Camp Connor (Soda Springs, Idaho)
Soda Springs · Idaho · Civil War
History & Significance
Camp Connor emerged from a strategic directive by President Lincoln to protect westbound commerce during the Civil War. Brigadier General Patrick Edward Connor, commanding the District of Utah, Department of the Pacific, ordered the post's construction to safeguard traffic along the Oregon Trail in response to gold-rush activity in Idaho Territory.
Captain David Black of the 3rd California Volunteer Infantry oversaw the establishment of this one-square-mile post on the Bear River's north bank west of present-day Soda Springs. The camp served a dual purpose: military protection and civilian settlement.
Connor brought approximately 160 settlers—primarily fifty-three Morrisite families (Mormon dissenters) and additional civilians—who founded the adjacent town of Soda Springs, which briefly served as Oneida County's seat from 1864–1866. The garrison maintained roughly 300 soldiers throughout its operational span.
Connor's broader military mission in the region included the controversial Bear River Massacre of January 1863, an attack on Northwestern Shoshone that preceded the camp's founding. Camp Connor remained active until February 1865, when orders to abandon it were issued; troops departed the following April.
Key Facts
Map
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Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Connor
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=105972
- https://history.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/0226.pdf
- https://bearriverheritage.com/item/camp-connor-site/
- https://historyhub.history.gov/thread/14498