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Camp Lincoln (also known as Long's Camp, Fort Long, Lincoln's Fort, or Fort Lincoln), in Crescent City, California, was a United States military post. It was established June 13, 1862 by the men of Company G, 2nd Regiment, Infantry, California Volunteers, to keep peace between the Tolowa Indians and the miners and settlers of northwestern California. When the California Gold Rush began, people from all over the country ran to Gold Country to try to make their fortunes. Likewise in northwestern California, many men headed that way, leaving their wives, children, and homes. The Tolowa were being forcibly resettled in the region and were beginning to take their vengeance on those who stayed behind. Settlers petitioned the Army for protection, but their pleas were not well received by the Department of the Pacific, whose troops were already stretched thin from protecting stagecoach travelers. However, the petitioners eventually got their wish and Fort Ter-Waw was established. After that was destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862, the troops were moved to Camp Lincoln. In September 1862, the camp was moved six miles (10 km) north of the city to a more neutral position further away from the settlers. During construction of the new location, tensions between the whites and the Indians rose even further. Many of the whites wanted the government to evict the Indians, but the government did no such action and they began to take matters into their own hands. Settlers burned crops and harassed the Tolowa, who were told to get out or be killed. Approximately 500 Indians decided to leave and the remaining 1,500 stayed only because the Army promised to keep the peace. Although no truce was reached, after the Civil War, the Army could not afford to staff many small posts and the camp was abandoned in June 1869 and closed for good in May 1870. Commanding officer's quarters and one barracks remained when the site was declared California Historical Landmark #545 in 1962.〔( Historic California Posts: Camp Lincoln (Long's Camp, Fort Long, Lincoln's Fort, Fort Lincoln) )〕 ==Camp Lincoln wasn't the originally intended location== Historical evidence suggests that the original intention of the Bureau of Indian Affairs was to have the Settlers defended from a location other than Camp Lincoln. It appears that GEO. M. HANSON, Superintendent Indian Affairs had another spot in mind. He wrote a letter on July 2, 1862 to Brig. Gen. George Wright requesting that troops be sent to defend the settlers at Crescent City. However, in his letter he mentions a parcel of land loosely known as Fort Dick (later referred to as Russell's Prairie) to be an adequate site to defend the settlers. This letter caused First Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster W.F. Swasey to be sent a very long distance to evaluate the site of Fort Dick. In his letter, he too recommends it as a good spot. It's not until a third letter arrives from Major James F. Curtis, that he indicates that Camp Lincoln is far superior of a choice and that his inspection of the "Russell place" (Fort Dick) found that it was subject to flooding. That sealed the deal and Camp Lincoln won out over Fort Dick. All three letters were published by the United States Department of War in 1897, but digitized by the University of Virginia in 2008. The letters appear in Volume L of the multi volume series ("The War of the Rebellion" ).
The second letter written regarding the topic of the site of a fort to protect the settlers came a mere 7 days later. On July 9, 1862. W. F. SWASEY, First Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster (Second Infantry California Volunteers) sent a very lengthy letter to Col. F. J. Lippitt at the Headquarters of the District Of Humboldt recommending that the site be that of Fort Dick, CA. Although, not an official US Military Outpost, it was being used by local settlers to defend themselves from the attacks they faced by the Tolowa and Yurok tribes. In his letter, Lieutenant W.F. Swasey goes into great detail about the site and its alternate names, including that of "Russell's Prairie". This name is briefly mentioned in yet a third letter that actually confirms the selection of Camp Lincoln as the site for the permanent military presence to defend the settlers. On September 15, 1862, a letter was sent to Lieut. Col. R. C. Drum. The letter was sent by JAMES F. CURTIS, Major Second Infantry California Volunteers, Commanding Camp Lincoln, Humboldt Military District. In his letter he describes many things. One thing that is very easy to look over is a mere sentence near the end of the letter where he describes why he selected Camp Lincoln over Fort Dick (Russell's Prairie).
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