Fort Lincoln, Texas Historical Marker.
Fort Lincoln, Texas, was located on the west bank of Seco Creek about a mile north of present-day D’Hanis in the south-central part of the state.
The fort was established after the Mexican-American War in July 1849 and named for Captain George Lincoln, who was killed in the Battle of Buena Vista. The post was one of eight that formed the first line of permanent federal frontier defense. Constructed on high ground that provided a strategic view of the area, Major James Longstreet commanded the infantry troops tasked with repelling and tracking down Indian raiders and protecting the Woll Road from San Antonio to Fort Duncan. The structures were primarily built of local gray limestone, and by 1851, they included barracks, officers’ quarters, a commissary, a storehouse, and a hospital.
Other less substantial buildings were constructed of logs. The post was abandoned in July 1852 as the frontier was advancing westward. The Texas Rangers then utilized the buildings. Later, the barracks were torn down, and the material was used for homes at D’Hanis. The property was purchased by Richard Reily, who used the hospital building as his personal home. Unfortunately, there are no remains of the fort today other than a historical marker.
© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated December 2022.
Also See:
Forts & Presidios Across America