foes. 

The original fort covered over 7 square miles and contained more than 90 buildings and sites.  The parade ground was enclosed on the south by the South Barracks, enlisted men’s quarters. On the west were the West Barracks used for enlisted men. To the north was the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, and to the east were the Bachelor’s Officers’ Quarters. Behind and north of the Commanding Officer’s Quarters were the Married Officers’ Quarters and the new Hospital. South of the South Barracks was the Commissary, the old Hospital, and the Guard House.  Because units needed at Fort Washita were made up of cavalry and dragoons, the fort had an extensive corral and stable area, as well as shops for blacksmiths and farriers.

Soon after the capture of Fort Sumter in 1861, Fort Washita was abandoned by federal troops. Confederate units from Texas took over on May 1, 1861 and it became a major supply depot for Confederate troops in Indian Territory. The fort was also a regional headquarters and hospital facility for southern troops.

General Douglas Cooper commanded the fort briefly after the Battle of Honey Springs, the largest battle fought in Indian Territory. Cooper remained at Fort Washita and, working on behalf of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, sued the U.S. government for failed promises that dated as far back as the Indian removals of the 1830s. Cooper died April 29, 1879, and is buried in an unmarked grave at Fort Washita.

General Albert Pike served at the fort for a short period, and commanded near-by Fort McCulloch, named for Confederate General Ben McCulloch. He also made several contacts among the Native American tribes in the area, at one time negotiating an $800,000 settlement between the Creeks and other tribes and the federal government.   At the beginning of the war, Pike was appointed as Confederate envoy to the Native Americans. In this capacity he negotiated several treaties, one of the most important being with Cherokee chief John Ross, which was concluded in 1861.

Stand Watie, born in Georgia, a Chief of the Cherokee Nation, he survived the tribe's Trail of Tears in the 1830s and became the only Native American to achieve the rank of general during the Civil War.

In 1870 the War Department transferred the fort to the Department of the Interior, and it was never reactivated. 

Many prominent men served at Fort Washita during its heyday. Among them were General Zachary Taylor, Captains Randolph B. Marcy and George B. McClellan, and General William G. Belknap. In 1854 Colonel Braxton Bragg, later a Confederate general, commanded the 2nd Artillery Regiment stationed at the fort.

Upon the approval of Chickasaw lands being allotted to individuals, the Department of the Interior turned the land over to the Chickasaw family of Abbie Davis Colbert and her son. The remaining structures of the fort served as farm buildings well into the 20th century. The Colbert family also utilized the cemetery as a family burial ground.   Her husband, Charley Colbert came to Fort Washita with his parents as youth and lived most of life there. His father, James Allen Colbert came to Indian Territory over Trail of Tears in early 1830's.  Holding the office of auditor, Chickasaw Nation, Charley  was recognized as one of the Chickasaw Nations's most distinguished men. 

In 1962, Ward S. Merrick, Sr., of Ardmore, contributed money to the Oklahoma Historical Society for the fort’s purchase. Five years later the state legislature appropriated money for restoration which continues to this day under the guidance of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Fort Washita has a 'resident spirit,' the ghost of "Aunt Jane."  She comes forth at the full moon during March and October.

Headed North on the Jefferson Highway – Day 1 – 331 miles

Left Evant TX about 7:30 AM – Thanks to Brenda and her family, I managed to get loaded without any extreme respiratory distress.   Heat and humidity were both high when I left.  Stopped at the Czech Bakery/Deli in West to pick up a week’s worth of sausage kolaches for breakfasts on the road – and of course I couldn’t get out of there without a couple lemon/cream cheese kolaches for snacks along the way! 

 

Headed up I-35 East thru Dallas.  I think they have a problem figuring out how to finish road construction –  such a mess – I thought Chicago screwed up roadways, but Dallas is right behind them when it comes to mess.  Did manage to get in the wrong lane and had to make an exit – thanks to the construction, it took me about 10 miles to finally figure out where I was and how to get back on Hwy 75.  Ahhh…what’s a little side trip here and there!

Drove around Denison TX,  that is where I picked up the Jefferson Highway.  Went out to Eisenhower’s birthplace but it was closed – I found several ‘historical’ things were closed on Mondays.  So, if you are into history and traveling Oklahoma, don’t plan on seeing much on Monday! 

Denison is doing a great job removing the asphalt from their streets and uncovering the brick streets.  Going to be quite attractive when they finish.   One of the buildings has been painted to recall the older stores that had been in the area.  I do love building murals.  

On to Oklahoma – stopped at the Choctaw Nation Welcome center and picked up some literature.  Terrific place to stop – very very helpful….added a few more sites to my list!  Crossing the river, I got a pic of the old iron bridge - I love old iron bridges!

Left there and headed to Durant – never did find the giant peanut statue – guess that’s my loss!   Missed the turn off for Fort Washita – 12 miles later I turned around and back tracked.  A few signs would be nice!  Traveled on down the road, about 20 miles out to the fort.  Got to the turn off – Road Closed!  Local Traffic Only.  I wasn’t sure how ‘local’ it would be to the fort but I kept on trekkin’.    Found the fort and the “Closed Monday” sign….back track back to the highway…..head back up Hwy 75.   

Drove thru Caddo.  Tried to get a picture of the Welcome to Caddo sign they have across the entrance into town.  Small community – older town, quite well kept.   Caddo looks much like it did when the town was established on a buffalo trail long before statehood.  The Indian Museum of Caddo wasn’t open – must be MONDAY!

By the time I got to Atoka, I decided to stop – even though it was only 2:30.  Figured I wasn’t going to be able to visit the Boggy Spring battle field (it’s Monday!) so I’ll catch it on my way out of town in the AM.

While heading back to the highway, I saw a really interesting mail box post.  Sun was in the wrong spot to get a great pic, but it was  a tree with wrought iron animals in the tree – an eagle, a buzzard, a small bear cub climbing up the tree and a raccoon or some other little critter on one of the branches.  Somebody did a lot of work to get that made and put together.

Found a “mom-pop” motel in Atoka for $45/night!  Can’t beat that!

Today is pack the truck day and tomorrow is head'em up, move'em out day!  Hopefully I will be on the road bright and early Saturday AM headed to Gatesville - my ol' stompin' grounds.  Time to catch up on the gossip and the coffee drinkin'.  Also time to have the well-baby check up on that ol' Dodge Dually I'm drivin' and have the tires checked and oil changed.  Then it will be off to the vet with Brooke for her well baby check up.  Gonna be a really sad trip; missin' my Holly, Li'lBit and Amber -- and Brooke just isn't the traveler that they were.

Has been really strange this week, packing a truck and not a trailer. I really wish I had my Mom here to  help -- she was about the only person I know that could pack 50 pounds into a 25 pound sack and she could do wonders when it came to packing a trunk and the car.

Been so long since I've gone anywhere without my trailer, I don't even have a suitcase!  I don't even remember how to pack -- I'm so used to tossing everything into tote boxes and shoving them into the trailer.  I know my sister is gonna be so proud of my matched and un-matched set of plastic tote boxes and re-usuable grocery and WalMart shopping bags!  She'll probably make me wait to unload under cover of darkness!

My lungs and my body are really looking forward to being out of this Texas heat for awhile.  Not sure if it is my meds (seems they all have some kind of heat or sun warning) or just a reaction to some heat problems I had years ago when I was in the Army, but lately the heat/humidity has been making me ill......that doesn't make me happy -- but I'm gonna be on the road, pointed north, Saturday AM, come hell or high water.

I'm Back!

I'm back!  Kinda lost interest in doing the blog when there wasn't much to share except weather and health problems!  I didn't make my summer trip to Iowa this year.  My little trailer is in need of some 'intensive care' after several summers of winds and rain -- the damage took its toll on the roof and the ceiling.  But, it will be in the RV hospital in the near future and, hopefully, ready to go back to Iowa next summer. Then I will consider finding a place up there to store it -- towing is getting harder for me with the lungs and the bad eye.

In the meantime, the truck and I will be making a trip up to spend some time with my sister and renew acquaintances with my Iowa friends during September.  Traveling without my pups and my cat will be strange.  It has been a hard year, I lost my L'ilBit, Amber and Holly -- all in a matter of 4 months. First Amber died with liver complications and tumors on her spine.  A couple month later, I lost Li'lBit.  She had been blind for several years, which didn't seem to be much of a problem, but she developed some tumors along her mammary line.  She was pushing 15 years of age, having some bladder problems and I do believe, if there is a doggie alzheimers, she had it.  I couldn't see her suffer so we made a trip to Gatesville TX to the vet she has had all of her life and we said our good-byes.  Holly, the cat from hell, lived to be near 21 years, and after a few months of steadily loosing weight, she just went to sleep one night and didn't wake up to the sound of her breakfast bowl hitting the floor.   My heart still has huge empty spots.

Brooke is the only pup left and, after a few short trips, I found she does not travel well when it comes to motels -- so she will be spending September with her "Aunt" Brenda -- she lived with Brenda prior to coming to my home so it is not a strange place to her and she seemed to enjoy the trips back to Brenda's over the last few months.

I have decided to take my time getting to Iowa and will be traveling up a portion of the Jefferson Highway.  Inspired by the east-west Lincoln Highway, and named for President Thomas Jefferson, the Jefferson Highway was built in the 1910s as part of the National Auto Trail system. 

Nicknamed the "Pine to Palms Highway," (or Palm to Pines - depending on which direction you are traveling!) it was the first north-south transcontinental highway linking Winnipeg Canada with New Orleans.  Completed Feb 4, 1924, it extends 2,194 miles, from Canada, through Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Initially, the approved route bypassed Arkansas, but in 1924 a route was added through Arkansas.

I will be picking up the trail in Denison, TX and taking Highway 69/75 up through Oklahoma.  Around Miami OK, it merges with the old Route 66 thru Joplin and on to Carthage MO.
There is one leg of the JH thru MO, primarily Highway 71/I-49 and one leg goes through Kansas, Hwy 69.  Since there are things I would like to see on both sides of the KS/MO state line,  I will be bouncing back and forth between Missouri and Kansas as if I were a Kansas Jayhawker or Missouri Bushwacker during the Civil War.  Hopefully, I will have the time (and energy) to bounce back and forth to pick up the sites.

The area from OK through KS and MO is heavy with old Army posts and Civil War battlefields.  So this is fair warning -- if you aren't into history, this may be a really boring trip for you!

Again the  route splits near Kansas City, the western branch going up to St Joseph and then back east to Route 69.  The eastern branch continues as Highway 69 from Kansas City, nearly running parrallel with I-35.    It continues as Hwy 69 into Iowa up to Ames and then jogs east on the Lincoln Highway and continues north on Hwy 65 near Colo -- site one of my favorite diners in all of Iowa -- the Niland Cafe at the Reed-Niland Corner, the intersection of the Lincoln and the Jefferson Highways. 

From Colo, the trip will be east on the Lincoln Highway until I get to Marshalltown.  It will seem strange not pulling into Shady Oaks Campground, but without the trailer, I'll patronize one of the local motels for the month of September.

As I said, I'm not sure how much touristy stuff my lungs will handle -- and, of course, there is always the weather.  I'll be leaving Rockport Aug 15 to spend some time with friends in Gatesville TX.  While there I'll do my regular Gatesville errands, tires checked and rotated, well-baby check up on the truck, and Brooke to the vet.  Then, weather permitting, I'll head north on my trek on Aug 24th -- hoping to be in Marshalltown a week later.  Would love to have you come along for the ride.

On The Road Again - Headed Norrth

June 10^th I hit the road for Iowa.  Reservations made in Guthrie OK for the first nite and Homewood KS for the second….to arrive at Shady Oaks Campground, Marshalltown, IA on June 12^th.   Fred was Johnny on the Spot again to make sure I was hitched up, unplugged from the utilities and ready to go!

As usual, on my way out of Gatesville, I stopped at the tire shop and they checked and aired up my trailer tires.  I wish I could say the trip north was uneventful!

Just north of Paul’s Valley – just south of OK City, I heard a ‘pop” – I had just stopped for fuel and done my usual “walk around’ to make sure everything was till lookin’ good.   Ever since I blew that wheel/wheel bearings, I am really funny about checking wheels and tires.

I pulled off the interstate to take a look at what that ‘pop’ may have been – sounded like something hit up under the trailer – it was one of the tires on the trailer – blown to shreds.  Good thing it is a dual axle!  I slowly limped the rest of the way up the off ramp and into a Loves Truck Stop parking lot.  Called my friendly Good Sam’s Road Service, which I pay so dearly for…..that call went out at 1:50PM – at 6:20PM someone showed up!  Was I upset – no, I was MAD – Really MAD – but didn’t want to take it out on the poor service guy!   I guess you know Good Sam got a not so polite and not so well-mannered piece of my mind! 

If it had just been me – but I had the dogs and the cat – and it was, according to the weather man “the hottest day so far this year” and I’m setting in a parking lot with no shade on blacktop!   Yes, it was a truck stop and I could go in for some A/C air, but they wouldn’t let me bring the critters in – so I sat outside with them – fortunately I had ice in my freezer so I could cool down their water – but hot is hot and there wasn’t a cool place for them.   My truck A/C still doesn’t work right when the truck is in park and idling….so no relief there.  Actually, I think we were all overcome with the heat by the time the tire was fixed and we were on our way. 

Will definitely have to have the repair place check that when I get back (along with checking the rear slide….the repair list is growing!)   When the tire blew it took out a section of the wheel well and the sub-flooring!  YIPPEE!   I’m one happy camper!

I kept calling the RV Park in Guthrie to let them know how things were going – they close their office at 8PM and there is no way to register after that.  She told me which spot I was to take and said she would leave an envelope with my name taped to the door – I could pay her in the AM.  That’s one nice thing about staying at the same place year after year!   But…..no worry – she was still open with I got there – she said she decided she’d stay open a little longer to make sure I got in!  Bless her heart!   I was never so happy to be off the road, in shade, with electric and A/C in the trailer in all my life!

Headed out the next morning for Homewood KS – my short day –  about 4 hours.   Another place I regularly stay – called them and told them I was on the way – they don’t open the office until after 3PM (small park!) so she told me, “take any spot and I’ll see you when I open the office.”   These people are spoiling me!   This is the place that gives you a bag of fresh popped pop corn when you register!  Thought that was the strangest thing the first time I stopped – then I realized, during the summer, after being on the road, setting up the trailer, hooking up the utilities – the salty popcorn and a glass of ice tea are just what the doctor ordered!

Of course each morning, in Guthrie and in Homewood, it was push, shove, lift, heft, to get that *&#* slide in!  By the time I arrived at Marshalltown on the 12^th, I had bruises from inside my elbow half way down both arms!   GEEZ!

3 PM, June 12^th, arrived at Shady Oaks Campground, Marshalltown IA!  Yee-Haw!  My sister pulled in right behind me – Mary and Judy (owners) came out – guess I looked a mess, Judy brought me a bottle of ice water!   Randy showed up about 4 PM to get me backed in and help set up and by supper time, I had everything hooked and running!   Home for the Summer!  Officially off the road for at least 3 months!  Life is Good!