Humboldt Military District
Encyclopedia
During the American Civil War
, Army reorganization created the Department of the Pacific
on January 15, 1861. On December 12, 1861, the District of Humboldt was created, consisting of the counties of Sonoma
, Napa
, Mendocino
, Trinity
, Humboldt
, Klamath
, and Del Norte
in Northern California
. The district was headquartered at Fort Humboldt, which is now a California State Historic Park located within the City of Eureka, California
. The Districts efforts were directed at prosecuting the ongoing Bald Hills War
against the Indians in those counties. A peace was achieved in August 1864.
On July 27, 1865, the Military Division of the Pacific
was created, consisting of the Department of California
and Department of the Columbia
. Humboldt District was absorbed by the Department of California.
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...
, Army reorganization created the Department of the Pacific
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...
on January 15, 1861. On December 12, 1861, the District of Humboldt was created, consisting of the counties of Sonoma
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, Napa
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
, Mendocino
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, Trinity
Trinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
, Humboldt
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
, Klamath
Klamath County, California
Klamath County was a county of California from 1851 to 1874. During its existence, the county seat moved twice and several counties were carved from its territory...
, and Del Norte
Del Norte County, California
Del Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California on the Pacific adjacent to the Oregon border. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 28,610. The county seat is Crescent City, the county's only incorporated city. Del Norte is the abbreviated...
in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. The district was headquartered at Fort Humboldt, which is now a California State Historic Park located within the City of Eureka, California
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
. The Districts efforts were directed at prosecuting the ongoing Bald Hills War
Bald Hills War
Bald Hills War was a war fought by the forces of the California Militia, California Volunteers and soldiers of the U. S. Army against the Chilula, Lassik, Hupa, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Tsnungwe, Wailaki, Whilkut and Wiyot Native American peoples.The war was fought within the boundaries of the...
against the Indians in those counties. A peace was achieved in August 1864.
Commanders
- Colonel Francis J. LippittFrancis J. LippittFrancis J. Lippitt, a lawyer and veteran of the Mexican American War and Colonel and Brigadier General in the American Civil War.-Early Life:He was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1812...
, January 9, 1862 - July 13, 1863. - Lieutenant Colonel Stephen G. WhippleStephen Girard WhippleStephen Girard Whipple , usually known as Stephen G. Whipple, was a 49er, newspaper editor, politician, and a Union officer commanding a Battalion of Mountaineers and the Humboldt Military District in the Bald Hills War against the Indians in northwest California, during the American Civil War. ...
, July 13, 1863 - February, 1864 - Colonel Henry M. BlackHenry M. BlackHenry M. Black was a United States Army officer who served as Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy.-Early career:...
February 8, 1864 - June 1864 - Lieutenant Colonel Stephen G. Whipple, June 1864 - July 27, 1865.
On July 27, 1865, the Military Division of the Pacific
Military Division of the Pacific
The Military Division of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was created under Major General Henry W...
was created, consisting of the Department of California
Department of California
The Department of California was one of two Army Departments created September 13, 1858, replacing the original Department of the Pacific and was composed of the territory of the United States lying west of the Rocky Mountains and south of Oregon and Washington territories, except the Rogue River...
and Department of the Columbia
Department of the Columbia
The Department of the Columbia was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:On July 27, 1865 the Military Division of the Pacific was created under Major General Henry W...
. Humboldt District was absorbed by the Department of California.
Posts of the Humboldt Military District
- Fort Humboldt, 1853–1867
- Fort BraggFort Bragg, CaliforniaFort Bragg is a city located in coastal Mendocino County, California along State Route 1, the major north-south highway along the Pacific Coast. Fort Bragg is located west of Willits, at an elevation of 85 feet...
, 1857-1864. - Fort Ter-Waw, 1857-1862
- Camp on Janes Farm, 1858–1862; Camp CurtisCamp CurtisCamp Curtis, California State Historic Landmark #215, was located about one mile north of Arcata, California, and served as the headquarters and garrison of the 1st Battalion California Volunteer Mountaineers from 1862 to 1865....
, 1862-1865 - Camp at Pardee's Ranch 1858-1865
- Fort GastonFort GastonFort Gaston was founded on December 4, 1859, in the redwood forests of the Hoopa Valley, in Northern California, on the west bank of the Trinity River, 14 miles from where the Trinity flows into the Klamath River. It was located in what is now the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation...
, 1859–1892 - Fort SewardFort Seward, CaliforniaFort Seward is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located on the Eel River north-northwest of Alderpoint, at an elevation of 328 feet ....
, 1861–1862 - Fort WrightFort Wright (California)Fort Wright, was an Army post located in the Round Valley of Mendocino County, about one and a half miles northwest of the present town of Covelo, California. The principal duty of the garrison was to protect the Round Valley Indian Reservation's Indians from the intrusions, thefts and attacks of...
, 1862–1875 - Camp Anderson, 1862, 1864
- Fort Baker, 1862-1863
- Camp Liscom Hill 1862
- Daley's Ferry PostDaley's Ferry PostDaley's Ferry Post was a California Volunteer post at the Daley's Ferry crossing of the Mad River nearly three miles from the town of Arcata in Humboldt County. It was established by the following order to Captain E. B...
1862 - Elk CampElk Camp, CaliforniaElk Camp was an American settlement between Redwood Creek and the Klamath River, fifteen miles northwest of Fort Anderson in modern Humboldt County, California. In May 1862, under threat of Indian raids on its cattle, the local settlers urgently requested military protection. A temporary post,...
1862 - Camp Lincoln, 1862–1869
- Camp LippettLippitt, CaliforniaLippitt or Camp Lippitt is a former settlement and military post in Humboldt County, California. It was located near the settlement of Bucksport. Camp Lippet was named for Col. Francis J. Lippitt of the 2nd California Infantry and was in use for two months, in 1862...
, 1862 - Camp Lyon, 1862
- Camp RedwoodCamp RedwoodCamp Redwood was established in 1862 as a midway point between the communities of Trinidad and Elk Camp in Humboldt County as a result of the bitter conflict between settlers and Indians in the Bald Hills War. Army regulars were posted at Camp Redwood to act as escorts for both supplies and...
, 1862 - Reed's Ranch Post, 1862, 1864
- Camp Olney, 1862
- Camp GrantCamp Grant, CaliforniaCamp Grant is a former settlement in Humboldt County, California. It was located on the south bank of the Eel River northeast of Weott.At the time of the American Civil War, during the Bald Hills War against the local indians, Camp Grant was established on the Eel River, 3 miles east of Dyerville,...
, 1863–1865 - Camp Iaqua, 1863–1866
- Gold Bluffs Post, near OrickOrick, CaliforniaOrick is a census-designated place situated on the banks of the Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, California. It is located north of Eureka, at an elevation of 26 feet . The ZIP Code is 95555...
, 1863-1864 - Trinidad CampTrinidad, CaliforniaTrinidad is a seaside city in Humboldt County, located on the Pacific Ocean north of the Arcata-Eureka Airport and north of the college town of Arcata...
, TrinidadTrinidad, CaliforniaTrinidad is a seaside city in Humboldt County, located on the Pacific Ocean north of the Arcata-Eureka Airport and north of the college town of Arcata...
, 1863 - Camp Gilmore, 1863-1864
- Camp at the Forks of the Salmon, 1864
- Camp at Martin's Ferry, 1864
- Camp Boynton Prairie, 1864
- Camp Burnt Ranch, 1864
- Camp MattoleCamp MattoleCamp Mattole, was a temporary post of a detachment of California Volunteer Mountaineers fighting the Bald Hills War, in early 1864.Camp Mattole was located 24 miles west of Weott, California in Humboldt County. The camp was established by 2nd Lieutenant William W...
, 1864
External links
- Historic Military Posts from the California State Military Museum.