The Diary of Lieutenant Francis Henry French at Fort Clark, Texas 1883 (continued)

In this 33rd installment, Lieut. French travels to Indianapolis to visit the annual summer encampment of Indiana state troops. He has the good fortune  to be introduced to many VIPs including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the state Adjutant General, and an Indiana U.S.  Senator destined to become President of the United States. He is reunited with a West Point classmate and meets two recently graduated cadets.

Monday, Aug. 13, 1883 

Left home about 5 A.M. on the Wabash and reached Indianapolis about 11 A.M. Ride was quite  uninteresting. Corn looks better near Fort Wayne than in the vicinity of Indianapolis. Am stopping at the  Grand1 and like it very much as a hotel. After shaving & dining called at Mr. Braden's place of business  but did not see him. Then went out to the Encampment.2 Met Lieut. Defrees3 of the 5th. Inf’y. and he  introduced me to Gen. Carnahan.4  Gen C. is Adjt.-Gen'l. of the State. He is a thorough gentleman and  made it very pleasant for me. He introduced me to his wife5 and to some other ladies; so that I spent  quite a pleasant afternoon. Met Lt. Root6 there, a recent graduate. Spent the evening at the hotel &  retired early feeling very tired & sleepy. Wrote a postal home to let them know at what hotel I am  stopping. 

After breakfast Mr. Braden called and took me up town where I had to attend to some business for  Father. Met U. S. Senator Harrison7 & was very well impressed with his appearance & manner. Saw  Miss Eva Nelson on the street & spoke to her. About 11 A.M. changed clothes, put on my uniform and  went out to the Encampment. Gov. Porter8 came out about noon and I had the honor of meeting him, and also Maj. Steele, M.C. & some other gentlemen. By Gen. Carnahan's invitation ate dinner out on the  grounds. Sat around watching the drills & dress parade in the evening. Rode in with Thompson & Root.  The former is a judge of the drills & has his mother here with him. Met Maj. Smith of the Engineers;  yesterday met Maj. Arnold,9 Ordnance, & Capt. Rexford,10 Ord. Storekeeper. In the evening walked out to Capt. Braden's, about 2 1/2 miles. Found Mrs. B. at home and accepted an invitation for supper  tomorrow. Capt. B has gone away until tomorrow. After returning went to Dennison Hotel to see the  others, but none was in. Feel very tired tonight. Wrote a letter home today. 

Went around town to attend to some business. Met Mr. Miller & presented the letter of introduction that  Judge Morris gave me. He took me to call upon Judge Claypool,11 the principal lawyer for the Canal  Co., in Father's suit. Claypool was very pleasant and seems anxious to compromise the suit without  further litigation. After this call, put on my uniform and went out to the encampment. Stayed there until  2 o'clock, looking at the drills. Met Miss L{ } a beauty of Indianapolis, but did not have any  opportunity to talk with her. Miss Sheets whom I met Monday, disgusted me with her impudence and  her forward manners. McQuiston was out yesterday & I met him. He is staying at the New Denison.  Went there to see him when I returned from camp and was quite surprised and very much pleased to  meet Welborn12 there. He has been ordered to West Point as an instructor. We have not met since '79. I  am afraid he is drinking, at least he appears so. We stood talking in the office, McQuiston, Bundy13 of  the 2nd. Inf’y., Granger of Ft. Wayne with us, when Bundy's brother came up with Lieut. Gov. Hanna14 & introduced us. Then went to the Grand, ate dinner and after changing clothes went out to call on Miss  Eva Nelson & had a very enjoyable time. She is much more of a lady than Miss Sheets or any of the  other ladies I have met here, and it is a real pleasure to talk to her after being with the others. In the  evening went out to Mrs. Braden's. Capt. B. had not returned, but a servant brought word that he came to  the depot and immediately took another train. Miss Sheets was present and a Miss -----. After supper the  young ladies played on the piano & sang. Of course I had to admire the music, but it was hard work to  say anything complimentary about some of it. The evening would have been ever so much more  enjoyable if there had been no other guests. Escorted both ladies home & then walked to the hotel. Met  Welborn, Defrers & some militia officers from Chicago out on a spree, all in uniform. There was a large  parade of industrial exhibition tonight but I saw only the tail end. Today was Grand Army day.15 

Wore my uniform down to breakfast this morning and felt like a fool too, for it attracted a great deal of  attention. Went out to the Encampment & spent the morning there. Saw the ladies only a short time.  After dinner at the hotel, changed to civilian clothes and went out to call on Mr. Smart, but he was not at  home. Went over to see the Fort Wayne Club beat the Indianapolis Club at baseball16 and then returned  to the hotel for supper. Afterwards went out to call upon Mrs. Marie Crafts, ne'e Brackenridge and found the house without difficulty. Her sister Mrs. Taylor was there & introduced me to Mr. Crafts. Mrs. C,  they said, was unable to come out as she was suffering with a sick headache. I suspect that ache is nearer  her stomach than her head and in the proper time will be relieved and Mr. Craft's family be increased  thereby. Had a pleasant call, though rather short, and then went to the Denison but found nobody there.  Returned to the hotel and watched some billiard playing and then retired.  

Concluded to return to Fort Wayne this evening to be ready to welcome two young ladies who are  coming tomorrow. Went up town to attend to a few errands. Capt. Braden had not returned and I did not  see him. Called on Judge Claypool to enquire if he had any terms for a compromise to propose, but he  was not in his office. Then put on my uniform and went out to the grounds to bid Gen. Carnahan good bye. Said good bye to him, to Maj. Arnold, Capt. Rexford and their wives and some other ladies. Miss  Sheets was not there and I left word with Defrees to bid her good bye. Returned to the hotel, put on  traveling clothes, ate dinner settled my bill and went up town to do some errands. Capt. Braden had not  returned and I had to leave my farewell messages for him and Ms. B. with a clerk. Then went to the  depot and started for home. At Peru saw Bob Brackenridge17 whom I have not seen for many years and  La Bouta. Dr. Gregg came up with me. Harper joined at Wabash. Reached home about 7-15 P.M. and  surprised them all. Potter called. Took a bath and retired rather early. Found a letter from Hattie  Doughty waiting but none from Marie. 

Got up early this morning and went up to the railroad with Mother to meet Lizzie Jacobs and Anna  Conrad, distant relatives who came from Reading Pa. on the limited express. They are to be here some  time. They are full of fun and much easier to entertain than the Gray girls. After breakfast went down to  the factory and up town. Saw Henry there & invited him & Mr. Chapman & Cary to come up to call on  the girls. In the afternoon Lula & Sue & the girls went with me to see the Springfields beat the Fort  Waynes at baseball.18 Saw McQuiston returning from the game. In the evening, Lizzie, Chapman,  Potter, Cary and a number from Grandmother's called. 

Went down to the post office with Father but got no mail. Went to church with Lizzie, Anna & Sue to  the Lutheran Church and after church the girls had quite a reception in the vestibule. Will Ruthrauff, Grandmother, Maria, Mr. Wagenhals19 and others met the girls. Henry came up for dinner. In the  afternoon Potter came and we all sat out in the yard and behaved outrageously for Sunday. I am afraid  Father was shocked. It was quite warm and my clothes were wringing wet after we finished our cutting  up. Potter and Chapman were here in the evening. Met Fred Sibler today. He is traveling for a N.Y. drug  house & looks very well. 

1The Grand Hotel, on the southeast corner of Maryland and Illinois Streets, had roots in the 1850s as the Mason Hotel. Constructed of pressed brick and Ellettsville limestone, the hotel featured a barber shop, bar, billiard parlor, dining room, club rooms, writing rooms for businessmen, and a separate entrance for ladies. Two hundred sleeping rooms (each with a key that worked only for that room, which must have been a novel concept at the time to be mentioned) were available on the upper. Guests could take the marble stairs to the upper floors, or ride in the steam-powered elevator.

2The encampment was held at Camp Morton which later became Fort Benjamin Harrison.

3Defrees, Thomas Morris (1858-1939) On leave from his regiment and visiting the encampment. He retired from active service as a 1st Lieut in 1897. His government headstone records he again served as a major in World War I.

4Carnahan, James Richard (1841-1905) Civil War Veteran. Pvt., Co. I, 11th Indiana Vol. Inf. Captain, Co. K, 86th Indiana Vol. Inf. General Carnahan was the founder of the uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias.

5Carnahan, Susan Elizabeth Patterson (1844-1914)

6 Root, Edwin Alvin (1860-1943) USMA Class of 1883. On graduation leave in his native state. He had a long and illustrious career in the Corps of Engineers, authoring several field manuals on fortifications. He retired as a Colonel in 1922.

7Harrison, Benjamin (1833-1901) 23rd President of the United States.

8Porter, Albert Gallatin (1824-1897) US Congressman, Indiana Governor. He graduated from Indiana Asbury University in 1843, studied law, was admitted to the Indiana State Bar Association in 1845 and commenced to practice in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1858 he was elected as a Republican to represent Indiana’s 6th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1859 to 1863. While in Congress he led investigations into railroad companies concerning their fees for moving military supplies and ammunitions, rooting out corruption and fraud that saved the war effort millions of dollars. He declined to run for a third term, and resumed his law practice in 1863. For a time he was law partner with future United States President Benjamin Harrison. After serving a term First Comptroller of the Indiana State Treasury he was elected as the 19th Governor of Indiana, serving from 1881 to 1885. From 1889 to 1892 he served as United States Minister to Italy.