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Department of the Platte

Coordinates: 42°N 104°W / 42°N 104°W / 42; -104
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Department of the Platte
The Department of the Platte as it existed beginning June 22, 1875.
Active1866–1898
CountryUnited States
BranchArmy
Typeadministrative district
Part ofDivision of the Missouri
HeadquartersOmaha, Nebraska
Fort Omaha
Commanders
Notable
commanders
George Crook
Oliver O. Howard

The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho. With headquarters in Omaha, the district commander oversaw the army's role initially along the Overland route (or Oregon Trail) to Salt Lake City, then later the construction route of the Union Pacific Railroad. The district also included the Montana road (or Bozeman Trail) through eastern Wyoming. The district was discontinued when the Army's command was reorganized in 1898.

Headquarters

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The Headquarters of the Department of the Platte was located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska for many years. When the headquarters was transferred to Fort Omaha in 1878, the building it was located in was found unsuitable, and the headquarters were again transferred downtown.[1]

Department commanders

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Camps, forts and posts

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Idaho Territory and Idaho

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Nebraska Territory and Nebraska

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Utah Territory and Utah

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Wyoming Territory and Wyoming

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(Wyoming Territory was transferred from the Department of Dakota on July 25, 1868)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mattes, M.J. (1998) Indians, Infants, and Infantry: Andrew and Elizabeth Burt on the Frontier. University of Nebraska Press. p. 298.

42°N 104°W / 42°N 104°W / 42; -104