Fort Wright (Round Valley, Mendocino County, California)
Round Valley, Mendocino County · California · Indian Wars
History & Significance
Troops were ordered to Round Valley on October 28, 1862, under Captain Charles D. Douglas commanding Company F, 2nd California Infantry. The post was named Fort Wright for General George Wright, commander of the Department of the Pacific.
One of the principal duties of the camp's troops was the protection of the area's Indians and their interests from the depredations of bigoted and thieving whites. Douglas investigated the causes of violence and suggested that the Indian Agency employees, who were the reservation authorities, were the source of the problems between the native Yuki and the settlers.
In July 1863, enslaved Yuki farm workers burned a settler's barn and hay; settlers claimed it was part of a plot to kill all of them in the valley. Investigating this, Douglas found it to be true.
The Yuki leader and three of his tribe, all enslaved, planned to work in concert with other enslaved farm laborers to kill as many whites as they could. The post achieved its protective mission despite Civil War-era resource constraints, maintaining order and sheltering Native survivors during a period of state-sponsored violence.
Key Facts
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Sources
- https://www.militarymuseum.org/FtWright.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wright_(California)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Valley_Indian_Tribes_of_the_Round_Valley_Reservation
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendocino_War
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nome_Cult_Trail
- https://familysearch.org/en/wiki/California_Military_Records