The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 51, July 1947 - April, 1948 Page: 253
406 p. : ill., ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Notes and Documents
stone and grass are said to be abundant and convenient. I believe
Maj. Genl. Smith" contemplates an abandonment of the present site
of Fort Ewell for some other position, and it is probable he will
decide on removing the troops to the Willow Crossing or its vicinity.
The title of the land around Fort Ewell is not in the Government,
but is claimed by a resident of San Antonio, who has notified the
post Quartermaster that he intends 'to present a bill for timber de-
stroyed and for occupancy. The buildings standing at the post (and
which were all put up by the labour of the troops) consist of one
commissary storehouse, one blacksmith's shop, and two sets of com-
pany quarters-each built of adobes. The walls of a third set of com-
pany quarters are also nearly completed. The commissary's store-
house and blacksmith's shop, are covered with canvas, one set of the
company quarters (now used as a Quartermaster's storehouse) is
shingled, and the other not covered for want of sheeting. The adobes
used for the walls of these houses are too soft to bear a roof without
bracing. The shingled building is sustained by props, and would
tumble down without them. If the post is to be maintained, it is
important that suitable buildings should be provided as soon as
possible. I understand that a plan was adopted and estimates made
for constructing the necessary quarters, 8c, but 1 was unable to get
a copy of either paper.
Fort Ewell is garrisoned by three companies (E, G, I) of the
regiment of Mounted Riflemen, Capt. and Bvt. Major J. S. Simon-
son17 of that regiment being in command. I reviewed and inspected
the troops, June I2th, and the following officers and number of men
appeared under arms, viz.
Medical Dept. Asst. Surgeons R. F. Simpson8 and E. W. Johns.19
Company E. Capt. T. Duncan,20 Bvt. 2d Lt. G. B. Cosby,21 and
48 men.
o6Persif6r Frazer Smith was made a colonel in the Louisiana Volunteers on
February 2, 1836, and colonel in the Mounted Rifles March 27, 1846. He was
breveted brigadier general September 23, 1846, for gallantry at Monterrey, and
major general, at Contreras and Churubusco. He died May 17, 1858. Heitman,
Historical Register of the United States Army, I, got.
l7John Smith Simonson was a sergeant in Captain Knapp's Company of the
New York Volunteers from May 1, to November 8, 1814. He was breveted major
September 13, 1847, for gallantry at Chapultepec and brigadier general March 13,
1865, for long and faithful service in the army. He retired on September 28, 1861,
and died December 5, 1881. Ibid., 888.
I8Richard French Simpson became a major surgeon June 23, 186o. He died July
4, 1861. Ibid., 889.
19Edward W. Johns resigned from the United States Army on April 22, 1861,
and served as surgeon in the Confederate States Army from 1861 to 1865. Ibid., 574.
o0Thomas Duncan was breveted lieutenant colonel on April 8, 1862, for gal-
lantry at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and colonel and brigadier general on March
i3, 1865, for meritorious service during the war. Ibid., 388.
2lGeorge Blake Cosby graduated from the Military Academy in 1852. He was253
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 51, July 1947 - April, 1948, periodical, 1948; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101119/m1/321/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.