TH2 LILITARY HISTORY OF CHIIKOCT BARRACKS.
Chilkoot Barracks, Alaska, (formerly William H. Seward) ,v;as
built in 1903, under the direction of Col. Wilds P. Richardson, TJ. 3.
A, (now retired). Previous to that time the troops stationed in
Southeastern Alaska had been located at Dyea and Skagway. Two
companies of the 14th. Infantry had been sent from the states in
1898, at the height of the Cold Rush, when it was thought that an
expedition must be sent to relieve the starving miners of the
Klondyke. An appropriation of #200,000 had been voted by Con
gress, and prompt action was taken. Lt.O.B.Devore was sent to
Norway by the Secretary of War to purchase and bring over from
Lapland 500 sled reindeer for transporting supplies of the expe
dition. The best pack train in the states was sent to Haines
Lission to aid in the work.
The reindeer were landed at pyramid Harbor, on the west banx
of the Chilkat River, (at that period the port of call for steamers
from the States) ferried across the river to the east bank, and
driven across the peninsula through what is now the military post,
to Haines Mission, where they were groomed for the start of the
ReriffiffExpedition. But just at this time three things happened
which had an important bearing on the situation, (l)the reindeer
began to die rapidly from the long journey from Lapland and on
account of the change from their accustomed food; (2) -informa
ti«5 ;waa received that the Klondyke miners were not starving,
(quite the contrary); and (3)the'Spanish V/ar broke out and buried
the Relief Expedition plans in oblivion as far as public interest
was concerned.
in 1899 the two companies of the 14th. Infantry that had
been stationed at Lyea, (at that time an important city, near the
present Skagway, at the foot of Chilkoot Pass), were withdrawn,
and replaced by one company of the 24th. Infantry (colored), under
Captain Hovey. This company of the 24th. later moved to Skagway
and also maintained a detachment at Wrangell. The 24th. Infantry
was relieved in Skagway, in 1902, by a battery of artillery, under
Captain Summerall. This battery, however, remained in Alaska
only a few months, when it was replaced by two companies of the
8th. Infantry.
In the summer of 1904, Alaska was garrisoned b2^ a full
regiment of Infantry, the 3rd., ( Col. T. C. Woodbury, Co roman ling)
relieving all other troops in the Territory. Regimental headquar- :
ters and one battalion were stationed at the newly completed post
of William H.Seward, (now Chilkoot Barracks) near Haines Mission,
in Southeastern Alaska, and the remaining companies of the regi-'
ment were distributed between Forts Egbert and Gibbon, on the
Yukon, Fort St.Micheal, at the mouth of the Yukon, Fort Davis at
Home, and lort Ltiscum, near Valdez, These troops carried on the
work of aiding in the completion of the telegraph line and of
its improvement from the first crude state, service of supply and
maintenance of the line, improving and adding to the comfort of
the posts and giving other aid through the hospitals and other
wise, to injured or destitute persons.
The 3rd. Infantry was relieved in 1906 by the 10th this
regiment in 1903 by the 22nd. and this in turn by the 15th and
the 30th, each outfit serving two years. In 1914' the force was
reduced to one battalion 14th. Infantry. Since the completion of
the Government R. R. all Infantry except Companies "E" and "F"
at Chilkoot Barracks and company "G" at Anchorage, have been
withdrawn from Alaska,.