Wyoming Forts 1841-1909

The Forts

Much has been written and numerous movies and Television programs made, that include forts in the west. Many of these fictional accounts were set in, or near Wyoming forts. Of course, Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger are the most prominent, but Wyoming was home to many forts. Most were built for one of two reasons, protect the trails or the rails and their builders. Fort Laramie, established as a military fort in 1841, after more than a decade as a trading post, and Fort Bridger, established in 1842, were the earliest of the Wyoming forts. Others, such as Forts Fetterman, Platte, Phil Kearny, Reno, Russell, and Fred Steel were important but shorter lived.

On the grounds of Fort Laramie 

In Honor of the Chief

When the wars on the plains ended, the forts were no longer needed and were closed. Fort Washakie, established from the old Camp Brown,  (1871-1909),  was kept in operation longer than any of the other forts, likely out of respect for the old chief, it was renamed for in 1878. Chief Washakie, who died in 1900, had long been a friend of the U.S. Government and spent much of his later life working toward a sustainable peace and prosperity for his people. Fort Washakie was kept open until 1909, making it the last of the Wyoming forts to close.

68 Years

1841-1909 is not a long period of time, only 68 years, but it was the time of forts in Wyoming. Those 68 years make up less than an average life span, in today's world, and oddly enough, my present age but that is not relevant here, except to me.

Still tellin' stories at 68

A Lot Can Happen

Throughout all of history, much happens in a span of 50-75 years, check out any year and take a look at what happened over the next 68 years,  you might be surprised. In the 68 years that Wyoming had forts a period of movement, settlement and development took place that American had not seen before, an entire culture was wiped out and America fought with others and itself. 

What was wilderness in 1841 was well know by the early 1900s,
but some places, like this one, are still pretty nice and mostly unchanged

The Great Wyoming Christmas Miracle – The Ride of John (Portugee) Phillips

The Great Wyoming Christmas Miracle – The Ride of John (Portugee) Phillips

On the morning of December 21, 1866, a wood train out of Fort Phil Kearny was attacked by a band of Sioux. Young Lieutenant Colonel William J. Fetterman rushed to the rescue. Fetterman, who had reportedly boasted that he could ride through the entire Sioux nation with 80 men, was sadly mistaken. Fetterman and his entire command were wiped out.

John (Portugee) Phillips

Fort Phil Kearny was now undermanned, running out of ammunition, and in a position that the fort could be lost with any type of attack. They needed help, but the nearest fort to get help would be Fort Laramie, over 200 miles away. John (Portugee) Phillips volunteered to ride for help, and the rest is legend. 

Phillips was given one of fort commander Carrington’s prize thoroughbreds to make the ride. It was more than 20 below zero when he started the famous, Paul Revere of the west, ride. Starting through hostile territory on the night of the 22^nd he reached Fort Laramie on Christmas night. Phillips stopped at Horse Shoe Station long enough to resupply, warm up, and send a telegram, to Fort Laramie then went on. When he stumbled into a Christmas night party at Bedlam, the prized horse dropped dead and Phillips was nearly frozen. So goes the story.

Fort Laramie in the distance

As the years pass the story has proved to be a bit less than true. Phillips did make the ride, but not alone. Instead, he was accompanied by one, and sometimes two, men and no records show that Colonel Carrington’s horse, Dandy, dropped dead on arrival at Fort Laramie. Phillips was paid $300 for the ride and given a fine horse.

Bedlam - the back door

Today there is a monument to Phillips just east of Fort Phil Kearny.

The Peace Council of 1866

Between the famous peace treaties of 1851 and 1868 was the lesser known attempt at a peace council in 1866 at Fort Laramie. Colonel Henry B. Carrington came with more than 2,000 troopers and 226 mule teams pulling freight wagons loaded with a few gifts and tons of supplies, enough to stock an entire post in the west.

Fort Laramie today as seen from the Oregon Trail North and West

This meeting, for peace, never had a chance. Red Cloud and Man Afraid of His Horses were asked to take part and did go to the fort. But once there refused all efforts put forth by the representatives of the U.S. Government. Why did they refuse? Because the soldiers were representing business and government interests who wanted to build a new road, the Bozeman Trail, to the gold fields. With trails came forts, the native peoples wanted nothing to do with any of this.

One fort, Fort Connor, also known as Fort Reno or old Fort Reno located in Johnson County, Wyoming near the present city of Buffalo was already in a place unacceptable to the tribes. The fort was in prime buffalo hunting country and an area set off limits by the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851.

Red Cloud stood firm, no roads and no forts. Never the less the treaty was signed, signed for the gifts brought by the white soldiers. The treaty signed by, under chiefs or sub-chiefs who had no power to sign off on anything that affected their entire tribe. Because of this the treaty was never respected and did nothing for peace in the area. Instead of peace it actually increased hostilities and led to what historians later referred to as the years of the bloody Bozeman.

The three forts built or restocked and fortified as a result of this 1866 meeting, Reno/Connor (built 1865), Phil Kearny and C.F. Smith were in a constant state of battle over the next decade and did little to protect gold seekers heading to Montana. Of the three forts, Phil Kearny seemed to be the worst in the eyes of the Indians living and hunting in the area. In one six-month span, the fort or soldiers on detail from the fort were attacked 50 times. All three forts were closed and abandoned by august of 1868.