The Diary of Lieutenant Francis Henry French at Fort Clark, Texas 1883 (continued, #4)

January 20, 2026

by Fort Clark Heritage Council, Bill Haenn, FCHC Senior Historian

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.

In this 4th installment, Lieutenant French is commanding the Seminole-Negro Indian Scout Detachment at Meyers Spring in Terrell County. The Scouts receive their pay and French suffers a boil on his hand. For the first time he mentions several Scouts by name in his diary.

Monday, January 22, 1883

This morning the Doctor went over to the station and returned with Paymaster Bash and Nephew, his clerk. After dinner the men were paid and I witnessed it.1 The couriers went in with the mail today. Sgts. Kibbetts2 and July3 returned from the Post today, but brought neither news nor mail. Played cards in evening. Practiced today as usual.

Tuesday, January 23, 1883

Went to the Springs with the Paymaster & clerk this morning. After returning had a long talk about Ft.Wayne. The Paymaster & clerk used to live there. The clerk's family lives there now. It was sad to note how many of the older citizens with whom the Paymaster was acquainted have died, and how much harm liquor has done in that city. Played cards & read and talked all day. On account of the guests was unable to practice today. Wrote letter home in the evening and some official letters to the Post. Couriers came with no mail today much to our disappointment.

Wednesday, January 24, 1883

Paymaster & clerk left today for San Antonio. Dr. Harmer left on same train for Clark; hope he will be more successful than before. Rode over to Thurston with them. While there a man asked permission to ride back to Camp with me. As he was a gambler4 I refused it, and said I would not allow him to play in Camp. But as the ground is not owned nor controlled by the Government if he comes over to Mayer's Springs and chooses to play outside the camp and the men are fools enough to play with him, I cannot help it. After returning to Camp practiced and read and wrote some official letters to go to the Post. Sent out a party to hunt today. Hope that a detachment will come from Post with mail tomorrow.

Thursday, January 25, 1883

Spent the day quietly in camp. Practiced as usual. Detachment came in from Brown bringing mail, but to my disappointment no letters from Marie nor from home, only a bundle of papers. A boil is coming on my hand, which may interfere with the violin practice. Read the papers after dinner.

Friday, January 26, 1883

Rode Harvey over to Thurston today and found 21 sacks of bran there, and a note from Dr. Harmer. After returning to camp sent the wagon for the bran. Weighed it in camp and found sacks and all to weigh 2,476 pounds. A mule died this morning.5 Prepared affidavits and my certificate for Board of Survey. Practiced as usual.

Saturday, January 27, 1883

Spent the day in Camp reading and writing. Boil getting worse. Interfered with my violin practice. Took bath in afternoon. Sandy Fay6 is suffering very much with a bad tooth. Wish Doctor were here. Started a letter to Marie this evening but will wait until tomorrow to finish it.

Sunday, January 28, 1883

Spent the day quietly in Camp. My hand bothers me a great deal. Wish it would break and get well. Kept a poultice on it all day. One of the men has been suffering with a bad tooth. Sent him to Del Rio in a light wagon and sent mail with him. Did not hav time to send a long letter to Marie. Wrote home in the afternoon. In the evening one of the men said he was coughing up blood and wanted some medicine. Wrote a letter to doctor to return and shall send it to Lozier tomorrow and ask Express Agent to forward as soon as possible.

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 for the benefit of the visiting public and future generations, providing for the advancement and strengthening of heritage tourism initiatives by growing recognition of and visitation to the Fort Clark Historic District and being committed to endorsing and promulgating the rich history of Fort Clark by expanding upon related educational and research efforts. Find this article and more online at KinneyCountyPost.com