The Murder of Lt. Foster and His Frock Coat
In the Generations Gallery, you can get lost in all the stories and artifacts between the mastodon and the 1908 Holsman Car. But the stories untold in the exhibit are even more remarkable. There is one storied blue military coat tucked in a drawer in the Exposed Collections wall. The story of the coat owner's fate is captivating. Painting of Fort Howard from 1889 by B. Ostertac 189 years ago, Lt. Amos Foster was shot and killed by one of his own soldiers, Private Patrick Doyle. In February 1832, Doyle was detained in the guardhouse for being drunk and disorderly. Alcohol consumption was a real problem at Fort Howard, especially since part of the soldier’s rations included two gills of whiskey or rum (the equivalent of four shots today). After a few days, on February 7, 1832, Doyle persuaded a guard to escort him to Lt. Foster’s quarters to talk to him. After harsh words and a scuffle, Doyle stole the guard’s musket and killed Lt. Fo...