“Col. Zachary Taylor had Fort Basinger built in 1837.” That’s what the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials sign tells us. We are standing at the site of what was once Fort Basinger. It stood during the Seminole Wars on the Kissimmee River. The river flows 17 miles above its mouth.
Fort Basinger was not a massive stronghold. It was a small stockade. It served as a temporary fort and supply station. It was part of a line of forts. These forts stretched from Tampa to Lake Okeechobee.
This place is named for Lt. William E. Basinger. He was a member of the 2nd Artillery. Basinger lost his life in Dade’s Massacre. The fort was abandoned after the Indian Wars ended.
Do you know who William Elon Basinger was? He was born in Savannah Georgia in 1806. He was the great-grandson of Peter Tondee. Peter owned Tondee’s Tavern. It was a place where revolutionaries met. They discussed their feelings about the British Empire.
Basinger attended the United States Military Academy. He graduated second in his class. Impressively he did not receive a single demerit. Zachary Taylor said Basinger’s death was a great loss. He said Basinger would have become one of our great generals.
In December 1837 Colonel Taylor wanted another fortification. It would support his plans. The Colonel assigned Captain Monroe to command. Monroe led one company of troops. Around 85 sick men and some Indians stayed at the fort. Monroe had to finish the blockhouses and stockades.
The remaining troops marched south. They engaged in the Battle of Lake Okeechobee. Taylor’s detachment retreated to Fort Basinger. They set up a makeshift hospital at Fort Gardiner. Wounded soldiers received medical attention at Fort Brooke.
Fort Basinger existed during the Second Seminole War. U.S. Army troops and militiamen used it. They also used it during the Third Seminole War. Eventually it was abandoned. It likely eroded away with time.
What remains of Fort Basinger today? Sadly nothing. The site is marked by that sign. It reminds us of the fort’s history. It tells the story of the Seminole Wars. It speaks of William E. Basinger’s sacrifice.
Basinger became a bustling cowboy town. There were hotels a general store and a church. Social activities thrived here. By 1915 the town began to decline. The Florida East Coast Railroad bypassed Basinger. Steamships stopped running.
Hopes rekindled during the Great Florida Land Boom. A new post office opened in 1925. It was called “Fort Basinger.” The community had five stores and three blacksmith shops. There was also a school.
The boom ended. Fort Basinger dwindled. Businesses closed. People moved away.
What is the legacy of Fort Basinger? It reminds us of the struggles. It shows the conflicts of the Seminole Wars. It is a reminder of those who fought and lost their lives. Though gone its story remains. It echoes through the land.