Department of the Platte
The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Omaha, the district commander oversaw the army's role initially along the Overland route (or Oregon Trail) to Salt Lake City, then later the construction route of the Union Pacific Railroad. The district also included the Montana road (or Bozeman Trail) through eastern Wyoming. The district was discontinued when the Army's command was reorganized in 1898.
Headquarters
The Headquarters of the Department of the Platte was located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska for many years. When the headquarters was transferred to Fort Omaha in 1878, the building it was located in was found unsuitable, and the headquarters were again transferred downtown.[1]
Department Commanders
- Brigadier General Philip St. George Cooke, 5 Mar 1866
- Major General Christopher C. Augur, 23 Jan 1867
- Brigadier General Edward Ord, 18 Nov 1871
- Brigadier General George Crook, 27 Apr 1875
- Brigadier Oliver O. Howard, 5 Sept 1882
- Colonel John Gibbon, 6 Mar 1884 (temporary)
- Brigadier General Oliver O. Howard, 25 Oct 1884
- Brigadier General George Crook, 28 April 1886
- Brigadier General John R. Brooke, 1888
- Brigadier General John J. Coppinger, 17 Mar 1895
Department of the Platte Camps, Forts and Posts
Idaho Territory and Idaho
Nebraska Territory and Nebraska
- Alkali Station(1864 - 1866)
- Beauvais Ranch Station Post (1864 - 1866)
- Camp at Chadron (1890 - 1891)
- Camp Keya Paha(1879)
- Camp at Madden's Bridge (1890 - 1891)
- Camp Mitchell (1864 - 1867)
- Camp Red Willow(1872)
- Camp Sheridan (1874 - 1881)
- Camp at Stryker's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Swallow's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Hay Springs (1890 - 1891)
- Camp near Cheney's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Roger's Mill (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Jareho's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Morey's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Gordon (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Callin's Ranch (1890 - 1891)
- Camp at Albany (1890 - 1891)
- Fort Beaver Valley (1891)
- Fort Clarke (1876 - unknown)
- Fort Crook (1891 - 1948/present)
- Fort Hartsuff, originally Post on the North Fork Loup River (1874 - 1881)
- Fort Kearny (1848 - 1871)
- Fort Kiowa (1864 - 1866)
- Fort McPherson (1863 - 1880)
- Fort Mirage Flats (1891)
- Fort Montrose (1891)
- Fort Niobrara (1880 - 1906/1911)
- Post of Omaha (1862 - 1866)
- Camp Sherman or Sherman Barracks (1866 - 1869
- Omaha Barracks (1869 - 1878)
- Fort Ponca (1865 - 1866)
- Post at Red Cloud Indian Agency or Camp Robinson (1874 - 1878)
- Sidney Barracks (1867 - 1878)
- Guide Rock Stockade (1870)
- Gilman's Station Post (1864 - 1866) +
- Junction Station Post (1864 - 1866) +
- Little Blue River Station Post (1864 - 1866)
- North Platte Station (1867 - 1881) +
- O'Fallon's Bluffs Post (1864 - 1866) +
- Omaha Quartermaster Depot(1866 - 1947)
- Pawnee Ranch Post (1864 - 1866) +
- Plum Creek Post(1864 - 1866)
- Post at Mullaly's Ranch Station (1864 - 1866) +
- Post on the South Fork Loup River (1865)
- Post at North Platte Station (1867 - 1881) +
- Red Cloud Stockade (1870)
Utah Territory and Utah
- Bluff Fort (1880 - ?)
- Camp Conness (1855, 1859, 1864, 1866, 1869)
- Camp Dodge (1865 - 1866)
- Camp Fountain Green (1866)
- Camp George (1866)
- Camp Murray (1885)
- Camp Pace (1867)
- Camp Rawlins (1870 - 1871)
- Cove Fort (1867 - 1880s),
- Fort Bear River (1867 - unknown)
- Fort Berryville (1864 - 1866)
- Fort Cameron (1872 - 1883)
- Fort Deseret (1866 - unknown)
- Fort Douglas(1862 - 1991)
- Fort Duchesne(1886 - 1910)
- Fort Gunnison(1861 - 1867?)
- Fort Kanab (1865 - 1870)
- Fort Meeks (1869 - 1870)
- Fort Montezuma (1879 - 1884)
- Fort Pierce(1866 - 1870?)
- Fort Thornburgh(1881 - 1882)
- New Fort Thornburgh (1882 - 1884)
- Fort Union (1853 - 1870s)
- Fort Walker (1853 - 1869)
- Fort Wah-Wiep (1869 - 1870)
- Grouse Creek Fort (1878)
- Kamas Fort (1868 - 1870)
- Ogden Station (1878)
- Panguitch Fort (1865 - 1868)
- Rock Fort (1865 - unknown)
- Sage Bottom Fort (1867 - unknown)
Wyoming Territory and Wyoming
- Big Pond Station(1860s) +
- Black Butte Station (1860s) +
- Camp Bridger Pass (1867) +
- Camp Devin (1878)
- Camp Elkins (1892)
- Camp Hat Creek (1876 - 1877)
- Camp Marshall (1862 - 1866)
- Camp Medicine Butte (1885 - 1887)
- Camp on the Snake River (1879 - 1883)
- Camp Pilot Butte (1885 - 1899)
- Camp Stambaugh
- Cheyenne Depot or Camp Carlin (1867 - 1890)
- Dug Springs Station (1860s) +
- Duck Lake Station (1860s) +
- Fort Bridger (1843 - 1878, 1880 - 1890)
- Fort Caspar (1866 - 1867)
- Fort David A. Russell(1867 - 1930)
- Fort Fetterman(1867 - 1882)
- Fort Fred Steele
- Fort Halleck (1862 - 1866)
- Fort LaClede (1863 - 1869)
- Fort Laramie(1834 - 1890)
- Fort Phil Kearny first called New Fort Reno and Fort Carrington (1866 - 1868)
- Fort Rawlins(1868 - unknown)
- Fort Connor(1865)
- Fort McKinney (1876 - 1894)
- Fort Sanders (1866 - 1882)
- Camp at Wind River Indian Agency (1868)
- Pine Grove Station(1860s) +
- Point of Rocks Station (1860s) +
- Rock Creek Station (1860 - unknown)
- Rock Springs Station(1860s) +
- Salt Wells Station (1860s) +
- Sulpher Springs Station (1860s) +
- Washakie Station (1860s) +
See also
References
- ^ Mattes, M.J. (1998) Indians, Infants, and Infantry: Andrew and Elizabeth Burt on the Frontier. University of Nebraska Press. p. 298.