Fort Wright (California) facts for kids
Fort Wright was an Army post, which is like a military base, located in a place called Round Valley in Mendocino County. It was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of where the town of Covelo, California is today.
The main job of the soldiers at Fort Wright was to protect the Native American people of the Round Valley Indian Reservation. They needed protection from white settlers who were moving into the area. These settlers sometimes caused problems, like stealing land or attacking the Native Americans. Before Fort Wright was built, other soldiers had been in Round Valley since 1858, but they left in late 1861.
On October 28, 1862, a group of soldiers from Company F, 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Infantry, were ordered to go to Round Valley. They traveled from Fort Gaston, then by ship to Fort Bragg, and finally arrived in Round Valley on December 11, 1862.
About Fort Wright
Fort Wright was an important military post during a time of change in California. It was set up to help keep peace and protect the Native American communities in the Round Valley area. The soldiers stationed there played a role in the local history of Mendocino County.
Who Was in Charge?
The main leader at Fort Wright was a person called a Captain.
- Captain Charles D. Douglas: He was from the Second California Infantry. He was in charge of Fort Wright from December 11, 1862, until June 1865.
Soldiers at the Fort
Different groups of soldiers, called companies, were stationed at Fort Wright during its operation.
- Company F, 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Infantry: These soldiers were at Fort Wright from December 11, 1862, to June 1865.
- Company A, 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry, California Volunteers: This group of soldiers was at the fort from November 1864 to February 1865.
What Happened at Fort Wright?
The soldiers at Fort Wright were involved in some activities to maintain order and protect the reservation.
- April 7–11, 1863: Soldiers from Fort Wright went on an expedition to Williams' Valley, California. During this trip, they had a small fight on April 9th in Williams' Valley.
- July 20–26, 1863: There were also other operations carried out by the soldiers in Round Valley itself during this time.
