Fort Towson Historic Site - Fort Towson, Oklahoma
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 34° 01.658 W 095° 15.457
15S E 291561 N 3767518
This was the location of the last American Civil War Confederate General's surrender.
Waymark Code: WM7K6T
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 11/03/2009
Views: 8
The history of this location is quite interesting before the American Civil War. The fort gains its name from Nathaniel Towson, Paymaster General of the Army. Built originally established in 1824 by Colonel Matthew Arbuckle, but later abandoned and burned in 1829. The fort was re-established in 1831 to deal with the influx of Choctaw Indians after the forced removal from the east. Through the 1840s, the fort grew in importance due to the war in the south with Mexico. Finally in 1854, the post was decommissioned as an American fort.
In 1862, the Confederacy took control of the fort. Eventually the fort became the headquarters of Confederate General Samuel B. Maxey. The fort's last chapter came as the last remaining Confederate Army troops, commanded by General Stand Watie, surrendered to Union forces at Fort Towson on June 23, 1865, following the Battle of Doaksville. The post was abandoned for the last time in 1865.