Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Fort Bidwell
(Camp Bidwell)
Although various dates
have been given for the inception of this post (1863 to 1866),
located at the present town of Fort Bidwell at tile northern
and of Sunrise Valley in Modoc County, it was most probably established
sometime in 1863. The post, strategically located in the northwestern
corner of the state, was intended to hold in check the marauding
Indians of northeastern California, southern Oregon, and western
Nevada, and to protect the travel routes into eastern Oregon
and Idaho. Originally called Camp Bidwell, it was named for Major
John Bidwell, California Volunteers, a veteran of the Mexican
War, and a pioneer California settler Abandoned early in 1865,
it was reestablished as a log built two company post on July
17, 1865, close to its original situation on a new site selected
by Major Robert S. Williamson, Corps of Engineers. Major General
Irwin McDowell, the department's commander, then referred to
it as a fort, but officially it was designated as Camp Bidwell
until April 5, 1879, when it became Fort Bidwell. (Records in
the National Archives maintain that when the post was reestablished,
it was designated "Fort" Bidwell by General Orders
No. 44.)
Although tile post was still garrisoned until October 21, 1893,
the military reservation had been transferred to the Department
of tile Interior on November 22, 1890. The property then became
a government Indian school and the headquarters for the Fort
Bidwell Indian Reservation. In 1930 the boarding school was discontinued
and the military barracks, formerly used as Indian student dormitories,
were torn down, The commanding officer's quarters, however, are
still standing, and nearby is the old post's cemetery.
This post should not be
confuese with the Civil War Camp
Bidwell located
in Chico
Fort
Bidwell
by Colonel Herbert
M. Hart, USMC (Retired)
The corner where California,
Nevada and Oregon intersect isn't usually publicized as a resort
area, but it was once considered choice to be stationed near
here at Fort Bidwell.
Appropriately enough,
Bidwell was located in Surprise Valley, a 60-mile stretch of
greenery broken only by three alkaline lakes. The emigrants of
the nineteenth century named it after leaving the sun and sagebrush
of Nevada.
What with Indians and
other bushwackers, this wasn't the most peaceful place around.
For the same reason, it wasn't the most popular for settlers.
It wasn't until 1865 that 140 citizens could be gathered to petition
for troops. They reasoned that someone had to go, either themselves
or the marauders. The presence of the Army might even up the
odds a little.
The first Fort Bidwell
wasn't but a few months old when its troops joined with a citizen
detachment to fight Indians in Guano Valley, Nevada. They attacked
the Indian camp, killing 81 braves and 15 women and children:
"it being impossible to distinguish one sex from the other."
This first fort, called
"Camp Bidwell" from 1866 to 1879, was just north of
the final location. It consisted of pine log single story buildings
with high ceilings that complicated the winter heating problems.
By 1870, it became obvious
that the place was going to be around for awhile, so plans were
made for a more permanent post. Through the location of its corrals,
theatre and other buildings, it had begun to spread to the south,
so that was the area to which the rest of the post went.
A town grew beside the
fort and took to itself the name of the fort. The two Fort Bidwells
challenged each other on many matters, from target practice to,
it can be deduced, occasional more realistic marksmanship endeavors.
Bidwell was an active
combat post throughout most of its existence. Half of its horses
were stolen before the camp was built. Its troops fought in the
Battle of Infernal Caverns in 1867 with General George Crook,
the Modoc War of 1872-73 and the Bannock and Nez Perce campaigns.
As time passed, more of
Bidwell's efforts were expended on noncombatant activities when
no one seemed to want a fight. Major Andrew S. Burt was the post
commandant from 1892 to 1886, bringing with him a fine combat
record, and credits as the author of two professional stage plays
and miscellaneous other works.
This influenced the life
of both the post and the town. Amateur theatricals vied with
rifle marksmanship to pass the time . . . and the records show
Major Burt was the leading sharpshooter of the U.S. Army in 1885.
TO GET THERE: Town of
Fort Bidwell in Surprise Valley, California, can be reached by
U.S. 299 from the west. U.S. 395 is the northsouth junction with
U.S. 299 west of the valley 24 miles. In center of Fort Bidwell
town, turn left at Lowell's store, go west 300 yards to fort
site, now part of Indian agency.
Fort Bidwell,
1885, looked like this from northeastern edge of parade ground.
Officers' row is in background. One item was pride of Fort Bidwell:
water piped into houses from hot springs in valley.
Enlisted barracks,
circa 1890
In
1964, the schoolhouse was an Indian residence, but stands at
same location shown on map Trees hide television antenna.
B
Barracks
COMM SGT Q
Commissary Sergeant's
Quarters
CAV ST
Cavalry Stables
H
Hospital
MAG
Magazine
MARRIED ENL Q
Married Enlisted Quarters
OIL H
Oil House
OQ
Officer's Quarters
QM SGT Q
Quartermaster Sergeant's
Quarters
QM ST
Quartermaster Stable
This page
was reprinted with permission from Old Forts of the Northwest,
published in 1965
Fort
Bidwell
by Justin Ruhge
Fort Bidwell was located
in the town of Fort Bidwell at an elevation of 4,680 feet at the
northern end of Surprise Valley, a 69-mile stretch of greenery
broken only by three alkaline lakes in Modoc County. It was most
probably established in 1863. The post was intended to check the
marauding Native Americans of northeastern California, southern
Oregon and western Nevada, and to protect the travel routes into
eastern Oregon and Idaho. Originally called Camp Bidwell, it was
named for Major John Bidwell, California Volunteers, a veteran
of the Mexican War and a pioneer California settler. Abandoned
early in 1865, it was reestablished by General Order 44 as a log-built,
two-company post on July 17, 1865 close to
its original location on a new site selected by Major Robert S.
Williamson, Corps of Engineers. Major General Irvin McDowell,
the department's commander, then referred to it as a fort but
officially it was designated as Camp Bidwell until April 5, 1879
when it became Fort Bidwell. Although the post was still garrisoned
until October 21, 1893, the military reservation had been transferred
to the Department of the Interior on November 22, 1890. The property
then became a government Native American school and the headquarters
for the Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation. In 1930, the boarding
school was discontinued and the military barracks, formerly used
as Native American dormitories, were torn down. The commanding
officer's quarters, however, are still standing. Nearby is the
post cemetery.
The first Fort Bidwell was
only a few months old when the troops joined with a citizen detachment
to fight Native Americans in Guano Valley, Nevada. They attacked
the Native Americans' camp, killing 81 braves and 15 women and
children.
By 1870, Camp Bidwell was
going to be around for a while so plans were made for a more permanent
post. The first fort, called "Camp Bidwell" from 1866
to 1879, was just north of the final location. With time the final
location moved a few hundred yards south. A town grew beside the
post and took to itself the name of the camp. The two Fort Bidwells
challenged each other on many matters, from target practice to
occasionally more realistic marksmanship.
Bidwell was an active combat
post throughout most of its existence. Its troop fought in the
Battle of Infernal Caverns in 1867 with General George Crook,
the Modoc War of 1872-1873, and the Bannock and Nez Perce campaigns.
As time passed, more of
Bidwell's efforts were expended on noncombatant activities when
no one seemed to want to fight. Major Andrew S. Burt was the post
commandant from 1882 to 1886, bringing with him a fine combat
record and credits as the author of two professional stage plays
and miscellaneous other works. This influenced the life of both
the post and the town. Amateur theatricals vied with rifle marksmanship
to pass the time and the records show Major Burt was the leading
sharpshooter of the U.S. Army in 1885.
Fort Bidwell was abandoned
after General Order 69, 1893. It was turned over to the Secretary
of the Interior by General Order 16, 1885 and General Order 135,
1890. When closed the fort was about one mile square.
The remote town of Fort
Bidwell can be reached by taking State Route 299 and U.S. 395.
