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Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
 

The Town and the Fort

 
 
The Town and the Fort Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 23, 2018
1. The Town and the Fort Marker
Inscription.
During their first years in Fredericksburg, the German settlers suffered terribly from poverty, hunger and disease. Fort Martin Scott proved to be the economic boon early Fredericksburg desperately needed. Local teamsters hauled wagonloads of freight from San Antonio to the fort. Skilled carpenters and stone masons constructed the fort's buildings. Local hunters sold meat to supplement the hungry soldiers' boring diet. Soon, Fredericksburg was growing and prosperous.

Relations between the townspeople and the soldiers were sometimes strained. On July 1, 1850, a drunken private, John Dohal, was in John Hunter's store in town demanding whiskey. Hunter refused to serve him and when the private used abusive language, Hunter stabbed the soldier, killing him on the premises. The next day, angry troops bent on revenge came to town and burned Hunter's store to the ground, pushing the townspeople back at gunpoint when they tried to intervene. Hunter was the county clerk at the time and, unfortunately, all of the records from Fredericksburg's first four years were lost in the fire.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and CastlesSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is July 1, 1850.
 
Location. 30° 14.98′ N, 98° 50.78′ W. Marker
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is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. Marker can be reached from East Main Street (U.S. 290) 0.2 miles west of Heritage Hills Drive, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located within the Fort Martin Scott parade grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1606 E Main St, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Comanche Indians (a few steps from this marker); Uncovering the Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Officers Row (within shouting distance of this marker); Commanding the Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); The Barracks (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Fort Martin Scott (within shouting distance of this marker); The Sutler's Store (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Peace with the Indians (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.
 
Regarding The Town and the Fort. Fort Martin Scott is a restored United States Army outpost in Fredericksburg, Texas, that was active from 1848 until 1853. It was part of a line of frontier forts established to protect travelers and settlers within Texas.
 
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Fort Martin Scott
 
Also see . . .
1. John M. Hunter, pioneer Fredericksburg merchant and first Gillespie county clerk
The Town and the Fort Marker (<i>tall view</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 23, 2018
2. The Town and the Fort Marker (tall view)
. Hunter refused to sell whiskey to a soldier who then became abusive, and Hunter fatally stabbed him in the chest. The next night a mob of fifty angry soldiers returned, looking for Hunter, but found that the storekeeper had fled town. The soldiers then burned down his store, destroying all the county records up to that time. Apparently neither Hunter nor the soldiers were punished; one report says that Hunter was charged with manslaughter but never indicted, while another account says he was tried and acquitted in San Antonio. Hunter later built a new store on the same block; it opened in time to be used by the district court on October 12, 1850. (Submitted on June 8, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 

2. Fort Martin Scott. Fort Martin Scott served as a first line of defense, keeping the peace and minimizing possible friction caused by an active trade between the Comanches and German settlers. The soldiers also represented the one constant source of hard cash for businessmen in this rural community. (Submitted on June 8, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 
 
The Town and the Fort Marker (<i>wide view; Officers' Quarters building in background</i>) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 23, 2018
3. The Town and the Fort Marker (wide view; Officers' Quarters building in background)
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 11, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 227 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on June 8, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024