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

In this 35th installment, Lieut. French continues his leave at home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He seems to always be in the company of a bevy of ladies without much success. With funds running low as usual he seeks a loan from Captain Vance back at Fort Clark.

Monday, Aug. 27, 1883

Took a boat ride until 11:30 this morning after breakfast. Then said good-bye to the other guests & returned home. Howard & Mary played whist against Annie & me, but we were victorious. Got home about one o'clock and after dinner went down town. Saw McQuiston there. Henry and Ambrose brought me up in the carriage & then took Lizzie and Annie out to spend this week at Grandmother's. After supper Henry & Ambrose came over in the carriage & took me & Will Ruthrauff out to call on Miss Cravens who is visiting at Mrs. Charles Bond's. I met Miss C. in Leavenworth in '81 when she was visiting at Mrs. (?) Durni's and liked her very much. I enjoyed the call a great deal. Retired rather early this evening after returning from the call. Before going out to Bond's went to Mr. Hedekins & gave him a letter to Fiebeger introducing his son who has just gone to West Point.

Today is the day to break camp at West Point.1 Received a letter from Marie today and wrote one to her as I did not write Sunday. It is rather quiet at the house now that the young ladies are away. Father went down to Indianapolis this morning at one o'clock to attend to his case. Went down town and to the factory this morning. In the afternoon Lula, Sue & I called at Mrs. Orma Bond's, Mrs. Barrett's and Mrs. Charles Bond's, Mrs. Judge Morris', Miss Goff and Miss Colerick, but found only Mrs. Morris and the Misses Goff at home. Spent the evening at home. Henry Meyer was here for a short time in the evening.

Father returned about midnight, but his case was not compromised. I am glad because I think he has an excellent case and will get more from the Court. Went down to the factory where I saw Annie, Lizzie, Ambrose and others from Grandmother's. In the afternoon walked out there for a while. These girls are very pleasant, but they don’t care to have much to do with me and I guess I feel the same about them. In the evening we all went up to Mrs. Laubach's to a little evening company and had a very pleasant time there dancing, playing whist and music. Got home about midnight, the girls remaining to spend the night there. Wrote to Capt. Vance asking a loan of $100.2

Went down town and to the factory this morning. Saw Mr. Edgerton3 this morning and had a talk with him in regard to getting a detail to Purdue College, of which he is a Trustee. In the afternoon went downtown for a short time and on returning home took a bath. About 6-15 Henry Meyer called with a hack & took Sue & Annie, while I took Lula & Lizzie in another hack up to Mrs. Holman Hamilton's for dinner. Wore my full dress (cits)4 for the first time this evening, but do not feel wholly satisfied with it. There were about 15 at the table and we had a fine dinner. This was the first time Miss Kate Hamilton had ever been permitted to have gentlemen company at home and I feel flattered to be one of the first guests. Returned home about 9:30 and I changed the claw-hammer5 for a cut-away and then went up in the hack to Mr. Henry Hoffman's to call on Landis,6 1st Cav'y., who graduated in '78. Had a very enjoyable talk with him and found him to be just as pleasant as of old. Found Potter at the house when I returned. He has been away since Sunday on an inspection tour and returned today. Was very glad to see him again as he is such a pleasant gentleman.

Went up to invite Mecca Hoagland to go with me to Aunt Julia's tonight and was very glad when she accepted the invitation. Then went out to Grandmother's and went with Anna, Lizzie and Ambrose out to gather wild flowers to decorate the house for tonight. After leaving these at the house we drove over to town and brought Henry up to dinner. Spent the afternoon at home. In the evening Potter & Sue went in a hack with Mecca and myself out to Grandmother's to a reception given by Aunt Julia to the girls & Ambrose. There were about 30 or so present and we had a splendid time.

Returned home from Grandmother's about 2 o'clock A.M. Did not dance with either Lizzie or Annie. Asked the latter but she was engaged at the time. Miss Lizzie is very supercilious and when she doesn't choose to say anything to me she looks at me in a very impudent manner. Several times in reply to questions she has given me this look. Well, I guess I can stand it. Went down town with Sue this morning to do some errands. Met Mr. Hedekin and found that he has not heard yet whether his son passed the prelim. at West Point or not. In the afternoon went to sleep while writing a letter, and had a good nap. In the evening accompanied Lula & Sue up to Mecca Hoagland's for tea. Will Ruthrauff was there and was lively & full of fun like he used to be. Ever since the death of his brother-in-law he seems to have lost heart. So that we were so much pleased to see him cheerful again. Returned home about 11 P.M.

Mr. Moffatt has returned and preached an excellent sermon this morning at the Synagogue. I sat with Anna, Lizzie, and Henry and after church went out to Aunt Julia's with them for dinner. Will Ruthrauff was also there. After dinner we sat around and talked for a while and then walked up the road to Uncle Henry's place. Aunt Martha and some of her girls passed us in a carriage going up to their place where they are rebuilding their home. Ambrose & Henry took the girls right up to Aunt Martha's while the rest of us went around Uncle Henry's old place. It made me feel rather blue to go around there for I remembered the many happy times we used to have when Uncle Henry lived there. I did not want to go over to Aunt Martha's on account of the trouble between our families and excused myself when the others went over by saying I had some letters to write. Maria came down to the house with me, and Father came over with me, he having come to the house a short time before we went up to Uncle Henry's. Potter dined with us and was leaving just as I came. Wrote an O.B. to Hall & to Adjt. Gen'l. And commenced a letter to Marie which I finished after church. Went to church with Mother & Mattie. Potter was here this evening. 

1 Each summer the Corps of Cadets, minus the third year class, encamped on “The Plain” at West Point. In coming plebes were given basic military instruction by the second and first year classes to include relentless hazing.

6 Landis, John Fulton Reynolds (1856-1939) USMA Class of 1878. Frontier duty, USMA professor, awarded a Silver Star for gallantry in the War with Spain, retired as a Lieut. Col in 1912. He returned to active duty for the World War and retired again in 1919 as a Colonel.


Francis Henry French was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 27, 1857. Deeply impressed from his youth by the stirring deeds and stories told by veterans of the Civil War, he realized his ambition for a military career by entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he graduated twelfth from the class of 1879. He was assigned as 2nd Lieutenant of “E” Company, 19th Infantry and came west. Following service at Fort Garland, Colorado Territory, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the regiment moved to Fort Brown at Brownsville, Texas where Lieutenant French was detailed as the Regimental Adjutant. In December 1882 the 19th Infantry was posted to Fort Clark. At Fort Clark, on January 1, 1883, Lieutenant French began diaries, which he faithfully maintained for the next thirty years. The Fort Clark period of these diaries from 1883-1888 and his letters home are an intriguing window to late 19th century Army life at Fort Clark and to the American experience of the Victorian era. Lieutenant French’s command of the famed Seminole- Negro Indian Scouts is particularly noteworthy as the young officer developed a lifelong respect for the scouts as soldiers and men. Lieutenant French is a caring and sensitive man with opinions on people and politics. He is a bachelor immersed in the “society” of the regiment and Fort Clark. However, always in the background is his profession of being a soldier and an officer, which he takes quite seriously. The fascination of any diary is of course the private thoughts and observations of another human being, revealed, and in this case the direct link to local history. What the diary truly brings to light is the complex society of a regiment at a frontier post amid the tedium of garrison routine and soldiering, all of which serve to season the young officer. The reader can’t help but become engrossed in the almost soap opera like situations and personalities observed and commented upon on a daily basis by the very perceptive Lieutenant. French falls in and out of love and debt, and is the consummate social butterfly as he takes full advantage of his bachelor status. 


Submitted by Fort Clark Heritage Council - Bill Haenn, FCHC Senior Historian. Fort Clark Heritage Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, established in 2023, to advocate for the preservation and protection of the architecture and other historic resources in the Fort Clark National Register Historic District… committed to endorsing and promulgating the rich history of Fort Clark by expanding upon related educational and research efforts.