Fort Smith, AR. Parade c.1899 The territory in which Fort Smith was located came under the possession of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. By 1817, the establishment of Fort Smith as a military outpost took place due to this territorial acquisition. The fort's christening was an homage to General Thomas Adams Smith (1781–1844), a distinguished figure who led the United States Army Rifle Regiment in 1817. From 1817 to 1822, Major William Bradford commanded a modest contingent of regulars at Fort Smith. However, the initial Fort Smith was abandoned by the military in 1824. Capitalizing on this site's potential, John Rogers, a shrewd army sutler and land speculator, acquired formerly government-owned lands and promoted the growth of a new civilian community named Fort Smith. The site's strategic significance prompted the federal government to reestablish a military presence at Fort Smith during Indian Removal in the 1830s. Furthermore, Fort Smith was a...