Fort Martin Scott, Texas Ghost Town

You’ll find Fort Martin Scott just two miles southeast of Fredericksburg, Texas, where it began as Camp Houston in 1848. Though it served as an essential military outpost for only five years, the fort played a significant role in frontier defense and Native American relations before closing in 1853. Today, you can explore the restored limestone buildings, including the original guardhouse and officers’ quarters. The site’s preservation efforts continue to uncover new insights into Texas frontier life.

Table of Contents hide

1 Key Takeaways

2 The Birth of a Frontier Stronghold

3 Military Life Along Barons Creek

4 Native American Relations and Peace Treaties

5 From Active Fort to Abandoned Outpost

6 Legacy of the Texas Rangers

7 Preserving a Piece of Texas History

8 Frequently Asked Questions

8.1 What Was the Average Monthly Salary of Soldiers Stationed at Fort Martin Scott?

8.2 Were Any Famous Outlaws Ever Captured and Held at the Fort?

8.3 How Many Soldiers Died While Serving at Fort Martin Scott?

8.4 What Specific Weapons and Ammunition Were Typically Stored at the Fort?

8.5 Did Any Natural Disasters or Severe Weather Events Impact the Fort?

9 References

Key Takeaways

Fort Martin Scott was abandoned as a military outpost in 1853 after being deemed obsolete by military inspectors.
After closure, the fort briefly served as Braeutigam’s Biergarten, preventing it from becoming completely deserted.

The fort’s original structures deteriorated over time but were later restored using traditional materials for historical preservation.
Unlike typical ghost towns, Fort Martin Scott was preserved and designated as Texas’s 39th state historic landmark.
The site remains accessible to visitors with self-guided tours, making it an active historical site rather than abandoned.

The Birth of a Frontier Stronghold

As tensions mounted along the Texas frontier in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, Captain Seth Eastman established Camp Houston in December 1848 with two companies of infantry.

You’ll find the fort’s strategic location two miles southeast of Fredericksburg on Barons Creek, perfectly positioned to address frontier challenges along the San Antonio Road.

Within a year, the post was renamed Fort Martin Scott, honoring Major Martin Scott who fell at Molino del Rey.

The legacy of Major Martin Scott, who died valiantly at Molino del Rey, lives on through his namesake fort.

The fort became one of seven vital military outposts protecting West Texas settlers. Life at the fort was marked by harsh conditions as soldiers faced limited medical facilities and basic amenities. As military strategies evolved, the garrison alternated between infantry and dragoon companies, providing essential security for the growing region.

This frontier stronghold helped maintain peace between German settlers and Native tribes through a combination of military presence and diplomatic efforts, including the landmark Fort Martin Scott Treaty of 1850. Today, the fort’s original limestone guardhouse remains as the sole surviving structure from this historic period.

Military Life Along Barons Creek

While infantry Companies D and H initially formed the backbone of Fort Martin Scott’s garrison, the military composition evolved to include both infantry and dragoon units tasked with frontier defense.

You’ll find that soldier routines centered around critical peacekeeping duties along Barons Creek, where troops conducted regular patrols to deter Native American hostilities and protect settlers.

The frontier challenges faced by these men included escort missions for Indian agents during peace negotiations and scouting expeditions into unsettled territories.

Their presence helped maintain stability in the region while supporting Fredericksburg’s economy.

The fort’s strategic location along the San Antonio road made it an ideal base for military operations, serving both as an active duty station and a supply depot for weapons and provisions.

The fort later transitioned to serve as a forage depot before its eventual closure.

The complex included twenty-one buildings that supported the daily operations of the military personnel stationed there.

Native American Relations and Peace Treaties

The 1850 Fort Martin Scott Treaty marked a significant diplomatic effort between U.S. authorities and multiple Native American tribes near the San Saba River. During treaty negotiations, Indian agent John Rollins met with Comanche, Lipan Apache, Caddo, Quapaw, and Wichita representatives under military escort to prevent warfare along the Texas frontier. Second Dragoons troops provided security during the peace talks.

As treaty stones remain, physical artifacts from these important peace negotiations can still be viewed today at historical exhibits.

Cultural exchanges and territorial agreements included:

Tribes agreeing to remain west of the Colorado River and north of the Llano

U.S. commitment to regulate traders in Native territories
Provision of blacksmiths and teachers to support tribal communities
Establishment of trade houses for peaceful commerce
Exchange of land concessions for financial aid and hunting rights

Though the treaty wasn’t ratified by Congress, it temporarily eased tensions around Fredericksburg and demonstrated the fort’s role in facilitating Native American-settler diplomacy.

From Active Fort to Abandoned Outpost

Founded in December 1848 as Camp Houston, Fort Martin Scott began its service with two infantry companies positioned strategically near Fredericksburg, Texas.

The fort’s functions included protecting settlers, maintaining peace with Native American tribes, and supporting local commerce through military spending.

As settlement pushed westward, military shifts marked the fort’s decline. Companies A and B of the 2nd Dragoons relocated to establish Fort Mason in 1851, while Company K of the 8th Infantry departed in February 1852.

After army inspectors deemed it militarily obsolete in 1853, the fort closed that December.

Though briefly reoccupied by Federal troops in 1866 under General Sheridan’s orders, the fort’s active service ended that same year.

The fort later became home to Johann Wolfgang Braeutigam, who operated a popular Biergarten from the premises.

You’ll now find this historic site preserved by the Texas Historical Commission, a reflection of America’s westward expansion.

Legacy of the Texas Rangers

Prior to Fort Martin Scott‘s establishment, Texas Rangers patrolled Gillespie County‘s rugged terrain throughout the 1830s and 1840s, laying groundwork for the region’s defense.

Under legendary leaders like John Coffee Hays and Colonel John H. Moore, Ranger tactics proved more effective than Army methods in confronting native warriors and outlaws. The Battle of Bandera Pass in 1841 demonstrated their tactical superiority when fifty Rangers successfully engaged hundreds of Comanche warriors.

Rangers utilized superior knowledge of local terrain and tribal dynamics

They maintained strategic control of river corridors including the Pedernales
Fort Martin Scott served as an essential training and staging ground
Rangers helped enforce critical treaties with native tribes
They continued operations from the fort even after Army departure in 1853

The Rangers maintained a strong presence at the site even before it became a frontier Army fort in 1848.

You’ll find the Rangers’ legacy deeply embedded in Fort Martin Scott’s history, where their “get the job done” reputation emerged from countless frontier engagements that shaped Texas’s territorial development.

Preserving a Piece of Texas History

Since the 1980s, dedicated preservation efforts have transformed Fort Martin Scott from a neglected historical site into Texas’s 39th state historic landmark.

You’ll find meticulous historic preservation work throughout the grounds, where the City of Fredericksburg and local organizations have restored original structures using traditional techniques and materials. Archaeological findings continue to reveal insights into 19th-century frontier military life.

In June 2023, the Texas Historical Commission took operational control, ensuring the fort’s long-term protection while maintaining local interests through a first-refusal agreement with the city. The unanimous city council vote in May 2024 finalized the transfer of over 15 acres, including buildings and artifacts, to the THC.

You can now explore the site’s self-guided tours, nature trail, and bird blind Thursday through Saturday. The preservation work emphasizes both historical accuracy and public accessibility, making Fort Martin Scott a crucial piece of Texas frontier heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was the Average Monthly Salary of Soldiers Stationed at Fort Martin Scott?

You’d have earned $7 monthly as a soldier’s base pay, though your historical salaries included additional compensation through provided housing, food, and clothing—making it equivalent to civilian laborers’ $30 monthly earnings.

Were Any Famous Outlaws Ever Captured and Held at the Fort?

You won’t find any confirmed outlaw legends or infamous captures at this fort – historical records show it focused on Native American relations rather than detaining criminals during its operational years.

How Many Soldiers Died While Serving at Fort Martin Scott?

Like a modern-day missing persons case, records show only one confirmed soldier fatality: Captain Collinson R. Gates died during the 1848-49 cholera epidemic under harsh military conditions at the fort.

What Specific Weapons and Ammunition Were Typically Stored at the Fort?

You’d find Springfield muskets, Colt revolvers, and basic artillery types stored in secure powder magazines, along with paper cartridges, percussion caps, and powder kegs for infantry and cavalry use.

Did Any Natural Disasters or Severe Weather Events Impact the Fort?

You’ll find Mother Nature was surprisingly gentle with this frontier outpost – there aren’t any documented natural disasters or severe weather events that impacted the fort during its operational years 1848-1853.