Fort McPherson
Maxwell, Nebraska

Originally known as Fort Cottonwood. First Located in Cottonwood Canyon.
Later Moved Closer to the Town of Maxwell, Nebraska
Now a National Cemetery

Stage Station at Cottonwood Springs

In October of 1863, Lieutenant Eugene Ware directed men to cut logs of cedar in Cottonwood Canyon, for the purpose of
making an outpost. Major George M. O'Brien selected the location a month before and had dubbed the outpost
"Cantonment McKean", after the Commander of the military district but changed the name to Fort Cottonwood
when the construction actually started. A post was direly needed to break the 350 mile stretch between
Fort Kearney and Fort Laramie.

One of the reasons for the post was to keep an eye on the Indians and nearby was a high hill
that overlooked the seasonal migratory route used by both the Pawnee and Sioux.

Sioux Lookout

Fern Story rode the horse up in 1931 dragging the statue of the Indian to stand looking out over the valley below.
It is the highest point in the county and you can see for miles.
She was the only one small enough to not put addition weight on the horse yet could skillfully
manage the horse at the top with limited space to maneuver such a huge heavy item.

1869 Stage

The main activities of the Fort during its 17 years of activity, were escorting stagecoaches and immigrant wagon trains;
pursuing and punishing Indians for depredations; protecting the mail, and the telegraph.

The name of Fort Cottonwood was changed to Fort McPherson on February 26, 1866, to honor General James B. McPherson,
who had fallen while fighting with General W.T. Sherman against the Confederate forces in the battle for Atlanta.
The Civil War ended in August, 1865. Nebraska became a State on March 1, 1867

.

Lt Colonel George A. Custer led the 7th Cavalry from Fort McPherson
on June 15th, 1867, for operations against Indians in Kansas.

General Phil Sheridan, Custer and Buffalo Bill Cody escorted Grand Duke Alexis of Russia
on a Buffalo hunting expedition from Fort McPherson in January of 1872.

Comanche the Only Survivor of Custer's Last Stand

On June 25th, 1876, the telegraph at Fort McPherson told the news of Sitting Bull's victory
at the Little Big Horn and the end of Custer and his famous 7th Cavalry.

Fort McPherson, after seventeen years of intense activity, with strong economic
and developmental influences for hundreds of miles, was abandoned by the Army in 1880.
The Indian Wars continued until 1891.

My Grandmother could remember the last Indian raid in Lincoln County in 1905.
The people were ordered to go to the Union Pacific Railroad Roundhouse for protection.
The Indians were turned away before they reached the roundhouse. My grandmother
was a very little girl but recalled the fear and excitement vividly. They called it the Last Indian Raid.

Loggy at Maxwell c. 1897

The Fort McPherson buildings were sold at auction in the spring of 1881.
The square logs were numbered and the building was totally disassembled.
It was reassembled where it still stands today. Our 'Loggy' was moved into Maxwell.
My Great Great Grandfather purchased it in 1897 to be used as a general store.

The only other log building from the fort that I know of is now located
at the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte. It was originally bought
from the fort by John Feeny, who lived on the island just north of the fort.
The men waited until winter to move the building. This building
was not disassembled but was dragged across the frozen Platte River
to their homestead. It remained there for many years but finally was donated to the museum.

The only other log building still standing from the fort that I know of is now located at the
Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte. The buyer of this log building waited
until winter to move the building. This building was not disassembled but was dragged across
the frozen Platte River to what is now the Feeney Farm. The Feeney Farm was once part of Fort McPherson.
On July 5, 1905, James T. Feeney purchased the farm, they lived on the island just north of the fort.
It remained there for many years but finally was donated to the museum.

There was one other log cabin that I know of from the fort in Maxwell, but it burned to the ground quite a while back.

Our Loggy at Maxwell c. 1940

Fort McPherson Enlisted Men and Dogs.

Pictured at Fort McPherson Albert Ginapp
Ginapp is a local family name from Brady.

Officers Quarters at Fort McPherson

Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill was another piece of local color, he was a great horseman. My Great Great Grandfather Lewis
bought horses from him and said, "If Bill sold you a horse you could be sure that it was a good horse".
His favorite horse that he ever owned was one he bought from Bill Cody.
He was a highly trained Tennessee Walker named Cody.
Cody was badly injured in an accident and was render unusable
but my Great Great Grandfather kept him anyway.
My Great Great Grandmother on the other hand was not too fond of Bill,
as she said he did not treat his wife right and was always quite a ladies' man.

Fort McPherson National Cemetery

#76 ~ Unknown Indian Scout

There are 584 unknowns.
Typically the headstones or boards were shipped with the caskets
from the cemeteries of the Army Posts that were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery.
In many cases the boards which typically contained names and dates, were blank by the end of the 19th century.

#258
Spotted Horse

Spotted Horse, a noted Pawnee Indian Scout, was killed by a Sioux.
He is buried in grave # 258 near the center of section C.

Memorial Day at Fort McPherson

Old Time Photographs & History
My Family History and the History of the town of Maxwell, Nebraska

All graphics and poems on this site should be considered copyrighted to their original artists.
To the best of my knowledge photographs on this page were taken and copyrighted by family members,
and some are public domain from the Library of Congress.
A.Olsen
This site was created in 1999-2012 by A. Olsen ©Copyright 1999-2012, A. Olsen. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site or any material within this site may be used without the expressed written permission from the author.