The Confederate Seizure of Fort Smith, Arkansas
Confederate Seizure of Fort Smith - Official Reports
Major Richard C. Gatlin, U.S.A.
Captured while in Fort Smith on
a visit, Major Gatlin shortly
resigned his commission in the
U.S. Army and offered his service
to the Confederacy. He became
a Confederate general and
serviced in North Carolina. After
the war he returned to Arkansas
and died on September 8, 1896,
at Mount Nebo in Yell County. He
is buried in the Fort Smith
National Cemetery.
(Photograph from
www.findagrave.com)
Captured while in Fort Smith on
a visit, Major Gatlin shortly
resigned his commission in the
U.S. Army and offered his service
to the Confederacy. He became
a Confederate general and
serviced in North Carolina. After
the war he returned to Arkansas
and died on September 8, 1896,
at Mount Nebo in Yell County. He
is buried in the Fort Smith
National Cemetery.
(Photograph from
www.findagrave.com)
 | |  | |  | |  |
OFFICIAL REPORTS
Camp on Walnut Creek, Kansas
May 21, 1861
Report of Maj. Samuel D. Sturgis, Fourth U.S. Cavalry, of the seizure of Fort Smith,
Ark.
“I avail myself of the first opportunity which has occurred since leaving Fort Smith,
Ark., to inform you that I evacuated that post at 9 o’clock p.m. on the 23d ultimo, and
marched with my command for Fort Washita, where we arrived on the 30th ultimo,
and reported for duty to Col. W.H. Emory, First Cavalry. All the available transportation
at the post, amounting to some twenty wagons and teams, was taken along. The
ordnance sergeant, hospital steward, chief bugler, sick, and laundresses were left at
the post, to be shipped to Jefferson Barracks by Capt. A. Montgomery, A.Q.M.
“The causes which induced me to evacuate the post I presume are known to the
department commander from general notoriety. After the supplies were cut off by the
State of Arkansas the post, of course, became untenable, and we could have
occupied it in any case but a few more days. One hour after we left, two boats arrived
with three hundred men and ten pieces of artillery. To have contended against this
force with two companies of cavalry, and that, too, while the entire population of the
surrounding country were ready at a moment’s warning to take up arms against us,
could only resulted eventually in our being taken prisoners and the loss to the
Government of all the arms, horses, means of transportation, &c., at the post.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, pages 650-651.
---
Fort Smith, Ark.
April 24, 1861
Report of Capt. Alexander Montgomery, assistant quartermaster, U.S. Army, of the
seizure of Fort Smith, Ark.
“I have the honor to report that the companies of cavalry under command of Captain
Sturgis, First Cavalry, withdrew from this post yesterday evening and marched in the
direction of Fort Washita….
“About two hours after his departure a body of troops under the command of Col.
Solon Borland, aide-de-camp to his excellency the governor of the State of Arkansas,
accompanied by the adjutant-general of the State, arrived in steamers and took
possession of the post, making me a prisoner of war, under authority and by
direction of the governor of the State. Maj. R.C. Gatlin, Fifth Infantry, who happened to
be in the garrison at the time on a visit, was also made prisoner of war. On giving our
parole that we would not fight against the State of Arkansas or the Southern
Confederate States during the existing difficulties between the latter and the United
States, unless exchanged, we were permitted to go at large. The force under Colonel
Borland consisted of 235 men, rank and file, with battery of artillery. Colonel Borland
demanded and has taken possession of all the public property at the post and in its
vicinity, inventories of which will be forwarded to the proper bureau.
“For the information of the friends of the parties, I beg leave to state, that Major
Brown, paymaster, and Captain Burns, C.S., were absent from the post at the time of
its evacuation. Major Brown, returning from Fort Arbuckle, received information at
Scullyville that I had been made a prisoner of war, and immediately turned back and
joined Captain Sturgis’ command. Captain Burns had gone down the river to look
after certain subsistence stores, which it was feared would be seized by the State
authorities.
“The movement of Captain Sturgis was necessitated by the limited supply of
provisions on hand and the intelligence received a short time before he left that all
the public stores on the river in transit to this post had been detained or captured by
the State authorities. He was also aware that the governor of the State had
dispatched a force, with artillery, to demand possession of the post, and possibly to
capture his arms and horses. It was not expected that any orders had been given to
make prisoners of war.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, page 651.
---
Fort Smith, Ark.
April 24, 1861
Report of Maj. Richard C. Gatlin, Fifth U.S. Infantry, of the seizure of Fort Smith, Ark.
“I have the honor to report that a body of troops of the State of Arkansas, under the
command of Col. S. Borland, entered and took possession of the post of Fort Smith
last night, Captain Sturgis, of the First Cavalry, having evacuated it but a few hours
previous. Being on a visit at the post at the time, I was made a prisoner of war by the
authority of his excellency, the governor of the State, but permitted to go at large upon
giving my parole not to fight against the State of Arkansas or the Southern
Confederated States during the pending difficulties between the latter and the United
States, unless exchanged.
“In a conversation with Colonel Borland today I am given to understand that the
governor is acting as though the State had already seceded; that last act in the
drama being only a question of a few days’ time.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, page 650.
Camp on Walnut Creek, Kansas
May 21, 1861
Report of Maj. Samuel D. Sturgis, Fourth U.S. Cavalry, of the seizure of Fort Smith,
Ark.
“I avail myself of the first opportunity which has occurred since leaving Fort Smith,
Ark., to inform you that I evacuated that post at 9 o’clock p.m. on the 23d ultimo, and
marched with my command for Fort Washita, where we arrived on the 30th ultimo,
and reported for duty to Col. W.H. Emory, First Cavalry. All the available transportation
at the post, amounting to some twenty wagons and teams, was taken along. The
ordnance sergeant, hospital steward, chief bugler, sick, and laundresses were left at
the post, to be shipped to Jefferson Barracks by Capt. A. Montgomery, A.Q.M.
“The causes which induced me to evacuate the post I presume are known to the
department commander from general notoriety. After the supplies were cut off by the
State of Arkansas the post, of course, became untenable, and we could have
occupied it in any case but a few more days. One hour after we left, two boats arrived
with three hundred men and ten pieces of artillery. To have contended against this
force with two companies of cavalry, and that, too, while the entire population of the
surrounding country were ready at a moment’s warning to take up arms against us,
could only resulted eventually in our being taken prisoners and the loss to the
Government of all the arms, horses, means of transportation, &c., at the post.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, pages 650-651.
---
Fort Smith, Ark.
April 24, 1861
Report of Capt. Alexander Montgomery, assistant quartermaster, U.S. Army, of the
seizure of Fort Smith, Ark.
“I have the honor to report that the companies of cavalry under command of Captain
Sturgis, First Cavalry, withdrew from this post yesterday evening and marched in the
direction of Fort Washita….
“About two hours after his departure a body of troops under the command of Col.
Solon Borland, aide-de-camp to his excellency the governor of the State of Arkansas,
accompanied by the adjutant-general of the State, arrived in steamers and took
possession of the post, making me a prisoner of war, under authority and by
direction of the governor of the State. Maj. R.C. Gatlin, Fifth Infantry, who happened to
be in the garrison at the time on a visit, was also made prisoner of war. On giving our
parole that we would not fight against the State of Arkansas or the Southern
Confederate States during the existing difficulties between the latter and the United
States, unless exchanged, we were permitted to go at large. The force under Colonel
Borland consisted of 235 men, rank and file, with battery of artillery. Colonel Borland
demanded and has taken possession of all the public property at the post and in its
vicinity, inventories of which will be forwarded to the proper bureau.
“For the information of the friends of the parties, I beg leave to state, that Major
Brown, paymaster, and Captain Burns, C.S., were absent from the post at the time of
its evacuation. Major Brown, returning from Fort Arbuckle, received information at
Scullyville that I had been made a prisoner of war, and immediately turned back and
joined Captain Sturgis’ command. Captain Burns had gone down the river to look
after certain subsistence stores, which it was feared would be seized by the State
authorities.
“The movement of Captain Sturgis was necessitated by the limited supply of
provisions on hand and the intelligence received a short time before he left that all
the public stores on the river in transit to this post had been detained or captured by
the State authorities. He was also aware that the governor of the State had
dispatched a force, with artillery, to demand possession of the post, and possibly to
capture his arms and horses. It was not expected that any orders had been given to
make prisoners of war.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, page 651.
---
Fort Smith, Ark.
April 24, 1861
Report of Maj. Richard C. Gatlin, Fifth U.S. Infantry, of the seizure of Fort Smith, Ark.
“I have the honor to report that a body of troops of the State of Arkansas, under the
command of Col. S. Borland, entered and took possession of the post of Fort Smith
last night, Captain Sturgis, of the First Cavalry, having evacuated it but a few hours
previous. Being on a visit at the post at the time, I was made a prisoner of war by the
authority of his excellency, the governor of the State, but permitted to go at large upon
giving my parole not to fight against the State of Arkansas or the Southern
Confederated States during the pending difficulties between the latter and the United
States, unless exchanged.
“In a conversation with Colonel Borland today I am given to understand that the
governor is acting as though the State had already seceded; that last act in the
drama being only a question of a few days’ time.”
Official Records, Series 1, Volume I, page 650.
The Battle of
Massard Prairie
Massard Prairie
by Dale Cox
The first full-length account of
the 1864 Confederate attack on
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
the 1864 Confederate attack on
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
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