Fort Laramie Commander W.R. Davis

I have been absent for quite a while on this site, and for that, I apologize. When I started this site, more than ten years ago, there were only a few blogs that talked about Wyoming history. I thought maybe there were plenty of Wyoming history sites by now.  But, after emails and tweets asking if I was alright, health-wise, I decided it might be time to make what I will call my, summer comeback.

I am spending much of my time researching people that served at Fort Laramie, for a book, my next nonfiction offering, coming out in early 2019, and have run across countless wonderful stories. Here is a bit about one of the Fort Commanders I found most interesting.

Of all the commanders at Fort Laramie, Werter Renick Davis would best fit the category of, most unlikely. Davis, a true renaissance man, was a Methodist Minister who before becoming an Army Chaplin in 1862, was the president of Baker University, the first four-year college in Kansas.

Davis, also a physician, and dentist, first served as a chaplain of the 12^th Kansas before being commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel to help raise and organize the new Kansas 16^th Cavalry. Once the 16^th was raised he was promoted to Colonel and served at that rank until he mustered out of the Army on December 6, 1865.

It may seem unprecedented for anyone to become a fort commander after only three years in the Army and with no real military training or background, but with Davis that was not the case. Before he commanded at Laramie he commanded at Fort Leavenworth from September 1864 until April 1865. Two commands, for a man who served less than four years in the Army, quite remarkable.

One last note, I have been working on this book for more than a year, but with some diligence, and luck, I should be finished in another half year. And as far as my health, other than my age, I'm doing fine. My last book, On Turing 70, is a fun, tongue in cheek, look at reaching my seventieth birthday earlier this year. 

The photos in today's post, except for the one of Commander Davis, are from my many trips to Fort Laramie.

Hot Weather - The Rendezvous & Sitting in the Shade

What About this Heat?

It has ben hot the last couple of weeks. So hot that grass is turning brown fast, tough for ranchers and for city people who like a beautiful green lawn. Wyoming’s all-time record high was 115 degrees set in Basin in August of 1983. We have been over 100 but thankfully quite a few degrees from 115. Reminds me of the old Wyoming joke about the heat – “I watched a Coyote chasing a Jack Rabbit and it was so hot they were both walking.”

Rendezvous

During these hot days of July, nothing beat sitting around in the shade, swapping stories, and in the case of many trappers, drinking, and overeating. Rendezvous took place this time of the year, July, a time when trappers really had nothing to do. Must have been quite a site, these Rendezvous, with boisterous talking, games, races, music, and dancing.  Trappers from big companies were joined by free trappers and Native Indians and salesmen with trade goods. The trade goods often include not only trapping supplies, but women for hire, and large quantities of bad whiskey. A few trappers brought in their wives and sometimes children. Some of the later rendezvous included tourists, newsmen, and artists, leaving behind a rich history. A history that is often fiction, as much as fact, interesting and colorful times they were indeed.

Meanwhile

Enjoy the heat and remember it brings on, great gardens, baseball, barbecues and many other great summer activities.

Now I think I will go outside sit in the shade and read a good book.

Speaking of good books if you would like a bit of Wyoming fiction, you can see all my books here. Thanks for looking, all available in softcover or eBook.