Fort Cobb

Fort Cobb was a United States Army post established in what is now Caddo County, Oklahoma in 1859 to protect relocated Native Americans from raids by the Comanche, Kiowa and Cheyenne. The fort was abandoned by Maj. William H. Emory at the beginning of the Civil War and remained abandoned until it was reoccupied in 1868. After establishing Fort Sill the Army abandoned Fort Cobb. Today there is little left of the former military post.

Major William H. Emory, commander at Forts Washita and Arbuckle, established Fort Cobb in October 1859 on the west side of Pond Creek, near its confluence with the Washita River. The fort was named in honor of Howell Cobb, then Secretary of the Treasury.

In 1973, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Several small tribes, including the Anadarko, Caddo, Tonkawa and Penateka Comanche had made peace with the government of Texas in 1854. In return, the Texas Legislature had created two reserves of land along the Brazos River. However, the Northern Comanche, more warlike people who dominated the area north of the Red River, continued to raid white settlements in northern Texas. The white settlers regarded the presence of any Indians as dangerous, and began attacking the friendly tribes along the Brazos. Trying to prevent overt war, Federal Indian Agents began moving the friendly tribes from Texas into Indian Territory along the Washita River. The removal, under U.S. Army escort, and commanded by Major George H. Thomas, began August 1, 1859.

Before the removal, the chiefs of nine different tribes, including those living on the Brazos, plus the Wichitas, who already had a reservation in Indian Territory, met in a council with Army officers and Federal Indian Agents at Fort Arbuckle. The government representatives promised protection from both white Texans and hostile tribes if the chiefs would move their people to sites near the Wichita Mountains. An area near Medicine Bluff along had already been approved in 1855 and 1858 by Agent Douglas H. Cooper as an acceptable place for a military post. Elias Rector, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, whose office was at Fort Smith, was to make the final site selection for a new Agency.

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