Fort Mojave - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The post, Fort Mohave, should not be confused with the town of Fort Mohave, Arizona
Fort Mohave, Arizona
Fort Mohave is a CDP in Mohave County, Arizona. It is named for a nearby fort that was used during the Mohave War. As of the census of 2010, the population of Fort Mohave was 14,364. This was up from 8,919 in 2000. It is a micro-suburb of Bullhead City...

.

Fort Mohave was originally named Camp Colorado when it was established on April 19, 1859 by Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

William Hoffman

William Hoffman (U.S. Army)

William Hoffman was a 19th century officer in the United States Army. The West Point graduate was involved in the Black Hawk War, Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. During the Civil War he served as the Commissary-General of Prisoners and set policy for the treatment...

during the Mohave War

Mohave War

The Mohave War was an armed conflict between the Mohave people against the United States from 1858 to 1859. With the California Gold Rush of 1849, thousands of American settlers headed west through Mohave country and into California. The influx of migrants passing through, combined with simple...

. It was located on the east bank of the Colorado River

Colorado River

The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...

, at Beale's Crossing, near the head of the Mohave Valley

Mohave Valley

The Mohave Valley is a small valley, mostly on the east shore of the south-flowing Colorado River in northwest Arizona; the valley borders southeast California's San Bernardino County; also, the north of the valley borders extreme southeast Clark County, Nevada...

in Mohave County by the recommendation of Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

Edward Fitzgerald Beale

Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale was a national figure in 19th century America. He was naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, diplomat, and friend of Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Ulysses S. Grant...

History

The first known European to visit the area was Spanish explorer Melchor Díaz

Melchor Díaz

Melchior Díaz was an early Spanish explorer of Western North America who "was a hard worker and skillful organizer and leader. He inspired confidence in his companions and followers, and always maintained the best of order and of diligence among those who were under his charge"...

. He documented his travels in Northwestern Mohave County in 1540. He accounts of meeting a large population of natives who referred to themselves as the Pipa Aha Macav, meaning "People by the River". From "Aha Macav" came the shortened name "Mojave" (also spelled "Mohave"). When most people refer to Fort Mohave, they use the modern English spelling "Mohave", while the tribe retains the traditional Spanish spelling "Mojave". Both are correct, and both are pronounced "Moh-hah-vee".

The fort was established to provide a protection for emigrants to California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

through Northern Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

on the Beale Wagon Road and across the Mojave Desert

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...

on the Mojave Road

Mojave Road

The Mojave Road or Mojave Trail is a historic route and present day 'four-wheel drive road' across what is now the Mojave National Preserve in the Mojave Desert of California, United States.-History:...

. It was also used as a base of operations against the Mohave people.

The post was renamed Fort Mohave on April 28, 1859 by its first garrison commander Captain Lewis A. Armistead. With 50 soldiers he defeated 200 Mohave in a battle in the summer of 1859, and ended hostilities with them. The post was abandoned and the buildings were burned down on May 28, 1861 by order of Brigadier General

Brigadier General

Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

Edwin V. Sumner in order to withdraw the regular troops to garrison Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

against an anticipated secessionist uprising. Later that year the regulars were sent east to participate in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

On May 19, 1863, the post was re-garrisoned by companies B and I of the 4th California Infantry and was assigned to protect the travelers along the Mohave and Prescott

Prescott, Arizona

Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....

road and successfully cultivated friendly relations with the Mojave Indians. These volunteer Soldiers took up prospecting when given a pass and established mining claims in the area and did not want to leave, returning after being mustered out after the end of the Civil War.

Camp Mohave was again garrisoned by regular Army troops until September 29, 1890 when the War Department

United States Department of War

The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...

turned it over to the Indian Service by order of President Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...

. It was given up by the Indian service in 1935 and is now part of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation

Fort Mojave Indian Reservation

The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation along the Colorado River, currently encompassing 23,669 acres in Arizona, 12,633 acres in California, and 5,582 acres in Nevada. The reservation was originally established in 1870 and is now home to approximately 1,100 members of the...

History

See also