Camp Lapwai facts for kids
Camp Lapwai was a military camp for the United States Army. It was located in what was then Washington Territory, which is now the state of Idaho. This camp was set up by a group of soldiers called Company E. They were part of the 1st Regiment Washington Territory Volunteer Infantry.
These soldiers first gathered at Alcatraz near San Francisco, California. On October 19, 1862, they were sent to build Camp Lapwai. It was built close to the Nez Perce Agency. This agency was a place where the U.S. government worked with the Nez Perce people, a Native American tribe.
In early November 1862, another group of soldiers joined them. This was Company "F" from the 1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Together, these two companies built the camp. In 1863, Camp Lapwai was given a new name: Fort Lapwai. The year 1863 was also when the new Idaho Territory was officially created.
Who Stayed at Camp Lapwai?
A "garrison" is a group of soldiers who are stationed at a fort or camp to defend it. Here are the military units that were stationed at Camp Lapwai and later Fort Lapwai:
- Company E, 1st Regiment Washington Territory Volunteer Infantry: October 1862 to June 1864.
- Company "F", 1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry Regiment: November 1862 to May 1865.
