Fort Martin Scott still stands guard in the heart of Texas 150 years after its construction, which was prompted by a peace treaty between Germans and the Penateka Comanches. The first frontier fort in Texas, the original complex of twenty-one buildings allowed soldiers to patrol the Upper Immigrant Trail through Comanche and Apache territory. The old fort was a hub for military patrols during the Texas Indian Wars. Famous army units, including the First and Eighth Infantries, as well as the Second Dragoons and Fourth Cavalry, were all stationed at this post at one time or another. Fort Martin Scott was the locality of much partisan conflict during the Civil War. Author and historian Joseph Luther tells the full story of this historic Texas icon.

Joseph Luther is a sixth-generation Texan who lives in Kerrville, Texas and holds a doctorate from Texas A&M University. He is a member of the Texas State Historical Association, the Texas Archeological Society, the Southern Texas Archaeological Association and the Society for Historical Archaeology. Luther is the author of Camp Verde: Texas Frontier Defense.