Fort Yuma

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Fort Yuma was a historic fort in California, located across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona.

First established November 27, 1850, near the Gila River on the Arizona side, it was moved in 1850 to across the river from Yuma, Arizona (then part of New Mexico Territory). Fort Yuma was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861. The fort was abandoned May 16, 1883 and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a mission now occupy the site.

Fort Yuma California - First established after the end of the Mexican-American War (1848), it was originally located in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than a mile below the mouth of the Gila. It was to defend the newly settled community of Yuma, Arizona on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearby Mexican border. In March 1851 the post was moved to a small elevation on the Colorado's west bank, opposite the present city of Yuma, Arizona, on the site of the former Mission Puerto de la Purisima Concepcion. This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun, named for John C. Calhoun, established on October 2, 1849, by 1st lieutenant Cave J. Couts, 1st Dragoons, for the boundary survey party led by 2nd Lieutenant Amiel W. Whipple, Corps of Topographical Engineers. A ferry service, maintained by the soldiers for the survey party's convenience, also accommodated emigrants. Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the warlike Yuma Indians in the surrounding 100-mile (160 km) area. Established by Captain Samuel P. Heintzelman, 2nd Infantry, it was originally named Camp Independence.

In March 1851, when the post was moved to its permanent site, its name was changed to Camp Yuma. A year later the post was designated Fort Yuma. In June 1851 the Army virtually abandoned the post because of the high costs incurred in maintaining it, and it was completely abandoned on December 6, 1851, when its commissary was practically empty of provisions. The post, however, was reoccupied by Captain Heintzelman on February 29, 1852.

During the U.S. Civil War, the New Mexico Territory was briefly Confederate until 1862 when the Union established the Arizona Territory, while the California side was Union. Fort Yuma was a Confederate stronghold, but the fort was succumbed by encroaching Union forces and most Confederate soldiers fled to nearby Mexico instead of surrendering to Union forces. There was no battle action since the western US was far removed from the Civil War.

In 1864 the quartermaster Corps erected a depot on the left bank of the Colorado, below the mouth of the Gila River. When the extension of the railroad system obviated the need of a supply depot, Fort Yuma was abandoned on May 16, 1883. The reservation was transferred to the Interior Department on July 22, 1884. Today, the site of the military reservation is occupied by the Fort Yuma Indian School and a mission.

[edit] Sources

California State Military Museum. Historic California Posts: Fort Yuma. (reprinted by CSMM with permission from Old Forts of the Far West, 1965) (accessed August 22, 2006).