Wyoming Military Records

U.S. Military Records provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many of the federal military records are found at the National Archives, the Family History Library, and other federal and state archives. For Wyoming the following sources are also very helpful.

Forts
Fort Bonneville -- Fort Bonneville was never an official military post. It was established in 1832 as a trading post and rendevouz site for fur traders of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. It was located about three miles northwest of Daniel, Wyoming, where only a marker exists. The post was abandoned in 1839.

Fort Bridger -- Fort Bridger, located on Black's Fork, was established in 1842 by Jim Bridger. It was an important supply post for travelers on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail and the Mormon Trail. It's importance was basically terminated with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. It has been partially restored and preserved as an historic site.

Fort John Buford -- The original name of Fort Sanders.

Fort Caspar -- In use as a small military post only from 1861 to 1867, the present site is a reconstructed fort, built in 1936, based on drawings done in 1863 by Lt. Caspar Collins, who was stationed at the original fort. The reconstructed fort is operated by the City of Casper, Wyoming.

Fort Clay -- This fort was in use only during 1855 and 1856 and was located at the site of the present day Evansville, Wyoming, near Casper.

Fort Connor -- The original name of Fort Reno, it bore the name for only a few months in 1865.

Fort Fetterman-- Built in1867, Fort Fetterman was the last outpost on the Bozeman Trail. It was located 7 miles from Douglas, Wyoming. It played an important part in the Sioux uprising of 1876 and continued in service until 1886, when the railroad's completion to Douglas rendered it basically obsolete. The fort was partially restored in 1990 and now serves as a historic site.

Fort H.W. Halleck -- While this fort was active only during the years of 1862-1866, it was very busy. It was located on the north side of Elk Mountain, on a present-day ranch in Carbon County. Only one building remains, along with a marker identifying the location of the fort's cemetery.

Fort Phil Kearny -- This fort was one of three forts built to protect the Bozeman Trail from attacks by the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians in the 1860s. It was the scene of some of the bloodiest battles of that time. It was burned to the ground by Indians after it was abandoned in 1868. There is an interpretive center at the site near Story, Wyoming, administered by the State of Wyoming.

Fort Laramie -- Originally established as a private post in 1834, it was first named Fort William. It was reconstructed in 1841 and named Fort John. It was purchased by the U.S. Military in 1849 and became an important protector and outfitting post for the trails west. It is now a Nsational Historic Site administered by the National Parks Service.

Fort McKinney -- Originally called Cantonment Reno when it was founded in 1876, it was located on the Powder River. It was relocated to a site near Buffalo, Wyoming in 1878. It was prominent in keeping the peace between the early settlers and the Sioux and Cheyenne. It also played a partr in the Johnson County War of 1892. It was closed in 1894 and today is the site of the Wyoming Soldiers and Sailors Home. Three of its buildings still stand.

Fort Nonsense -- This mocking nick-name was applied by U.S. forts to Fort Bonneville.

Fort Reno -- Established in 1865 as Fort Connor, it was renamed later that year to Fort Reno. It was abandoned in 1868 and was burned to the ground, likely by Cheyenne Indians. It was visited and used by General Crook in 1876. The site is about 12 miles northeast of Sussex, Wyoming and is marked by several markers, although nothing is left of the fort itself.

Fort D.A. Russell -- This fort was established in 1867 at a site near present-day Cheyenne. It became the headquarters for the U.S. Cavalry. In 1919, an airfield was opened there and in 1930 the post was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren and is currently an Air Force base.

Fort Sanders -- established in 1866 to protect the Overland Trail. Its importance was diminished in 1868 with the completion of Fort D.A. Russell. The buildings were sold in 1882. All that remains is a marker just south of Laramie.

Fort Stambaugh -- Established in 1870 to protect miners going to the Wind River country, it was located near the present South Pass City in Wyoming, where only a marker commemorates its existence. It was abandoned in 1878.

Fort Fred Steele -- This fort was established in 1868 to provide protection for the Union Pacific Railroad. It was located about 1 mile north of present-day I-80 about 7 miles east of Sinclair, Wyoming at a site administered by the State of Wyoming. The fort was deactivated in 1886.

Fort Supply -- A Mormon outpost used to resupply emigrants coming to the Salt Lake Valley during the years of 1853-1857, it was located about ten miles south of Fort Bridger. Only a marked identifies the site today. It was burnied by the Mormons in 1857 in advance of Johnston's Army, coming to Utah during the "Mormon War."

Fort Francis E. Warren -- In 1930, what was then known as Fort David A. Russell was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren. It currently is an Air Force Base located just west of Cheyenne.

Fort Washakie -- Originally built in 1869 as Camp Brown to serve as a sub-post to Fort Bridger, it was officially renamed Fort Washakie in 1878. It served as a military post until 1909 and was transferred to the Wind River Indian Reservation in 1913. It is located about 17 miles northwest of Lander, Wyoming in U.S. Highway 287.

Fort Yellowstone -- The U.S. Army was assigned to Yellowstone Park in 1886 to protect it from poachers and vandals. The fort was built in 1891 to provide more permanent quarters and served in that capacity until 1918 when the newly formed National Park Service assumed responsibility for the park. The fort continues its service as the Park Headquarters.

Civil War (1861-1865)
The Family History Library and the National Archives have an index to some soldiers from Nebraska Territory (FHL films 821905-6). A special census was taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War (FHL film 338276). An index to the returns for Wyoming has been published (FHL book 978.7 X22j 1890).

Indian Wars
Enlistment registers are available for soldiers who served in the regular army from 1798 to 1914. Many of these soldiers served in the western states, including Wyoming, during the Indian wars. The enlistment registers provide the soldiers' rank, unit, commanders, physical description, occupation, and birthplace. The records are arranged by year and by the first letter of the surname (FHL films 350307—).

An index is available for soldiers who applied for pensions between 1892-1926, as a result of service in the Indian Wars which were fought between 1817 and 1898 (FHL films 821610-21). The pension records are only available at the National Archives.

Historical accounts of the forts and posts in Wyoming are in Robert A. Murray, Military Posts of Wyoming (Ft. Collins, Colorado: Old Army Press, 1974; FHL book 978.7 H2m).

Spanish-American War (1898)
A published roster of soldiers is in volume one of Ichabod S. Bartlett, Editor, History of Wyoming, Three Volumes. (Chicago, Illinois: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1918; FHL book 978.7 H2b; film 1000826 items 2-4).

World War I (1917-1918)
A published roster of Wyoming soldiers is in volume three of W. M. Haulsee, et al., Soldiers of the Great War, Three Volumes. (Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Association, 1920; FHL book 973 M23s; fiche 6051244). The Wyoming State Archives has files for men killed during the war.

World War I draft registration cards for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for Wyoming, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Wyoming, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1993029).

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Additional Military Records
Modern discharge records are kept by each county. The Family History Library has copies of these records from a few counties. The records include the individual's date and place of birth, induction and discharge dates, and address after discharge.

The Wyoming State Archives has records of the Wyoming National Guard.

Web Sites
http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/

http://www.archives.gov