Fort Wayne, Oklahoma
Fort Wayne, Oklahoma, was established in 1839 by Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Mason of the 1st Dragoons and named in honor of General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Its purpose was to be one of many forts established to protect the “new” American West. Its initial life, however, was short-lived, as it was abandoned just three years later in 1842 and turned over to the Cherokee Nation. When the Civil War broke out, Stand Watie took over the post and organized the Cherokee Mounted Rifles.
On October 22, 1862, Brigadier General James G. Blunt and his troops attacked Colonel Douglas H. Cooper and his Confederate command on Beatties Prairie near Old Fort Wayne. Though the southern forces put up stiff resistance initially, overwhelming numbers forced them to flee shortly after the battle began, leaving their artillery and equipment behind. There were some 150 Confederate casualties.
Today, the location is an Oklahoma Historical site, but nothing remains of the post. It is located in Delaware County, Oklahoma, on State Highway 20, about a mile west of the Arkansas border.
© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2023.
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