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The Diary of Lieutenant Francis Henry French at Fort Clark, Texas 1883
1st Sergeant Daniels with his wife Maria and daughter Tina
1st Daniel’s grave
Colonel of Cavalry William A. Shunk
2nd Lieutenants of the 19th Infantry. Lieut French standing right. Lieut Cunningham seated right. Shunk (possibly) standing left.
The other officer has yet to be identified.
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 8th installment, Lieut. French is at the sub-post of Meyers Spring commanding the Seminole Indian Scout Detachment. He is on a scout to the Rio Grande and hunting for deer and turkey. He returns to camp and his routine of reading and writing letters. He does considerable self-reflection on his relationship with Marie and records his thoughts as “intended only for myself ...”
In this 8th installment, Lieut. French is at the sub-post of Meyers Spring commanding the Seminole Indian Scout Detachment. He is on a scout to the Rio Grande and hunting for deer and turkey. He returns to camp and his routine of reading and writing letters. He does considerable self-reflection on his relationship with Marie and records his thoughts as “intended only for myself ...”
Monday, February 19, 1883
Remained in camp today but spent most of the day reading as I feel I am not intended for a Nimrod.(1) The men killed two more deer and another turkey. Allowed one of the men to cross the river to hunt and felt uneasy until he returned. Expect to start back tomorrow over a different trail from the one we came on. Read a book of anecdotes of members of the Irish Bar.
Tuesday, February 20, 1883
Started this morning to return by way of Lozier, and felt well pleased when we left the trail for the wagon road. The railroad and a train excited a great deal of interest among my men. It must be strange for the older men who were all through this country before a railroad was ever even thought of, to see regular daily trains passing. Camped at Hog Wallow, an ugly name for a pretty tinaja(2), one mile this side of Lozier. Could have made Mayers Springs, but did not care to work the animals so much.
Wednesday, February 21, 1883
Reached camp about eleven o'clock this morning and was very pleased to get back. Found everything going along smoothly. Plenty of forage was on hand. Sgt. July returned yesterday bringing a nice black saddle for me and a very kind letter from Vedder. Two men came back from leave but brought no mail. Doctor and I went over to Thurston to send Sgt. Daniels(3) to the Post Hospital on account of his frozen feet. Was very tired and sleepy in the evening and glad to go to bed once more. Poor Dr. Harmer is becoming "blue", I am afraid. It is an outrage to keep him out here so long. Sent some venison to Col. Lyster and to Capt. Hall. Wish I could have sent some to Capt. Vance, but there was none to spare. Wrote a letter home, & to Vedder.
Thursday, February 22, 1883
Spent the day in camp, reading writing and practicing a little on my violin. The latter attracted one of the men who came up quite simply and stood at the door to listen. When I asked him if he wanted anything, he said he simply wanted to listen to the "fiddle". It is strange the power music has over even the most uncultured people. I don’t mean to call my practicing music, by any means; but even that discordant succession of sounds was enough to attract this man. Am reading a novel by Disraeli entitled Sybil,(4) which treats of the sufferings and deprivations of the working class in England fifty years ago. Will not venture any opinion yet of it. It is quite interesting. Strange it seems to me, that he, a Jew, should appear to favor the Catholic (Roman Catholic) Religion so much. Yet it is only in their habit of building beautiful edifices for their services and in their convent and monastery life that he speaks in terms of praise; not in regard to the principles of their belief. From descriptions, I infer that he had a high regard for the beautiful, especially in architecture, and his disposition was such that the life of a monk had great charms for him. So that it does not seem so strange after all that he should praise the Catholics in these respects. I feel a great inclination to services in a magnificent building with all the surroundings in harmony; one of the old cathedrals of Europe, not one of our modern buildings.
Friday, February 23, 1883
Rode Harvey over to the railroad this morning and enjoyed the ride very much. Saw a train come. Harvey became frightened and tried to run away, but was readily stopped. When I returned, took the saddle and blanket off of him, but before the bridle was taken off he broke away and ran out to the herd. Must exercise him more. Like him better every day. Practiced today. Read Sybil and am becoming much interested. I wish that I understood more of their Parliamentary slang, so as to understand more of the book as it contains long paragraphs the meaning of which is hidden by this slang.
Saturday, February 24, 1883
This morning to our great pleasure the mail came, bringing a letter from Marie, three from home, a number of O.B.'s and two bundles of papers. I was rather surprised to get the letter from Marie for she is not prompt at replying. She says Dr. Maddox has been taking her out riding and he seems to have been very attentive. Now, young man, you know very well you cannot afford to marry just at present, you know you ought to wait until your sisters are married, you know that your Mother and sisters do not like Marie and furthermore if you are honest, you know you do not love her as you ought if you intend to marry her. There, now, be honest with yourself, make a rigid examination and you will have to confess that you do not entertain the same opinion of her as you did before. I believe that I honestly loved her when I proposed in January, and I believe now that I do not love her as a man should love his intended wife. So, now, this is the way the matter stands. But I must treat her as an honorable gentleman should. I shall not ask to be released from the engagement, but let her take the initiative. I guess now I can give up this extremely foolish jealousy for Dr. Maddox. Mother writes me that she was 50 years old on the 12th inst.; half a century has passed over her head. May she see many more and many happy birthdays. Ride over to Thurston with the Doctor who went up to Sanderson and returned in the evening with vegetables.(5) Returned soon from Thurston and spent the day in attending to business. Received a check for $24.96 mileage and one for $5, which Crowder returned to me saying that it had already been corrected, i.e. the error in the account current of Post Fund at Brown. Sent the two checks to be deposited to my credit at Friedlander's. Received also an order giving me mounted pay from Jan'y 10. Sent order to pay commissary bill. Made out my pay accounts for February and shall send them right after muster. Crowder sent Signal Receipts but they had to be returned in order to put another item in them. McCarty, the telegraph operator at Thurston came over with the Doctor and is to spend the night here. He sleeps with me much to my disgust as from the smell one would think he has not bathed for some time. He is a rather presuming young man, and will be sat upon some day in a manner that will not be pleasant. Do not like him much. Played cards in the evening with him. Doctor felt too tired to play.
Sunday, February 25, 1883
After re-reading the account of yesterday’s doings, I feel that it looks too much like an attempt to reconcile myself to losing Marie. But as this is intended only for myself and I know my own thoughts on this matter, I will not change it. I like Marie very much indeed as a friend, but believe that I have outgrown my love for her. So I hope she will soon be very happily married and settled for life. In the meantime I shall save my money so that when a favorable time for marriage comes I can support a wife. Only a little over a year and I draw my first fogy(?). Wrote a letter home, took a bath and wrote letters to Evans,(6) Cunningham(7) and Shunk.(8) McCarty was obliged to return to Thurston early this morning and the Doctor and I were not at all sorry. Hope he will not repeat the visit soon. Cold and cloudy with a little rain today.
(1) Nimrod often denotes someone who is foolish or inept.
(2) A tinaja usually implies a natural or geologic cistern in bedrock which retains water.
(3) Daniels, Charles (1844-1931) He served 31 years in the Scout Detachment, retiring as a First Sergeant in 1909. He is buried in the Kinney County cemetery.
(4) Sybil, or The Two Nations is an 1845 novel by Benjamin Disraeli when he was a member of Parliament. Sybil traces the plight of the working classes of England. Disraeli was interested in dealing with the horrific conditions in which the majority of England's working classes lived.
(5) Whenever Doctor Harmer goes to Sanderson to provide medical care he is paid in vegetables.
(6) Evans, William Pierce (1853-1916) – USMA Class of 1878, he served sixteen years in the 19th Infantry. He retired as a Colonel.
(7) Cunningham, John Marion – Commissioned from civil life on September 1, 1879. He commanded the Scout Detachment in 1884 and again in 1887-88. He became a hopeless alcoholic and was wholly retired as a 2nd Lieut. on May 2, 1890.
(8) Shunk, William Alexander (1857-1936) – USMA Class of 1879, a classmate of Lieut French. Then serving in the 8th Cavalry at Fort Clark. In 1885 he married the daughter of post Chaplain Sherman M Merrill. He retired as a Colonel in 1919.
(1) Nimrod often denotes someone who is foolish or inept.
(2) A tinaja usually implies a natural or geologic cistern in bedrock which retains water.
(3) Daniels, Charles (1844-1931) He served 31 years in the Scout Detachment, retiring as a First Sergeant in 1909. He is buried in the Kinney County cemetery.
(4) Sybil, or The Two Nations is an 1845 novel by Benjamin Disraeli when he was a member of Parliament. Sybil traces the plight of the working classes of England. Disraeli was interested in dealing with the horrific conditions in which the majority of England's working classes lived.
(5) Whenever Doctor Harmer goes to Sanderson to provide medical care he is paid in vegetables.
(6) Evans, William Pierce (1853-1916) – USMA Class of 1878, he served sixteen years in the 19th Infantry. He retired as a Colonel.
(7) Cunningham, John Marion – Commissioned from civil life on September 1, 1879. He commanded the Scout Detachment in 1884 and again in 1887-88. He became a hopeless alcoholic and was wholly retired as a 2nd Lieut. on May 2, 1890.
(8) Shunk, William Alexander (1857-1936) – USMA Class of 1879, a classmate of Lieut French. Then serving in the 8th Cavalry at Fort Clark. In 1885 he married the daughter of post Chaplain Sherman M Merrill. He retired as a Colonel in 1919.
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
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