History: Ft. Chadbourne History - Coke Co, TX Contributed by Jo Collier 22 October 2003 ******************************************************** The Observer/Enterprise, Coke County, TX - July 21, 1989 The Bronte Enterprise, March 16, 1906 HISTORIC OLD FT. CHADBOURNE A short history of her Past. A bright future predicted for the town. The beautiful little town of Ft. Chadbourne is now only disturbed by the school bell, the whistling of the plow boy, and the blasting of the Orient R.R. At one time, however, the country was disturbed by the sound of trumpets, the toll of drums, and the yell of captains. Old Ft. Chadbourne was one of a chain of military posts stretching from Oak Crekk to the Rio Grande, established in the early fifties, for the purpose of protecting Texas frontier against the ravages of the Red man who once made his home in this beautiful country which is now the home of happy and industrious people. The old Fort was once a town of four or five thousand and inhabitants Col. Robert E. Lee, later the South's greatest General, was stationed there. They had large stone buildings for protection. The Indians came in such numbers they almost devastated the whole country. On one occasion the mail carrier being met by the savages without harm. They cut his harnesses, cut the mail pouch, scattered the letters in every direction, laughed at him telling him to take the road. He returned to the fort. The only means of travel at that time was by stage lines. The Butterfield road ran through the present town. They had a central telegraph office at Camp Concho with lines connecting all the forts. They made the Indians believe that it was death to pass under the wires, thus making the lines a great protection. The country was covered with tall grass. There were very few trees. To keeep the white man from following him the Indians would burn the grass behind him. At such times the Fort could be seen for many miles for the houses were mostly white. A few of the old stone buildings still stand but most of them have been torn away. The cells and some of the fortresses remain and attact many people. The soldier's cemetery in which rests the bodies of Col. Odom, Capt. Yardley, and many others, is located about one-half mile from the fort. No monuments mark their last resting place. The graves are covered with rock. The new Ft. Chadbourne is beautiful village surrounded by rich farms and neat cottages. What wonderful progress in the short spaces of twenty-five years! Past progress causes us to look for great things in the future. The K.C.M.& Orient RR, will be in operation by October. The talk is that within the next two years the central will cross the Orient at Ft. Chadbourne and be the best in all the west. Some day we hope to have a good college and other things essential to the welfare and happiness of the people. The Post Office which was once at the fort was moved in 1886 four miles west to the residence of P. E. Douglas. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/txfiles.htm