Captain Martin Scott: A Fine Marksman - Part 3

LoneStar Heritage
Apr 29
3 min read

Captain Martin Scott — A Three Part Series

As told by Randolph Barnes Marcy, fellow soldier in the United States Army.

Captain Martin Scott was a fine marksman. His reputation for accurate rifle and pistol shooting was well deserved; I am not aware that he was ever excelled, if indeed he was ever equaled by any of his contemporaries. One of his performances with the pistol, which I have often heard vouched for by officers who witnessed it, stands out as a remarkable testament to his skill. He took two potatoes, throwing them into the air successively, and managed to put a pistol ball through both of them as they were coming down. This feat requires a level of precision and control that is truly exceptional.

I have personally witnessed some of his performances in rifle shooting, and I must acknowledge that for sheer accuracy, they exceed anything of the kind I have ever seen. On one occasion, he proposed that we take an old-fashioned United States “gager” that he had and determine who could load and fire three shots in the shortest space of time while also making the best target. A playing card with a spot or “bull’s-eye” in the center, about the size of a dime, was affixed to a log of wood and placed seventy yards from our intended firing position. Captain Scott then took the rifle, uncharged, with a powder-flask at hand and the balls and patches held in his mouth. With impressive skill, he made three shots “off-hand” in one minute and twenty seconds.

I approached the target to assess his accuracy, and to my astonishment, I found one clean hole piercing directly through the center of the bull’s-eye. However, I pointed out to the Captain that the other two shots seemed to have entirely missed. He simply shook his head and called for an axe. We then split the log open and discovered all three balls nestled together in one mass, each having passed through that same round aperture directly in the center of the card. Captain Scott was not only remarkable with this rifle but also excelled as a marksman with a bird-gun. Throughout numerous occasions watching him shoot, I cannot recall a time when he missed his bird. His consistent precision was nothing short of extraordinary.

emergingcivilwar.com/2017/05/15/the-mythical-martin-scott/.jpg.webp. / The Battle of Molina del Rey

As those unfamiliar with the history of Captain Martin Scott may wish to know, he met his end while heroically leading his troops during the battle of Molina del Rey in the Mexican War, fought in September 1847—just thirty-three years after he received his commission in the U.S. Army.

Fort Martin Scott was established on December 5, 1848. Initially named Camp Houston, the fort was renamed in honor of Major Martin Scott in December 1849. Situated two miles southeast of Fredericksburg in the picturesque Texas Hill Country, this fortification was part of a strategic network of frontier forts designed to safeguard travelers and settlers along the Fredericksburg-San Antonio road. The camp eventually grew into a complex of 21 buildings, and served as a crucial point of protection and support in a rapidly expanding frontier until its closure in April 1853.

Today, Fort Martin Scott stands partially restored, allowing visitors to glimpse into its storied past. The fort serves as a reminder not only of Martin Scott’s bravery but also of the broader narrative of American expansion and the challenges faced by early Texans and those who ventured into new territories.

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Author Randolph Barnes Marcy (April 9, 1812 – November 22, 1887) was also an officer in the United States Army, chiefly noted for his frontier guidebook, the Prairie Traveler (1859) which became a key handbook for thousands of Americans wanting to cross the continent. General Marcy also prepared two volumes of reminiscences, Thirty Years of Army Life on the Border (1866) and Border Reminiscences (1872), which contain many stories about Texas. Marcy’s Thirty Years of Army Life on the Border - Chapter XIV told tales of Captain Martin Scott, namesake of Fort Martin Scott in Fredericksburg, Texas.