Fort Concho Officials Say Goodbye to One of Their Best

Fort Concho and the people of San Angelo gathered to give their appreciation of Christopher Morgan for his 20 years of service to the community on Wednesday, June 15.  

Many witnessed what Morgan is known for, a friendly demeanor and good hearted nature. This could be attributed to when a co-worker gifted him with a tiara fit for a princes. The individual asked what he wanted as a gift, and Morgan stated that he didn’t know but a tiara would work in a joking manner. He did receive what he asked for in the end, and the result was Morgan at his best.  

Origins

Morgan first came in contact with the staff from Fort Concho’s living history group when taking his lunch break one day. He was working as an auto mechanic at Sears in Sunset Mall. He had always been fascinated with antique weapons and noticed the members had some of the models he owned in their display.

Learning that these individuals also traveled to other locations to reenact living history is what really sold the idea of working at Fort Concho. Thus, Morgan started as a part-time volunteer, and then becoming a full-time tour guide, assistant educator and finished as the educator for Fort Concho. Morgan had a lasting impression on each individual during his time there.  

Mayor Morrison reflected on when he first met Morgan. “I have always watched him with his bagpipe and cannons. He’s part of Fort Concho. I thought he was here at the beginning,” said Morrison.

He went on to say what a great individual he is, and how, no matter the circumstances, Morgan would always stay in character during any reenactments.  

“I think he is going to be irreplaceable,” Morrison said.  

Morgan was also known for helping many people in the community, including the 344^th Military Intelligence Battalion stationed at Goodfellow. He had recently worked at the 2016 Army Birthday Ballm and two representatives from Goodfellow presented him with a certificate of services at his retirement ceremony.

The “Piper” of San Angelo

Morgan started playing the bagpipes 12 years ago after learning that his father, a retired Army Colonel, had been going through a thyroid bypass. The Colonel had decided he would like to have bagpipes played at his funeral.    

Morgan was determined to fulfill this commitment and started to practice playing the bagpipes by learning from watching experts perform. In just under 6-8 weeks, he started to play songs that gained the recognition and appreciation of those who heard them. He had never planned to keep playing after his father’s funeral, but after seeing improvement in his performance and receiving requests to play at events as a paid performer, he warmed up to the idea.

Morgan acknowledged that he loved being known as the “piper,” given how unique it is to find a bagpipe performer in this part of Texas. Many people will remember his performance, and a few said they hoped they will continue to see these performances after Morgan's retirement.

Memory of a Lifetime

Morgan had always been fascinated at getting the chance to represent Fort Concho at the living history reenactments that take places across Texas and the rest of the country. One reenactment that will stand out in his memory was the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg that he got the chance to travel and perform in with Fort Concho and a group out of Oklahoma.

“Being with another 50,000 actors was fantastic,” Morgan said.

During this reenactment, there was a segment known as “Pickets Charge,” which had artillery fire being shot off for 96 minutes. This left many of the actors feeling the ground shaking, and the excitement that came with it.

“You don’t just hear it; you can feel the ground shaking, and your chest does as well.”

After the reenactment was finished, Morgan decided to alter history. He stood up and played “Amazing Grace,” and the actors showed their amazement over the performance.

“The [actors] might not remember who I was, but they will remember the piper,” Morgan said.   

Retirement Plans

Morgan said he plans to take three weeks off. He wants to relax and begin restoration on his 1954 Ford truck. He is confident this will keep him busy before he moves onto the next big project or performance.

“I know it will be time to go back to work when [my wife] says I need to get out of the house,” he noted.

The ceremony concluded with the Director of Fort Concho, Robert Bluthardt, giving acknowledgment to Morgan’s service to the Fort that spanned 25 years between his volunteer and full-time positions.

“In those 20 years, it just occurred to me that [Morgan] is responsible for two things that make a lot of noise: bagpipes and pins,” said Bluthardt.

He finished the speech by thanking Morgan for his service and encouraging that he comes to visit in the near future.