The Diary of Lieutenant Francis Henry French at Fort Clark, Texas 1883 (continued, #28)

July 09, 2026

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

The Ft Waynes of the Northwestern League in 1883.
The shirts had the letter “F” on the right breast and a “W” on the left breast, both in an old-English font. Newspapers reported in 1883 that the Ft. Wayne team wore light gray uniforms with dark olive-green stockings. Several newspapers reported that the uniforms were made by Spalding. Accordingly, it was reported that the team wore caps that followed the National League system — each was “variegated in colors, according to the position.” The belt was described as white in color and the shoes were said to be of “the alligator kind.”

In this 28th installment, Lieut French is on leave at his family’s home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He begins an expensive ordeal with a dentist which will last several weeks. Baseball games, picnics, and callers occupy his time. Diary entries are only a sentence or two.

Monday, July 9, 1883
Went up to Rome City to a picnic and returned about 11:30 this evening. Spent most of day in boating.

Tuesday, July 10, 1883
Went down to the dentist's and sat in his chair from 9 A.M. to 1-30 P.M. Think I will have a big bill to pay. About 3 P.M. Sue & I went over to see a game of baseball, but it was poorly played and quite uninteresting. Received a letter from Marie today. In the evening Cash Miller and Will Ruthrouff & other callers were here.

Wednesday, July 11, 1883
Spent the morning in the dentist's chair as usual, but got home in time for dinner. In the evening made some calls & then came home to find callers here.

Thursday, July 12, 1883
Did not go to the Dentist's this morning as early as usual as I had to try on the dress coat. In the afternoon took Mattie to see an excellent game of ball. Went with Lula & Sue to a small company at Mrs. Miller's in the evening and had quite a pleasant time.

Friday, July 13, 1883
Did not go to the Dentist's this morning & feel pleased with the rest. Made some calls in the afternoon and spent the evening very pleasantly with Mother, Lula, Sue & Mr. Potter at Grandmother's. It rained quite hard in the evening.

Saturday, July 14, 1883
Spent the morning and part of the afternoon at the Dentist's. In the evening called with Sue at Hoagland's and then at Mrs. Hoffman's but found company at the latter place. Potter was here in the evening. At Hoagland's met Mrs. Backus, ne'e Lizzie Hoagland, who was married in January.

Sunday, July 15, 1883
Attended church this morning. Potter came to dinner. Wrote to Marie after dinner and then walked out to Grandmother's with Father. A great many changes have occurred in that vicinity and it is being rapidly improved. Went to church in the evening with Mother & Lula & Mattie. Sue took a ride with Potter. Chapman was here also in the evening.

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.