Article Title

Forgotten Soldiers: Burials on the Texas Frontier and Shifting Perceptions of Military Interment

Authors

Anthony Schienschang II, Department of Anthropology, University of VirginiaFollow

Agency

Journal of Texas Archeology and History

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21112/ita.2018.1.30

Abstract

This research examines the interrelation between civilian and military burials on the Texas frontier in the 1850s with further discussion about the drivers for changing military burial practices. A soldier’s life on the Texas frontier is briefly outlined along with some of the difficulties facing service members living in border forts. Special focus is placed on examining the socio-economic differences between officers and enlisted personnel, as well as the recording of deaths on the frontier. As a case study, the condition of the proposed location of the Fort Gates cemetery is explored and brief analysis of data gathered from the site is presented. The condition of the Fort Gates location is then compared to the nearby Sheridan Family Cemetery. The paper concludes by exploring how the American Civil War shifted civilian perceptions about military dead, leading to increased care for the remains of these deceased soldiers. Primary field research was conducted in Coryell County, Texas around the former site of Fort Gates, on the Fort Hood military installation, and in Gatesville, Texas.

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