Quaint and Historic Forts of North AmericaHammond, John Martin
History
Quaint and Historic Forts of North America
Hammond, John Martin
Fortification -- North America; Fortification -- United States; Historic buildings -- United States
Fort Fetterman, Wyoming, was established in July, 1867, and named
in honor of the officer who lost his life commanding the detachment
destroyed by the Indians at Fort Kearney. In the following month
the Indians of the vicinity were actively hostile. The old post was
a most picturesque point in its day, being situated on a high bluff
which shows its pointed palisade in fine relief against the sky. It
is now deserted.
[Illustration: FORT KEOGH, NEAR MILES CITY, MONTANA]
Fort Bridger, Wyoming, another of the Indian posts of the past,
was one of the most important points on the Great Salt Lake Trail.
It was located on the Black Fork of the Green River and was
established in June, 1858. The immediate locality had long been
known as Bridger’s Fort because of the situation here of a trading
post of James Bridger, one of the most noted trappers and guides
of this section. In its establishment it was intended to be a base
of supplies for the army of General Albert Sydney Johnston moving
against the Mormons in Salt Lake Valley in 1857 to 1858. That
winter the entire command encamped in the valley just above the
site of Fort Bridger and upon its removal the permanent post was
located.
Fort Keogh, Montana, one of the still existing Indian posts, was
established, in 1876, on the right bank of the Yellowstone River,
two miles above the mouth of the Tongue River, Custer County, on
a high elevation above the river bottom, by General Terry during
a campaign against the Sioux. It was named in honor of Captain
Miles Keogh, killed in the battle of the Little Big Horn, popularly
known as Custer’s Massacre, June 25, 1876. The area of the post
reservation is 90 square miles. In appearance Fort Keogh is typical
of the other forts of its class.
Fort Douglas, Utah, is at the base of the plateau of the Wahsatch
Mountains and is part of the suburbs of Salt Lake City. The
reservation contains two square miles of territory, and the scenery
from any part thereof is extremely fine. The post was established
October, 1862, by Colonel P. E. Connor, of the Third Regiment of
California Infantry.
FORT VANCOUVER
COLUMBIA RIVER--WASHINGTON
To delve into the history of Fort Vancouver, or Vancouver Barracks
as it is known to-day, is to recall that time when the far
northwest of the United States was in the making, when there was no
definite boundary between England, Spain, Russia and the American
nation in this part of the American continent and when all of these
great nations, with the addition of France and little Portugal, to
boot, were claimants to the Columbia River and the wildernesses
which it held tributary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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