Forts of the West: Military Forts and Presidios and Posts Commonly Called Forts West of the Mississippi River to 1898 [Paperback]

Robert W. Frazer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1975

The number and variety of forts and posts, together with changes of location, name, and designation, have posed perplexing problems for students of western history. Now Robert W. Frazer has prepared a systematic listing of all presidios and military forts, which were ever, at any time and in any sense, so designated.

The lists of posts are arranged alphabetically within the boundaries of present states. Pertinent information is included for each fort: date of establishment, location, and reason for establishment; name, rank, and military unit of the person establishing the post; origin of the post name and changes in name and location; present status or date of abandonment; and disposition of any existing military reservation. A map for each state shows the location of the posts discussed. A prime reference for historians, Forts of the West will prove useful to readers of western history as well.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert W. Frazer became interested in the western forts when he was working on Colonel J. K. F. Mansfield's inspection reports, which were published under his editorship as Mansfield on the Condition of the Western Forts, 1853-54, by the University of Oklahoma Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (April 15, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806112506
• ISBN-13: 978-0806112503
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,270,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOTALLY NECESSARY FOR WESTERN STUDIES., November 5, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Forts of the West: Military Forts and Presidios and Posts Commonly Called Forts West of the Mississippi River to 1898 (Paperback)

This book names the forts, presidios, and posts west of the Mississippi River to 1898, and not only does the author give the location but he gives some historical facts. If I had the money, I would take this book, get me a good travel map and visit each of the places mentioned! Last month I went to several Texas forts, an old Presidio and an Arizona fort. The book was invaluable!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I disagree - very poor, August 14, 2004

By 

J. G. Thoene "thojos" (Chula Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Forts of the West: Military Forts and Presidios and Posts Commonly Called Forts West of the Mississippi River to 1898 (Paperback)

If you only care about the opening and closing dates, who it was named after, and a one sentence reason as to why it was established, then this bare bones book is for you. Do not expect any other information OF IMPORTANCE here. No history of important engagements near or involving each fort is given, which I find incredibly negligent.

Examples: NO mention is made of the Fetterman Massacre in the entry on Fort Phil Kearny, or the Wagon Box Fight for that matter.
NO mention is made of the Hayfield Fight in the entry on Fort C.F. Smith.
NO mention is made of the two huge attacks on Julesberg, CO by a thousand Cheyennes in which the town was burned to the ground just outside Fort Sedgwick. I could go on.

Don't expect ANY information on important engagements the various forts may have been a part of. However if you are really curious as to whether the fort was turned over to the Dept. of the Interior on its abandonment, then this book is for you. That fact is always listed. This book has exactly 4 photographs and 5 drawings.

Though out of print, I recommend Herbert M. Hart's western fort series: "Pioneer Forts of the West", "Forts of the Far West", and "Old Forts of the Northwest". These books have hundreds of B&W photos, detailed histories of engagements the forts partook in, as well as opening and closing dates, and a diagram of almost every fort discussed. You could just pick up the whole series (used) for less than the price of this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference tool on western forts, December 18, 2005

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Forts of the West: Military Forts and Presidios and Posts Commonly Called Forts West of the Mississippi River to 1898 (Paperback)

In the introduction to this book, Frazer refers to his compilation of military forts as "brief biographies." Based on that description, the book is an excellent reference tool in identifying by name, location, length of service, and summary purpose all the known forts located west of the Mississippi River up to 1898.

The book is arranged by state, with forts listed therein alphabetically. Although Frazer warns that locations are only approximate, they are still given with enough detail to place them fairly accurately on a topo map. When forts changed locations even by just a few miles (Ft. Hall, ID, for example), both forts are described. This is basically a listing, and most of the forts are detailed only briefly; when important events occurred, however, they are mentioned (Ft. Cobb, OK, for example, being attacked by Indians on October 23, 1862). Even forts that were unnamed or in existence for only a few months are included.

I have used this book often, either for quick identification or as a stepping stone to more detailed investigations. The bibliography is one of the most thorough I've seen on the subject (36 pages long). The index is also very comprehensive, containing all the names and places mentioned in the text. As a reference tool for identifying forts and gleaming a brief account of their "biographies," Frazer's book is superb.