Chronicles of Oklahoma
Volume 13, No. 2
June, 1935
A YOUNG ARMY OFFICER'S EXPERIENCES IN
INDIAN TERRITORY
By Caroline B. Sherman
Page 146
Following the close of the Civil War, when the United States Army turned its attention toward the West, a young captain from
Massachusetts, Henry E. Alvord,1 who had served as a volunteer throughout the entire war and had then married a southern girl, Martha Swink, whom he had met
during the campaigns in Virginia, was sent to Indian Territory to serve chiefly on staff duty with Generals Hancock and Sheridan.
He was even then only 24 years old. His principal duty was the collection of facts about the territory and the Indians there,
and for this duty, according to Major-General W. B. Hazen, he "evinced peculiar fitness" and his collection of facts "was
always found to be accurate."
As it happened, just 24 years later, after two decades spent in the east, Henry E. Alvord was again in Oklahoma, this time
in charge of the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College and Experiment Station. He turned from the science of war to
the science of the land at an early age, through the medium of his detail as military instructor in 1869 at the Massachusetts
Agricultural College. He was the first army officer detailed to an agricultural college for this service. He became professor
of agriculture there and later was elected director of the newly established agricultural experiment station at Cornell University,
but he declined this position to accept the presidency of the Maryland Agricultural College. He organized that college and
established the experiment station. Later, he served other states in similar capacities and was active in securing federal
legislation that endowed the agricultural colleges and experiment stations, and in the formation and leadership of national
agricul-
1Henry Elijah Alvord of Massachusetts became sergeant in the Rhode Island Cavalry on June 24, 1862; honorably mustered out
the next October, but entered the Second Massachusetts Cavalry November 21, 1862. He became first lieutenant January 25, 1864,
and Captain the eleventh of the next December. Honorably mustered out August 5, 1865, to became first lieutenant of the Tenth
Cavalry July 28, 1866. Served as regimental adjutant from June 1, to July 31, 1867. Was made captain July 21, 1867, and assigned
to the Ninth Infantry July 1, 1871. He resigned from the service next December. He died October 4, 1904.
Page 147
tural associations. He devoted his last ten years to the United States Department of Agriculture. He was acquainted with rural
Europe, held honors in several foreign agricultural societies, and aided in organizing the International Institute of Agriculture.
But it is with his early impressions of Indian Territory that we are chiefly interested. During his army service there, Alvord's
expeditions took him over much of the area and he was usually busy at night when at Forts Gibson, Riley, Arbuckle, and Cobb,
preparing reports, descriptive journals, and maps of the country he covered.
His letters written at this time are enthusiastic over much of the terrain; over the interest he felt in the Indians, from
the "savage, treacherous, ever troublesome Comanche to the educated, cultivated, gentlemanly Cherokee"; over the splendid
animals among the wild horses often chased in the vain hope of capture;—and over newly-married life as lived in the tents
and cabins of a frontier army.
Writing in July, 1868, from Fort Gibson to his aunt in the East who had taken care of him during his motherless childhood,
he says:
"During the six weeks I was absent I rode my white horse, Hancock, about eight hundred miles and he came back very little
the worse for it. I saw all kinds of country—mountainous like the Wichitas region, with high rocky peaks towering 1500 ft.2 above the surrounding plain, extensive oaklands and endless prairie. Of the latter we had most of the rolling kind tho' a
touch of 'the plains' proper when near the North Fork of Red River. We crossed every description of streams too: the wide
brackish, red, swift running Washita on its rocky bed, the North Red River well named for color and salt as brine, the bitter
Gypsom Creek, and many a beautiful pure rivulet rushing from crystal springs over the massive rocks of mountain sides, coursing
thro' deep, rocky, and deathlike canons, rippling over pretty pebbly bottoms, or gliding along in silvery sandy beds. We found
springs innumerable—boiling up in the midst of a bound-
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less prairie of hot parched earth—and running off in a cool, strong stream, marked for many a mile by its verdant bank, or
gushing from crevices in rocks shaded by bushes, vines, and moss, or slowly but steadily flowing in a cold clear stream from
an opening formed in the roots of a gigantic elm. And as great as was the variety in the forms and surroundings of the springs
so greatly did the water of them differ in taste—some warm, some cold, many pure and sweet, but many also from iron and coal
and salt."
The buffalo of Indian Territory had a never-ending fascination for this eastern boy, whether singly and as victims as at Fort
Cobb where the buffalo ran through the camp within 300 yards of the young couple's tent and where "the soldiers drove the
huge creatures into camp to the place best suited for dressing them and there shot them" or more especially when wild and
free—". . . from the top of a hill on the North Red River I saw at one time upon the surrounding plains within the circle
of the horizon at least one hundred thousand buffalo."
Naturally the Indians occupied his attention chiefly. At Fort Cobb he aided in carrying out the provisions of the General
Order calling for the two Indian Reservations, and in connection with moving the Indians from Kansas, and in separating the
peaceful from the hostile tribes in 1868 he took an active part from that station. To determine which tribes could be really
trusted, which were neutral, and which were hostile was no easy matter, even for much older men with wider experience.
"The war which broke out in Kansas in September was the chief reason for Gen'l Hazen's delay. The Cheyennes and Arapahoes
all joined in the hostilities, and it was there unknown how many had done so. My duty was to first ascertain by sending to
all the 'wild' Indians within reach of couriers from this point, and holding conferences with the chiefs, just whoever were
really peaceable and friendly and who were hostile, reporting definitely; then to induce as many of the peaceable as possible
to come to this vicinity and to take care of them here—feed them, etc. until the arrival of Gen'l Hazen. This was new work
for me—a delicate and difficult matter.
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"I at once gave the subject my whole attention and have done nothing else since. During the remaining days of October I gathered
around me here about fifty of the chiefs and head men of the Comanches, Caddos, Wichitaws, Wacos, and Keechies—representing
three thousand Indians, and with them I had an official 'big talk', a council, on the 31st ult. in which I personated the
'big Captain', son of the 'Great Father at Washington.' It was a novel experience to me, and fortunately resulted quite satisfactorily.
Every tribe and band represented agreed to come to some point near here and remain peaceable—and have done so. I have since
been feeding the 3000—issuing to them flour, coffee, and sugar, some fresh beef and some salt. Every available means has been
taxed to get the necessary supplies and I have been obliged to some extent to purchase in open market—at Sherman, Texas, thru
an agent. Since the 1st inst. I have met the representatives of 2000 Kiowas and Apaches, who are now moving toward this place,
and am daily expecting representative delegations from the two most distant and most powerful bands of Comanches—numbering
3000. There will probably be 8000 'wild' Indians in this vicinity before December . . .
"Martha is becoming quite an Indian trader, and if you could see her present stock on hand of buffalo robes, calf buffalo
skins, buffalo tongues, etc you would be much amused. We are both making excellent progress in learning to speak Comanche—tho
we give most attention to the pantomime language which is common to all western Indians. At first I do not think either of
us relished having so many red skins in our immediate vicinity at night, while we were quite pleased to have numbers of them
visit us during the day. Now we go quietly to sleep at least a quarter of a mile from the nearest sentry at the camp—undisturbed
by the fact of there being two thousand wild Comanches close by."
But the more conventionally social side was not neglected in their life in the Territory. One of the first letters from this
young couple after their arrival, dated at Fort Gibson in January, 1868, and written to the same elderly aunt, describes a
military dinner given under those frontier conditions the day before they were able to find a woman servant.
Page 150
The dinner letter speaks for itself:3
"Wednesday morning we concluded that as Col. Floyd Jones, our commander, was to go on leave the 20th, we would have a supper
for the officers on Friday evening and that has occupied all our time since. We had intended giving an entertainment of some
sort as soon as our establishment was completed but the weather having postponed that event beyond our expectations and our
desire to have the Colonel present, decided us to wait no longer. Our first proposition was to fix up our unfinished kitchen
as well as we could and set our table in there, putting up a curtain between it and the cooking stove. To that end, while
I was up at the garrison Wednesday morning on business, Martha had the kitchen chimney temporarily raised above the roof by
a barrel with both heads out, the cooking stove moved from tent to kitchen and the walls of the building inside all covered
with two thickness of canvas—tent flies. She then began cooking—making that day chicken salad and pies. The Paymaster came
Wednesday evening and attending to the payment of my company and my scouts kept me busy all day Thursday. It was the first
payment of my company and on returning from the pay table $6000 was brought into camp. Martha that day went up town alone
and either bought or borrowed everything in the way of table furniture which we needed for the supper; in the evening apple
toddy was made, a ham got nearly ready, our turkey cock sacrificed and other little things done.
"Friday morning I gave the last of my invitations to ten officers (besides Lt. Harmon) to take supper with me at 8 P. M. and
then returned to the cabin to help get it in shape. I found Martha had concluded the kitchen would be too cold to eat in and
so had moved our bed, washstand, trunks, etc. in there and begun to arrange for the table in the south end of our main building—our
living room.
Page 151
"I had on Wednesday engaged several professional hunters (citizens) to get all the game they could for me and report with
it Friday morning—three prairie chickens, the commonest of all game here, was the result of their united efforts. I felt rather
disgusted at so slim an allowance of game but gave my gun with ammunition to a Corporal of my company and started him out
at nine o'clock to get what he could, and then myself set about decorating our room. A National Flag was festooned at the
south end of the building covering the window and a plenty of small cedar boughs arranged with it; the whole inside of the
roof was then prettily trimmed by being half covered with evergreen boughs stuck in between the shingles. Our pictures were
hung up and made the wall look well. The table was then made ten feet long and four wide, and set across the south end of
the room, filling it exactly, that is, leaving only room to pass around it, for seats etc. Both doors, to the room remained
unobstructed and plenty of room was left around the fireplace at the North end of the room. A nice black walnut mantle which
we had put up over our fireplace Wednesday much improved the looks of the premises. Over it was the mirror and upon it vases
of grasses, mistletoe, Christmas berries, etc. with various other pretty things. A very handsome linen damask cloth—3 1/2
yds. long and 2 yards wide—purchased for the occasion covered the table and it was very nicely set at four o'clk P. M. Martha
was all the while hard at work cooking, with but one assistant, a man. I was made more hopeful by my Corporal bringing it
at noon four rabbits, some quail and meadow larks, and in the afternoon after a second short hunt, a pair of wild ducks and
more small birds. Then during the afternoon, by great good luck, my horse man, Lewis, caught a 'possum—very fat.
"Finally therefore, I had everything on my table that I had wished for except a roast saddle of venison, which I could not
find. At seven o'clock I dressed and at half past sent a man with a saddled horse to every invited guest. Three sent their
regrets—Capt. and Brevet Major Bryant, 6th Infantry, who will be in command after Col. Floyd-Jones4 leaves, was
4De Lancey Floyd-Jones was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West point from New York, where he attended from
July 1, 1841, to July 1, 1846, when he was graduated, and promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant of the Seventh
Infantry. He served in the War with Mexico from 1846 to 1848, and took part in a number of important engagements. He became
second lieutenant of the Fourth Infantry November 27, 1846, and first lieutenant January 1, 1848, having been in the meantime
brevetted first lieutenant for gallant and meritorious conduct. He was promoted captain July 31, 1854, and served at a number
of army posts in California and other posts of the West. He was promoted to major of the Eleventh Infantry May 14, 1861; lieutenant-colonel
July 4, 1862, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. On July 2, 1863, he was brevetted colonel for gallant and
meritorious service at the battle of Gettysburg. On August 1, 1863, he was made lieutenant-colonel of the Nineteenth Infantry,
and after the Civil War was in command of posts in Kentucky, at Little Rock, Arkansas, and in Fort Smith and Fort Gibson.
He died January 19, 1902.
Page 152
sick—so was Dr. Hubbard the Post Surgeon—and one Lieutenant of the infantry had to remain at the garrison as Officer of the
Day. My guests arrived about eight o'clock and I received them in Lt. Harmon's (tent) quarters, next door to us.
"They were seven in number:—Colonel De L. Floyd Jones, 6th U. S. Infantry, Comdg. this Post and the Territory; Capt. A. S.
Kimball,5 Asst. Qt. Mr., U. S. A.—Post Quartermaster and Chief Q. M. of the Territory, Lieut. Baker,6 6th Infantry, Comissary of the Post; Lieut. Munson,7 Adjt., 6th Inftr. and Post Adjutants, Lieuts Cook and Wetherell8 of the 6th Inft. and Dr.
5Amos Samuel Kimball was born in New York, and on November 27, 1861, became first lieutenant in the Ninety-eighth N. Y. Infantry,
where he served until May of 1864, when he became captain and acting quartermaster of volunteers from April 7, 1864, to December
6, 1866. He served as captain and acting quartermaster in the U. S. Army from November 19, 1866, and was later promoted to
major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel. On October 2, 1902, he was retired as brigadier-general. He was brevetted major of
volunteers February 1, 1866, for faithful and meritorious service in the quartermaster's department.
6Stephen Baker of Michigan entered the Union Army as a private; served as corporal, sergeant, sergeant-major and quartermaster-sergeant
of the Sixth Infantry from August 20, 1860, to May 12, 1865. He became first lieutenant May 3, 1865, and served as regimental
quartermaster from March 1, 1867, to September 1, 1868; captain June 8, 1874; major of the Fourth Infantry July 7, 1897. He
was retired from the army January 11, 1899.
7Jacob Frederick Munson of New York entered the Union Army as a private and served as corporal, sergeant of C Company of the
Eighty-third Infantry from September 13, 1861, to October 21, 1863. As second lieutenant he was honorably mustered out June
23, 1864. On December 31 of that year, he reenlisted as second lieutenant of the Eighth U. S. Veteran Volunteers. For gallant
and meritorious service he was brevetted lieutenant and captain of volunteers March 31, 1865. Honorably mustered out February
15, 1866, he re-enlisted as second lieutenant of the Sixth Infantry May 11, 1866; he became first lieutenant October 31, 1866,
and served as regimental adjutant from April 1, 1867, to April 22, 1869, and from May 29, 1869, to January 31, 1875. He was
promoted to captain December 15, 1880, and was retired November 19, 1896.
8Alexander McComb Wetherill of Pennsylvania was commissioned second lieutenant of the Sixth Infantry May 9, 1867. First lieutenant
April 28, 1875. He served as regimental quartermaster from March 1, 1887, to January 3, 1890, when he was made captain. He
was killed July 1, 1898, at the Battle of San Juan, Santiago, Cuba. Two months later Alexander McComb Wetherell of Dakota
was appointed from Rhode Island, second lieutenant in the Sixth Infantry. One may venture to suppose that this was the son
who entered the army after his father's death, to perpetuate the name in the Sixth Infantry.
Page 153
Crary, brother-in-law of Qr. Mr. Kimball and Surgeon to the government employees at this post. Lt. Harmon made eight—giving
four to each side of the table. (The guests were brought in and seated at half past eight.) I sat at the head and carved the
principal dish—Roast turkey with gravy and preserved cherries—an excellent substitute, for cranberries. We had besides—all
hot:—Green ham, stuffed and baked, apple sauce; 'Possum, roasted with herbs and onions; Prairie chickens, stuffed and baked,
Wild Duck, roasted; Quail and larks, larded, Stewed Rabbit, cream gravy; then cold:—Spiced Ham, Chicken Salad. Tomatoes baked
with crumbs, pickles, hot biscuit, and butter put up last June. Plenty of Apple Toddy with these. Then followed:—Mince pie
and Jelly Pie or Pudding, Charlotte Russe, Wine Jelly, Apple Float and Coffee.
"Martha did all the cooking herself and I am still wondering how it was done on our little stove and have everything so hot.
Each article was as nice as it could possibly be. She remained in the kitchen until we were fairly at supper, then dressed
and came into the supper room just as we left the table—abbout ten o'clock; the officers left before twelve and I sent each
on horseback with an orderly.
They were evidently really astonished at the variety to which they sat down—enjoyed the supper thoroughly and praised it and
its preparess in the highest terms. It certainly was an elegant supper and a decided success in every way. It has been the
topic of conversation at the garrison yesterday and today and the officers unite in pronouncing it the handsomest table they
have ever seen west of the Mississippi."
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