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The 1st Regiment of Washington Territory Volunteer Infantry (or 1st Washington Territory Volunteers) was a unit of infantry raised by the Washington Territory for service in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Under Colonel Justus Steinberger, organization for a three-year regiment began on 19 October 1861, with recruiting taking place within the territory as well as California. Company A, B, C and D were organized at Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California, January to April, 1862. By May 1862, four companies had been mustered, with 17 officers and 317 men.Adj Gen Rept, Schedule A Ten companies would eventually be raised, being mustered in from the end of March until December 1862. The majority of the volunteers would muster in at Alcatraz Island (Co A-E, G, and H), two others at Fort Vancouver (Co F and I) and one at Fort Steilacoom, Washington (Co K). The headquarters for the regiment was first at Fort Vancouver, and by July 1862 moved to Fort Walla Walla.
The companies, and/or detachments thereof, were stationed throughout the territories of Washington and Idaho, and in Oregon. They were used for the protection of miners and settlers, emigrant parties and other travellers along the roads from the east, and participated with the
Organized 21 March 1862, they were stationed at Fort Walla Walla. Originally being recruited for a two-year term, some of the men were leaving or reenlisting in early 1864. Once replaced by a company of the 1st Oregon Infantry, they left to be mustered out around February 1865. Company B
Organized 1 April 1862, they were stationed at
/ref> They remained here until receiving orders for their return to Fort Vancouver for discharge in the spring of 1865. Company C
Organized 7 April 1862 and sent to Fort Colville for their term of service. They were mustered out at Fort Vancouver in April 1865. Company D
Organized 12 April 1862, they were stationed at
/ref> where they remained stationed during their service. Company E
Mustered in at Alcatraz, they were ordered on 19 October 1862 to Camp Lapwai (would fall within the bounds of the Idaho Territory when created the following March), near the Nez Perce Agency.District of Oregon, Special Order No 76
/ref> Here, they were to build their encampment in what became
Mustered at Fort Vancouver, the company was stationed at Fort Dalles, Oregon in 1863 and 1864. The majority of the troops were mustered out in July 1865. Company G
One of the three Washington companies encamped at Fort Boise, Idaho Territory in March 1863, previously being at Fort Steilacoom. Company H
Mustered at Alcatraz, they first encamped at Fort Walla Walla. On 25 May 1864, they transferred to Fort Vancouver. On 22 July 1865, they would be consolidated with Company E. Company I
Encamped at Ft Vancouver in December 1862, it transferred to Fort Boise in March 1863. With Company H, the 1st Oregon Cavalry and Nez Perce Scouts, they made an expedition to
Mustered in at Fort Steilacoom, where they were stationed during their enlistment.
Service
Under Colonel Justus Steinberger, organization for a three-year regiment began on 19 October 1861, with recruiting taking place within the territory as well as California. Company A, B, C and D were organized at Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California, January to April, 1862. By May 1862, four companies had been mustered, with 17 officers and 317 men.Adj Gen Rept, Schedule A Ten companies would eventually be raised, being mustered in from the end of March until December 1862. The majority of the volunteers would muster in at Alcatraz Island (Co A-E, G, and H), two others at Fort Vancouver (Co F and I) and one at Fort Steilacoom, Washington (Co K). The headquarters for the regiment was first at Fort Vancouver, and by July 1862 moved to Fort Walla Walla.
The companies, and/or detachments thereof, were stationed throughout the territories of Washington and Idaho, and in Oregon. They were used for the protection of miners and settlers, emigrant parties and other travellers along the roads from the east, and participated with the 1st Oregon Cavalry
The First Regiment Oregon volunteer Cavalry was a volunteer regiment in United States service Union army that was formed in response to the American Civil War. With men recruited in Oregon and some recruited in surrounding states, the regiment p ...
in expeditions against Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions:
* Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming
* Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho
* Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah
* Goshute: western Utah, easter ...
, Snake, and other hostile Indian groups. They were also used to protect the Nez Perce, an ally of the United States, against those encroaching on their lands.
When the three years terms of service had expired for the earlier formed companies and the men were mustered out, the remaining three companies (Co E, H, and I) became the 1st Battalion on 7 March 1865. Co H would be consolidated with Co E in July, and was the last of the former Washington regiment to muster out of service in December.
As the companies were detached and participated in individual operations, their service records are best if listed separately:
Company AOrganized 21 March 1862, they were stationed at Fort Walla Walla. Originally being recruited for a two-year term, some of the men were leaving or reenlisting in early 1864. Once replaced by a company of the 1st Oregon Infantry, they left to be mustered out around February 1865. Company B
Organized 1 April 1862, they were stationed at
Fort Colville
Fort Colville was a United States Army, U.S. Army post in the Washington Territory located north of current Colville, Washington. During its existence from 1859 to 1882, it was called "Harney's Depot" and "Colville Depot" during the first two y ...
until 25 May 1864, when ordered to Fort Walla Walla.Dist of Oregon, Special Order No 75/ref> They remained here until receiving orders for their return to Fort Vancouver for discharge in the spring of 1865. Company C
Organized 7 April 1862 and sent to Fort Colville for their term of service. They were mustered out at Fort Vancouver in April 1865. Company D
Organized 12 April 1862, they were stationed at
Fort Hoskins
Fort Hoskins was one of three "forts" (which were actually unfortified posts) built by the U.S. Army to monitor the Coastal Indian Reservation in Oregon Territory (later the U.S. State of Oregon) in the mid- 19th century. The Fort Hoskins Site is ...
in Oregon by December 1862. Orders in March 1863 sent them to Fort Boise in Idaho Territory,Brig-Gen Alvord orders, 17 March 1863/ref> where they remained stationed during their service. Company E
Mustered in at Alcatraz, they were ordered on 19 October 1862 to Camp Lapwai (would fall within the bounds of the Idaho Territory when created the following March), near the Nez Perce Agency.
/ref> Here, they were to build their encampment in what became
Fort Lapwai
Fort Lapwai (1862–1884), was a Federal government of the United States, federal Fortification#North America, fort in present-day Lapwai, Idaho, Lapwai in North Central Idaho, north central Idaho, United States. On the Nez Perce people#Nez P ...
. By June 1864, they would be stationed at Fort Vancouver. Co H would be consolidated with them in July 1865, and they would be the last of the Washington Territory volunteers to be mustered out, doing so on 11 Dec 1865.
Company FMustered at Fort Vancouver, the company was stationed at Fort Dalles, Oregon in 1863 and 1864. The majority of the troops were mustered out in July 1865. Company G
One of the three Washington companies encamped at Fort Boise, Idaho Territory in March 1863, previously being at Fort Steilacoom. Company H
Mustered at Alcatraz, they first encamped at Fort Walla Walla. On 25 May 1864, they transferred to Fort Vancouver. On 22 July 1865, they would be consolidated with Company E. Company I
Encamped at Ft Vancouver in December 1862, it transferred to Fort Boise in March 1863. With Company H, the 1st Oregon Cavalry and Nez Perce Scouts, they made an expedition to
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...
in early June, 1863 to clear the area of the Snake Indians, who had been attacking travellers here for several years. As a band of emigrants, and their US Army escort, were due to pass through the Emigrant Road in August, additional troops were called on for protection. The pass safely made, Company I returned to Fort Boise, where it remained until its mustering out on 20 November 1865.
Company KMustered in at Fort Steilacoom, where they were stationed during their enlistment.
See also
*Washington in the American Civil War
The role of Washington Territory in the American Civil War is atypical, as the territory was the most remote from the main battlefields of the conflict. The territory raised a small number of volunteers for the Union Army, who did not fight agai ...
*List of Washington Territory Civil War units
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*Idaho in the American Civil War
The history of Idaho in the American Civil War is atypical, as the territory was far from the battlefields.
At the start of the Civil War, modern-day Idaho was part of the Washington Territory. On March 3, 1863, the Idaho Territory was formed, ...
*Oregon in the American Civil War
At the outbreak of the American Civil War Oregon also raised the 1st Oregon Cavalry that was activated in 1862 and served until June 1865. During the Civil War, emigrants to the newfound gold fields in Idaho and Oregon continued to clash with ...
* Lists of American Civil War Regiments by State
References
* *Adj. Gen (1893). ''Biennal Report of Adjutant General of State of Washington For the Years 1891-1892''. Olympia, WA: O C White, State Printer. *Notes
{{reflistExternal links
*http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unwatr.htm *https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/1st_Regiment,_Washington_Infantry_(Union) *http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/513 Units and formations of the Union Army from Washington Territory 1861 establishments in Washington Territory Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865