David Evander Shapard (Chapter 13) 1905 Arkansas State Guard & the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1905

 Chapter 13

ARKANSAS STATE GUARD

AND THE

YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1905

 

One of David Shapard’s best friends throughout lower school and high school, as well as, throughout life was Harry Redfield Robinson (1886-1951). David and Harry both attended Belle Point grade school, where they originally met, and instantly became friends. Like David, Harry was older for his age, born in September of 1886, was a good student, musically inclined, social and highly athletic. In high school, they participated in many activities, clubs and programs together, further strengthening their friendship. At the end of their sophomore year, the two boys were 18 years of age, and decided that it was time to leave school and become men. David began clerking full time for the Webber-Ayers Hardware Company, of which he had been associated for the last two years, and Harry became a writer for the Fort Smith Times newspaper.

The two convivial friends sought adventure beyond the workplace, and, together, in the summer of 1905, became citizen soldiers by joining the Arkansas State Guard, with the consent of their parents. In 1903, the U. S. Militia Act assimilated the state militias into the present National Guard system; whereby, units were given federal funds to reorganize upon the model of the U. S. Army, for the purpose of continuity of leadership and weaponry in the event of war or emergency. Participation in the Act of 1903 was voluntary, however, states that did not reorganize did not received federal funds appropriated for the National Guard. The Act provided for 115,000 Krag-Jorgensen rifles to be supplied by the federal government to the state armories, in addition to providing standardized army equipment, funds for improved training facilities and a plan of restructuring.

After the reorganization, the State of Arkansas annually required its 1,200 active state guardsmen to attend 24 drills (meetings, parades, etc.) and 5 days of in-the-field training. Originally, the state was divided by the Arkansas River into two infantries. These infantries were further divided into regiments and companies. David E. Shapard and Harry R. Robinson enlisted as privates in Fort Smith’s Company K, First Infantry, Second Regiment, of the Arkansas State Guard. A year earlier in June of 1904, Company K had been disbanded by Brigadier-General Haynes after a failed inspection; however, by October 1904, the company was reinstated with 3 commissioned officers and about 35 enlisted men under the command of Captain Lamar G. Humphrey (1876-1913), who had seen action in the Philippine-American War.

As fate would have it, during that same summer of 1905, in the month of June, a deadly outbreak of yellow fever occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana. The yellow fever virus was transmitted from an infected person by way of mosquitos. The disease caused fever, muscle pain, headaches and nausea, and could lead to liver damage, causing yellowing of the skin, and eventual death. Southern states were highly wary of the outbreak, as they had a dreadful history of the disease, losing thousands from the epidemics of 1853, 1855, 1867, 1873 and 1878. Many older residents still had memories of the great epidemic of 1878, that originated at Memphis, Tennessee, and spread to 132 southern cities and towns, causing the death of well over 15,000 people in only five months.

As it came to pass, during the month of July, the disease did not subside, but began to surge throughout Louisiana. Quarantines were enacted in the state in an effort to quell the spread, however it was to no avail, and a full-blown epidemic occurred. As outbreaks occurred in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia, panic spread throughout the south and drastic measures were established by state governments. Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas closed its borders to all travelers from Louisiana and other infected areas. Many towns closed their train depots to the unloading of passengers, requiring trains to pass through their vicinity traveling no slower than 30 miles per hour. People stopped buying products and goods from Louisiana for fear of the disease, and ships were rerouted to Mobile, Alabama, to avoid Louisiana ports. The revenue loss to the state was staggering and unemployment escalated significantly with no means of abatement. Due to lack of income, as well as, fear of being infected, many people from infected regions attempted to flee to Arkansas and beyond.

On August 1, 1905, the Arkansas State Board of Health held a meeting at Little Rock, and declared a state-wide quarantine. The following day, Arkansas Governor Jeff Davis called the state militia into active service to enforce the emergency quarantine, as set forth by the Board, in a determined effort to prevent the disease from entering their state. The quarantine stipulated that: all roads, railways, ports and other points of entry in the state of Arkansas were to be placed under military control and closed to free travel from citizens of neighboring states; that all persons wishing to enter the state must present a “clean health certificate;” that armed state militia were to be posted at all the state lines, especially between Arkansas and Louisiana, to enforce the quarantine; that the state militia were to act as “sanitation guards” meeting all trains, vehicles and persons at the state line in order to inspect certificates and critically determine the character of the same, and if found to be from an infected district, within the previous 10 days, to refuse entry into the state; that the State Board of Health would attempt to place medical men at points of entry to inspect the health of all travelers without certificates and determine outcomes of any detained individuals.

The “clean health certificate” was a notarized oath document required of all travelers into Arkansas. It stated:

While the Arkansas State Guard was positioning troops along the state lines, for the purpose of preventing the entrance of yellow fever at the border, the Fort Smith Board of Health, led by Dr. Jefferson Davis Southard (1861-1937), and Fort Smith Mayor, Henry G. Kuper, Jr. (1857-1945), enacted their own ‘local guards of health’ for the purpose of protecting the city proper. The local guards had authority within Fort Smith to prevent access to any traveler without a ‘clean health certificate,’ regardless if that person was allowed entrance by the state guard. They were also charged with the task of discovering any refugees from infected regions that had evaded detection by border guards and were attempting to enter Fort Smith. On September 5, 1905, the local guards were disbanded as the state guards were effectively controlling the borders of the state in every direction. This change allowed people traveling solely within the state to journey unmolested without health certificates.

Dr. J. D. Southard and Mayor H. G. Kuper, Jr., also appealed to the citizens of Fort Smith for assistance in protecting their city. To abate the mosquito population, residents were encouraged to inspect their property and purge all standing water. Larger bodies of water within the city were oiled to suffocate any mosquito larvae. Fort Smith officials also enacted large scale fumigation regiments as a preventative measure against the disease. Southerners knew that the first frost would kill the mosquitos and end the epidemic; however, until then, it was a terrifying time, and everyone, including the Shapard family, was doing all they could to keep the deadly disease from reaching their community.

On Friday, September 1, 1905, Private David E. Shapard and his friend Private Harry R. Robinson were called into active service by the Arkansas State Guard. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon, they reported to the Fort Smith Armory, at the courthouse, where they were met by ten other guardsmen reporting for duty. Captain L. G. Humphrey briefed the twelve men, before assigning them to guard the Arkansas state line, bordering Indian Territory, at various points of entry. Privates David and Harry were placed under leadership of Sergeant Walter M. Oungst, and all three men were assigned, as a squad, to guard the road at Hanson.

Sergeant Walter M. Oungst (1888-1951) was born in Iowa and moved to Fort Smith with his parents and sister in 1903, where his father, Webb M. Oungst (1854-1943), accepted a job as manager of the Thrash-Lick Printing Company. Walter also worked for the company, as a press operator; and, as a minor under the age of 21 years old, joined the Arkansas State Guard with his father’s consent in 1905. Sergeant Oungst was 5 foot 9 inches tall, 140 pounds and had a half inch oblique scar over his left eye. In late September of 1905, his father accepted a new job in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Oungst family moved shortly thereafter. However, Walter continued in the service, and, in 1906, he joined the National Guard of Missouri for a term of three years.

As soon as they were given their orders, the three men gathered their weapons, gear and provisions, and, by horseback and wagon, made the 20 mile trek to their destination. Hanson was a small settlement of only a few residents, north of Fort Smith, near the Indian Territory border in Crawford County, Arkansas. It was located in a majestic, highly wooded area of the state, near Lees Creek on the cusp of the Boston Mountains. Uniontown was the nearest center of commerce and nearest post office, being a distance just a mile or two. The military importance of Hanson, during the quarantine of 1905, was the small dirt road (present day highway 220 West) running through the area from Indian Territory. As a point of entry into Arkansas, albeit obscure, it was critical that it was successfully guarded against all persons attempting to enter the state.

Over the following days, Private Shapard, Private Robinson and Sergeant Oungst settled into their base camp. Tents were set up, fire pit established, horses and wagon secured and the men began their patrol in a vigilant effort to save their friends, countrymen and loved ones from the looming disease beyond their borders. All persons entering the state from Indian Territory along the road were stopped by the three guardsmen. They were critically examined and made to exhibit their ‘clean health certificates.’ Any travelers that exhibited unhealthy symptoms, or had questionable certificates, either counterfeit, unnotarized, or not pertaining to the bearer, were detained. All travelers from infected regions were immediately turned away, disallowing their entrance.

Perhaps the most nightmarish part of David’s job was the threat of ‘quarantine runners,’ from infected districts, that deviously attempted to enter the state by evading the guards. David and his small detachment were charged with the severity of protecting their state, and each man was trained in the use of a rifle and small arms to accomplish the same. Each night the men pulled guard duty, one man on watch for a few hours, then would wake the next man, before falling asleep, so that someone was always watching the road.

As it came to pass, around mid-September of 1905, Sergeant Oungst had traveled by horseback to a military briefing at Fort Smith, where he was informed that, with the recent rise in yellow fever, there was a high probability of quarantine runners, especially at night. He returned to camp around dusk, secured his horse for the night, and held a briefing with David and Harry. He informed the men of the elevated risk, and ordered them emphatically that when on guard duty at night to fire on anyone who did not identify himself.

The sergeant took the first scheduled guard shift that evening, followed by David and then Harry. Around midnight, David was awakened from his slumber by Sergeant Oungst, announcing that it was time for his shift.  The night was cool and still, and David established his watch along the lonely dirt road. The vastness of Indian Territory just a short distance away. A moonless sky made the darkness under the canopy of reaching limbs from the forest all the more unnerving. Around 2 o’clock in the morning, David was jolted from the quietude of his watch by the unmistakable sound of distant footsteps trotting upon the forest floor. “Halt! Who goes there?” cried out David into the darkness. The footsteps suddenly ceased, but there was no reply. After an intense moment of silence, the ominous crackle of leaves underfoot regenerated, closer this time. David raised his firearm, griping it tightly, and once more cried out, “Halt! State guardsman here. Identify yourself or I will shoot!” As before, the footsteps abruptly ceased, yet still no reply. David’s heart was racing, he knew someone was very close, hiding only a few yards away, among the trees in the deep cover of night. Without warning, from the darkness, a burst of footsteps ran directly at David!

The reverberating crack of a gunshot in the night quaked Sergeant Oungst and Private Robinson from their sleep. Running half-awake from the tent, with firearms and lanterns in hand, they found David on the side of the road at his post. He anxiously explained what had just occurred, and that he had followed Sergeant Oungst’s orders to shoot anyone who did not identify themselves. Together, the three men ventured over to where David had dispatched what they assumed to be a quarantine runner, only to find that David had shot…the sergeant’s horse!

        The small state guard detachment at Hanson remained at their post, minus one horse, throughout the month of September. At the end of the month, Harry Robinson was hospitalized after running a high fever, and Sergeant Oungst resigned his position, in order to move with his parents to St. Louis, Missouri. As a result, David E. Shapard was honored with the non-commissioned rank of First Sergeant. Out of necessity, a fresh squad of guardsmen from Company K was assigned to the road at Hanson; and, First Sergeant David E. Shapard, after an encampment of approximately 25 days, was placed on leave, to return home to Fort Smith, having completed his first tour of duty. David received $2 per day for his service, and the priceless benefit of a story, about an unfortunate sergeant’s horse, that would be retold for generations.

After a few weeks at home, enjoying the comforts of a soft bed, fresh laundry and homecooked meals, First Sergeant David E. Shapard was again called into active duty. Around October 15, 1905, Captain L. G. Humphrey, who was head of Fort Smith’s Company K, First Infantry, Second Regiment, of the Arkansas State Guard, received orders from headquarters that he and twenty of his men were to be sent to Chicot County, at the Arkansas southern border with Louisiana, in order to relieve three companies of guardsmen, from Piggott, Paris and Cabot, who had been encamped there for a protracted duration. Captain Humphrey hand-selected twenty, of his forty-three men, for the mission at the state line, David Shapard being one of them.

The selected guardsmen of Company K assembled at the Fort Smith Armory before taking the train, with Captain Humphrey, to headquarters at Little Rock, Arkansas, where they received additional orders and instruction from General Haynes. After a leisurely morning, the men took the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway from Little Rock, through Pine Bluff, to Trippe Junction, then boarded the Memphis, Helena & Louisiana (M. H. & L) railroad to reach Chicot County, Arkansas. The company detrained near the vicinity of Sterling, in the extreme southeast corner of the state.

First Sergeant David Shapard and Sergeant Leslie Caldwell, both of Company K, were interviewed by a newspaper reporter about their experience on the southern border. They remarked; “…I never saw so many sick men in my life. The swamps down there are something fierce, and that is what is making the men sick. Nine out of every ten men are sick with chills and fever, and some of them act as if they were losing their minds. This is worst in the companies which have been there the longest. Some of the companies have been along the southern border of the state for 48 days. The Paris company has been there 38 days and the men look as poor as razor-back hogs.”

“The fort Smith company is camped in a cotton field, with swamps all around, and the Mississippi River only a stone’s throw away. We had tents but had to sleep upon straw on the ground and cook our own meals. We were [½ mile] from Sterling, the nearest post office, but our camp was [at Arkla] right on the railroad track. A train came along about every third day, but sometimes it was once a week. They only came to bring soldiers or mail as they could not cross the state line. The entire southern portion of the state is patrolled and it would be impossible for a man to get through. There are 28 companies and each one had a picket line to walk. There are line riders and officers in plenty, so there is no chance for a soldier to shirk his duty. The companies are under strict military rules, which makes it awful hard work…”

First Sergeant David Shapard remained on the southern border at Chicot County for about 15 days, until the first killing frost arrived there in late October, of 1905. Dr. J. P. Runyan, president of the Arkansas Board of Health, had been watching the weather carefully and determined that the frost had sufficiently killed the mosquitoes, thus destroying the danger of yellow fever. Interestingly, by October 25^th, quarantine restrictions had been lifted in most Arkansas counties after killing frosts, however, weather conditions were not as favorable in Chicot and Ashley counties, and 100 guards remained stationed there. On October 30, 1905, the three-month long quarantine was finally lifted for all of Arkansas, and the final guardsmen, being Capt. Humphrey and his men at Arkla in Chicot County were cleared to return to their homes, families and jobs. Back home the men of the Arkansas State Guard were received whole-heartedly, as their tireless efforts, during the quarantine of 1905, achieved the near impossible of preventing a single outbreak of yellow fever within the state of Arkansas. Interestingly, this was the last major epidemic of yellow fever in the United States, and First Sergeant David Evander Shapard was one of the final guards to stand post in the final county to be relieved in Arkansas.

As a tribute to the selfless labor and sacrifice of the Arkansas State Guard, General W. H.  Haynes sent a dispatch on October 31, 1905, to be read to every company of guardsmen and posted at every armory. It stated: “To the officers and men of the Arkansas State guard: On August 1, 1905, the governor and commander-in-chief directed your commanding general to take charge of the quarantine service, his instructions being to assume full control of the duty. For three months the commanding general has devoted all of his time to the proper performance of this assignment, by giving direction to every movement of the guard for the protection of Arkansas against a visitation of yellow fever – for three months no commander ever had a more faithful support than that given voluntarily, earnestly and truly by all the officers and men of the guard, every order having been regarded every duty resolutely performed, and today we close a labor which has brought results rarely equaled and never surpassed by the acts of any body of citizen soldiery anywhere in the civilized world. Thanks are due you, comrades for the glorious close of a worth undertaking that is such a complete success redounding to the good of all the people of Arkansas. The quarantine of 1905 throughout the state closes today and each officer and man of the guard at his home station can renew his daily avocations with a consciousness of duty well done and each may feel deserving of honor and consideration at the hands of his people, also the state authorities whom the organized militia have so faithfully served…”