Fort Harney

Fort Harney
Harney County, Oregon, United States
Camp Harney in 1872
Coordinates	43°40′03″N 118°48′28″W / 43.66750°N 118.80778°W / 43.66750; -118.80778Coordinates: 43°40′03″N 118°48′28″W / 43.66750°N 118.80778°W / 43.66750; -118.80778
Type	Military cantonments
Site information
Owner	Private property
Site history
Built	1867
Built by	United States Army
In use	1867–1880

Fort Harney was a United States Army outpost in eastern Oregon in the United States. It was named in honor of Brigadier General William S. Harney. Fort Harney was used as a supply depot and administrative headquarters from 1867 to 1880 during the Army's campaign against Northern Paiute bands in Eastern Oregon and the Bannock uprising in the same area. Today, nothing remains of Fort Harney except a small cemetery.

In 1864, the Army had begun using a site along Rattlesnake Creek, in what is now Harney County, Oregon, for temporary supply drops. The site was unofficially known as Rattlesnake Camp. As civilian wagon trains passing through eastern Oregon increased and the number of miners in the area grew, the demand for protection from Native American raiding parties required the Army to establish a number of permanent outposts in eastern Oregon. Rattlesnake Creek was located near the center of eastern Oregon, making it an ideal place for a military supply depot and administrative headquarters. The Army established a permanent outpost near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek on 16 August 1867.

The post was originally called Camp Steele. However, Major General Henry W. Halleck, commander of the Military Department of the Pacific at the time, disapproved the Camp Steele name and suggested the camp be named in honor of Brigadier General William S. Harney who commanded the Army's Department of Oregon in 1858 and 1859. Based on General Halleck's recommendation, the post was officially designated Camp Harney on 14 September 1867. The first unit to man Camp Harney was Company K of the 23rd Infantry Regiment.

In 1867 and 1868, General George Crook led companies from the 1st Cavalry Regiment and 8th Cavalry Regiment, mounted infantry from the 9th Infantry Regiment and 23rd Infantry Regiment, and Indian scouts from the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes in a successful campaign against Northern Paiute bands in eastern Oregon and northern California. This was part of the conflict known as the Snake War. Camp Harney was one of the outposts used to resupply Crook's troops during the campaign.