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TIMELINE derived from Cavalry & Coaches: The Story of Camp and Fort Collins Completed by Jenny Hannifin, January 2014 The Setting (pages 10-12) 1820s Santa Fe Trail moves through the area. (as early as Feb 1826) William H. Ashley camps with his brigade of free trappers at the foot of the Laramie Hills, making a trappers’ cache of extra gunpowder. 1840s Emigrant highway to Oregon and California ascends the Platte, North Platte and Sweetwater Rivers to cross the Continental Divide. 1849 Party of Cherokee traverse across southern Wyoming to Green River; the route doesn’t have a name, and was briefly called Evans’ Road, but the name that stuck was Cherokee Trail (all foothills to Poudre gateway, up to Laramie Plains, westward beyond Green River). Jul 1858 Prospectors strike gold near junction of Cherry Creek and South Platte (where Denver quickly sprouted). Apr 1859 French traders (with Indian families) establish settlement on the Poudre, first called Colona. Oct 6 1860 The town site of Colona is reorganized under the name Laporte, meaning “the gate.” Feb 1861 Congress passes enabling act for Territory of Colorado. Dec 2 1861 First slate of county officials is elected by voters. Spring 1862 Goldrush in present-day Idaho; Cherokee Trail was shortest route to there from Denver. (during Civil War) Stage line service reroutes to a safer route – the Cherokee Trail – due to Indians wreaking havoc along original route. Jul 1862 Army established two new posts to guard along this new route: Fort Halleck (at the foot of Elk Mountain) and Camp Collins, on the north bank of the Poudre at Laporte. 1864 Violent plains war breaks out. Camp Collins provides protection to settlers. Jun 1864 Flooding occurs on Poudre Canyon, washing away Camp Collins. A more substantial post is erected four miles downstream, now calling itself “Fort” Collins. Sep 1866 Last garrison of Fort Collins evacuates the post (as railroad lines advanced. and stage lines shrunk). 1868 Fort Collins becomes the seat of Larimer County. 9th Kansas Cavalry Establishes Camp Collins Mar 21 1862 Ben Holladay, western business tycoon, buys the Express Company of Russell, Majors and Waddell, the “Central Overland California and Pike’s Peak.” (13) Mar 1 – Apr 10 1862 Sioux raid the line, from the North Platte Bridge (present-day Casper, Wyoming) to the Green River. Agents appeal for assistance. (13-14) (until Jun 1862) Mail stoppages occur, due to Sioux threat. (14) May 30 1862 Lt. Col. William O. Collins, commander of 6th Ohio Cav., arrives in Fort Laramie, providing protection. (15) Jul 8 1862 Holladay prepares for the line to move to the Cherokee Trail; he directs the main line up South Platte from Julesberg to mouth of Cache la Poudre. (15) 1 Jul 15 1862 Special Order No. 19 directs Asaph Allen’s company, the 9th Kan. Cav., to protect the new mail route. (16) Jul 22 1862 Founding date of Camp Collins: the escort, including Capt. Allen, 1 Lt. Robert Madden, and 2 Lt. Henry Bradley, arrive after a five-day journey, with 64 enlisted men. Co. B, 9th Kan. Cav., garrisons the new post at Laporte for the first 3.5 months, under the command of 1 Lt. Robert Madden (who was, thus, the first post commander). (16-17) Sep 8 1862 “Camp Collins” is used as an address for the first time, in a letter from Capt. Frank Eno to Lt. Madden. (17) Nov 1 1862 A garrison leaves Camp Collins for Fort Halleck (18), and Capt. Hardy’s company of Colorado Volunteers take over duties at Camp Collins. (19) 1st Colorado Cavalry Takes Over (by Sep 1861) Gov. William Gilpin raises volunteer troops in Colorado (one mounted and nine infantry companies), plus four Independent Cavalry Companies, known by the name of their captains: James H. Ford, Theodore H. Dodd, William L. Backus, and John Sexton (or Saxton). (20). Apr 25 1862 Backus’ and Sexton’s outfits leave Camp Weld for New Mexico; these two units were scheduled to become Co.’s C and D, 2nd Colo. (20) May 30 1862 Sexton resigns. (21) May 31 1862 1 Lt Hardy is promoted to Captain of Co. D. (21) Sep 25 1862 Special Order No. 20, Fort Lyon, directs Capt. Hardy to take command of Camp Collins. (21) Oct 15 1862 Stage employees Joseph Slade, Hiram Kelly, Naylor Thompson and Robert Scott assault George R. Sanderson, a squatter who was maintaining a grog shop (22). Slade is released from jail, but discharged and replaced as division agent (Denver to North Platte) by Lem Flowers. (23) Oct 23 1862 First newspaper use of the name “Camp Collins” in Denver Commonwealth. (22) Jun 1863 Slade moves permanently to Montana with his wife Maria Virginia. (23) Oct 1864 Robert J. Spotswood takes over as division agent of Denver to North Platte. (23) Friction, Fortification, and False Alarms Before 1860 Joe Knight, a Canadian, moves down from North Platte to run the major store in the Poudre settlement. (28) Nov 2 1863 Gen. Samuel R. Curtis assigns Col. Chivington to command a new District of Colorado, including Camp Collins. (24) Nov 14 1863 Chivington’s Special Order No. 2 directs Capt. Hardy to leave Camp Collins. Dec 8 1863 Chivington’s S.O. No. 24 sends Capt. Joseph S. Maynard to replace Capt. Hardy in command of Camp Collins, with the changeover effected on Dec 17; S.O. No. 42 sends Hardy back to Camp Collins to muster for pay Lt. Maynard’s platoon. (25) Feb 19 1863(?) First Indian trouble on Holladay’s route (near Fort Halleck); tribal conflict between Utes and Arapahoes. (28) April-May 1863 Capt. Logan (Co. B, 1st Colo. Cav., stationed in Denver) establishes a new post, Camp Curtis, at the mouth of the Poudre, protecting the stage line east of Latham. (29) Apr 23 1863 First death at Camp Collins: Surgeon Edgerton Perry, of “black tongue.” (29) 2 Apr 6 – Jul 7 1863 Larimer Co. Deed Book A records twelve instruments bearing the names of twelve different enlisted men of Co. M. (29) May 5 1863 Gen. Craig resigns from District of Nebraska, succeeded by Gen. Thomas J. McKean. (30) May 24 1863 Gen. John M. Schofield replaces Gen. Curtis, Dept of the Missouri. (30) Nov 17 1865 Antoine Janis makes first squatter claim of 160 acres. The Cherokee Trail is now routinely called the Overland Trail Drive. (27) Rescue of Ute Susan Jun 15 1863 Gov. Evans learns that a large party of Arapahoe under Chiefs Friday and Many Whips have returned to the Poudre. (31) Jun 18 1863 The News announces an Indian attack on Fort Halleck. (32) Jun 24 1863 Delegation of Arapahoe (including Friday) hold friendly council with the governor. (31) Jun 19 1863 Capt. Hardy finds an Arapahoe camp near the mouth of the Poudre, from which he rescues Susan (a young Ute girl “in unhappy captivity”). (31) According to the reminiscences of J. Nelson Holloway, Susan was tied up to be burned at the stake. (33) Oct 20 1863 Official report of Simeon Whiteley, the newly appointed agent to the Ute bands, reiterates the same story (though other accounts question the “burning at the stake” embellishment). (34) Susan was later reunited with her people near Spanish Fork, south of Provo, Utah; she was to become the wife of Chief Johnson. (34) Jul 11 1863 Gov. Evans instructs Agent Whiteley to make first contact with the Ute bands in Middle Park. (34) 1879 In conflict between Susan’s Ute people and their agent, Nathan S. Meeker, the Utes kill Meeker and kidnap his wife and daughter (and another white woman). Susan’s influence helps effect their release. (35) Wynkoop Indian Expedition Jun 18 1863 Via Special Order No.116, Chivington begins mobilizing troops for the largest Indian expedition mounted from Colorado. Capt. Hardy’s Co. M “would play host to the others at Camp Collins,” which was selected as the staging base. (36) Good details of the supply preparations for the Indian Wars on p. 37. Jun 29 1863 Via Special Order No.1211, Chivington assigns Maj. Edward W. Wynkoop to command the Indian expedition, with 1 Lt. Luther Wilson serving. At that time, Capt. Hardy commanded Camp Collins with 2 Lt. Quimby and 83 men of Co. M. (37-8) Jul 7 1863 Troops and supply wagons under Wynkoop’s command depart from Camp Collins (five cavalry companies). (38) Jul 8 1863 The column receives Chivington’s S. O. No. 125 of July 6, ordering them to return to Camp Collins, peace having been established with the Utes. Wynkoop heads for Denver. (38) Jul 10 1863 Wynkoop receives a letter saying the expedition is reactivated. (38) Jul 12 1863 Wynkoop heads for Camp Collins with 2 Lt. Frank Murrell (Co. B) and 1 Lt. Eli Dickerson. (40) (probably Jul 14 1863) Wynkoop leads Co.’s A, G, I and M up the Cherokee Trail (leaving Co. B to garrison Camp Collins). (40) 3 (around Jul 21 1863) Rocky Bear, four other Sioux, and four frontiersmen join the expedition as volunteer scouts (including Jose Merivale, William A. Comstock (the grandnephew of James Fenimore Cooper), Michel Duval, and a man named West). (40) Jul 24 1863 Chivington joins, and assumes command of, the expedition. (41) The details of their journey are outlined on pp 40-41. Aug 12 1863 After travelling about 630 miles, the expedition reaches Denver. They have completed “a bold and determined chase after the Utes over formidable and unknown country.” (42) Lt. Hawkins and Company B Man Camp Collins (at least 1864) John E. Wild continues to serve in the sutler post.