Deseret News | Fort Douglas has been a survivor throughout its history

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Fort Douglas has been a survivor throughout its history

the U is | 9:07 a.m. May 11, 2009

YUCK!!

MJH79 | 9:25 a.m. May 11, 2009

What a beautiful little Army Base! Participated in a lot of training there in the 70's. Hope it doesn't get overrun by the U. or any other group.

Cache Valley Roots | 9:52 a.m. May 11, 2009

The "Battle of Bear River" is more appropriately called the "Bear River Massacre". While the Native American men were hunting, Connor's troops killed the women, children, and old folks in the camp. The local Mormon settlers helped the Indians after the Massacre. Not to say Mormon-Indain relationships were perfect, but the soldiers that killed the Indians wanted to do the same to the Mormons.

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Daughter of Solider | 9:54 a.m. May 11, 2009

My father was stationed out of Fort Douglas. I remember going up there, playing in the building, the Easter activites, Family Day and most importantly the day my dad left for Deseret Storm. He is not in the Army anymore, but we drive up there and remember the good and bad times we had there. I hope no more of the base is sold off and it is lost for good.

Cache Valley too | 12:06 p.m. May 11, 2009

Bear River Massacre: Having grown up in the area, I would dispute the idea that the men were away hunting. Brigham Madsen, who wrote the most accepted history of the event makes it clear the Indians were well-prepared with rifle pits and willow fortifications. Many soldiers were killed and wounded and except for a flanking movement by the troops, might have lost many more. True, women, children and even babies were killed. Some on both sides froze to death. Check out the graves at Fort Douglas Cemetery.

Fort Douglass | 12:09 p.m. May 11, 2009

In 1959 I was 17 yrs old and join the army in Ogden.

I was then taken by my recruiter to Ft Douglass to spend the night prior to getting on the train to go to basic training at Fort Ord in Calif. They put me on a WWII folding cot in the gym, I was the only one in there - What memories.

After basic I was sent to Germany - I was there when the WALL was built. We thought that WWIII was starting.

I was raised in Cache Vally and remember stories about the Battle or Massacre at Bear River. How some of the indians went into the river and hid in the bull-rushes under the water. Not a great day for the US military.

Guns aimed @ City? | 12:28 p.m. May 11, 2009

Wasn't Fort Douglas the only for in the US that have had their guns aimed at the city they were in?

MJH79 | 1:19 p.m. May 11, 2009

It certainly had a dubious beginning and reason for existence. It is hard to imagine looking at it now.

Cache Valley Roots | 2:49 p.m. May 11, 2009

250 dead Native Americans 14 Soldiers. That usually indicates a fair fight... The soldiers were probably killed by friendly fire.

From Madsen: "Approximately 250 Shoshoni were slain, including 90 women and children. After the slaughter ended, some of the undisciplined soldiers went through the Indian village raping women and using axes to bash in the heads of women and children who were already dying of wounds. Chief Bear Hunter was killed along with sub-chief, Lehi. The troops burned the seventy-five Indian lodges, recovered 1,000 bushels of wheat and flour, and appropriated 175 Shoshoni horses. While the troops cared for their wounded and took their dead back to Camp Douglas for burial, the Indians' bodies were left on the field for the wolves and crows."

Not a proud moment for the military or Cache Valley

Digbads | 6:30 p.m. May 11, 2009

I look at Fort Douglas as a symbol of government repression. I'd like to see it razed and replaced by anything else.

John | 8:46 p.m. May 11, 2009

The reporter did a great job summarizing the history of Fort Douglas and selecting a nice sample of photos to go with it.

Probably the best overview of the Fort's history I have ever seen.

I worked at the fort in the 1980s and this is far more than I ever knew while I worked there.

Thanks!

Matthew | 7:56 a.m. May 12, 2009

Question: Which is it 2560 or 10,525 original acres? The article says one and the photo caption says the other. My guess, from the aerial photo, is that 2560 acres (4 square miles) is the correct number. 10,525 acres would be 16 square miles or "4 miles square" which is likely the source of confusion.

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