Ft. Phil Kearny, Wyoming

These are monuments at Ft. Phil Kearny, the command which suffered defeat at the Fetterman Fight, but endured an attack later at the Wagon Box Fight.

This blog does not attempt to document battlefields photographically, and the same is true of historic sites. For this reason, this entry does not attempt to depict all of Ft. Phil Kearny. Those wishing to see more photos of the post should look here. Rather, this only attempts to depict a few things topical to this blog.

The monument depicted above is an early one, placed by the State of Wyoming well before any archeology on the post had been done, and very little about its grounds was known. Now, because of archeology on the site, this monument is in a location where it is probably only rarely viewed.


These photographs depict a common device for historic sites in Wyoming, a pipe used for sighting a distant location. In this case, the location is the location of the post cemetery. The cemetary originally held the bodies of the soldiers, and civilians, killed at the Fetterman Fight, but the bodies were later removed to the national cemetery at Little Big Horn.

These are the monuments and markers at the Wagon Box Fight battlefield. These monuments reflect the evolution of how Indian Wars' battles are viewed, as a marker at the the site of the brass monument notes that this monument wholly omits Indian casualties, which of course is correct. As it notes, at the time it was erected this was simply not a consideration, whereas it would be now.

This is a well preserved battlefield. More photos of the location itself may be viewed here. For some reason, when I took these photos, I did not think to get a photograph of the entire monument, perhaps because I was more focused on the battlefield.

In addition to the bronze monument, there is also this early stone monument erected by the State of Wyoming. This monument is in a location where it is probably that most visitors to this site do not take note of it.

John "Portugee" Phillips Monument

John "Portugee" Phillips was an Azores born civilian who found himself working out of Ft. Phil Kearny at the time of the disastrous Fetterman fight. After the battle, Phillips, together with another civilian, rode over 200 miles to bring the news of the disaster to the Army. Phillips rode slightly further, and therefore is remembered, than his compatriot.

Phillips remained in Wyoming, married, and became a rancher. He's buried in Cheyenne. This memorial to his long ride is located just outside of the grounds of Ft. Phil Kearny in what is effectively a ranch yard. Indeed, my photographs of the monument are not closer, as two ranch dogs from the adjacent ranch were self employed in guarding it, and discretion proved the better part of valor. Besides, it's refreshing to see two such dedicated employees as they, and I honored their objections as to my dismounting from my vehicle.

The Fetterman Battleground, Wyoming

This is one of the very first state monuments in Wyoming and, for a monument of its type, it is the first. It was actually a private project originally, by a group of "interested citizens". The monument commemorates the December 21, 1866 Fetterman battle, in which Fetterman's command was completely eliminated at the hands of the Cheyenne and Sioux. You can read more about the battle, and see more photographs here.

Typical for monuments of its age, this monument notes only the European American causalities, and does not address at all the Indian casualties. The state park, however, covering only a portion of the battleground, does an excellent job fully interpreting the battle.

Teton County War Memorial, Jackson Wyoming

This is the memorial to Teton County's veterans, located in the central park in Jackson. The same park also features a John Coulter memorial, a photograph of which is below, dedicated to the memory of the famous mountain man.

American Legion Post 43 Empty Saddle Memorial, Jackson Wyoming

This memorial is in front of Jackson Wyoming's American Legion Post 43 and commemorates the history of the post, and the men who came from Jackson who have made it up over the years. The memorial notes that a "troupe" of Jackson residents traveled to Cheyenne to join the Army in World War One. What "troupe" indicates in this context I'm not sure of, but a photo of those men is included in this memorial.

World War One Memorial, Laramie Wyoming

This is the World War One Memorial in Laramie Wyoming. This memorial commemorates every resident of Albany County, together with every student or employee of the University of Wyoming, who lost their life in World War One. These photographs were taken in waning light, and therefore are not great. The dark bronze plates list names, and are full all the way around the memorial.

The number of names on this memorial is impressive, giving evidence to just how severe the combat of World War One was. This is one of two World War One memorials located in Laramie, with the other being located at the Episcopal Cathedral. This one is on a corner of the block occupied by the Albany County Courthouse.

View from the back steps of the Albany County Courthouse.

This memorial hasn't always been in this location. It was, at one time, located in a prominent location downtown. It only occupied this prominent downtown position for several years, however. It was moved by 1929 to its current location but the area still looks different as as the current courthouse had not yet been built.

Pony Express Memorial, Ft. Caspar Wyoming

Another in the series of off topic memorials I've been posting recently, but perhaps not as completely off topic as they may initially seem. These Frontier Era memorials concern events that are in some ways closely associated with the topic that this site otherwise addresses, albeit in a somewhat different context.

Monument Park, Casper Wyoming

This is Monument Park in Casper, Wyoming. It doesn't really fit the theme of this blog, but given as I recently took photographs of the rails to trails pathway through Casper, and this is on it, I have added it.

This nice little park actually came about due to some controversy. For many years, Casper had a monument of the Ten Commandments, now present in this park, in a park that is across from City Park, and across from St. Anthony's Church. However, a certain group from Kansas added the monument to its protests, even though it asserts church status. Casper, not wishing to yield to the controversy, created this park with monuments to various things significant to the formation of Western culture.

United States Postal Service Veterans Memorial, Casper Wyoming

This is a memorial to those who have served in the military, staring in the 1960s, and who were employed by the United States Post Office in Casper Wyoming.

The memorial does not go back prior to the Vietnam War. if it did, many more names would be added.

Sheridan County War Memorial, Sheridan Wyoming

This is the all wars memorial in Sheridan County, Wyoming. As can be seen, the base of this monument was put in during 1976, so the names on that part of the memorial only run through the Vietnam War. Located on the Sheridan County Courthouse's lawn, the accompanying courthouse wall has bronze markers for all US wars.

St. Anthony's Parishoner's World War Two Memorial

This photograph depicts the St. Anthony's World War Two parishioner's memorial, listing the names of those member of the Parish killed during World War Two.

115th Cavalry Regiment Armory Monument, Casper Wyoming

This unusual monument commerates the 115th Cavalry Regiment's armory in Casper, Wyoming. The Wyoming Army National Guard armory was built in 1930 and was one of several housing individual units of the National Guard's 115th Cavalry Regiment. After the Korean War the unit later housed the HHB 3d Bn 49th FA until some date in the 1970s. The building then passed into the ownership of Casper College, and it was ultimately torn down in 1987. This monument stands in a park where party of the armory's grounds were located.

Photographs of the armory are also located here. More about the 115th Cavalry Regiment, which was federalized in 1940 and served in World War Two, can be found on the Society of the Military Horse website, a link to which is provided in our link list.

Photographs of the armory coming down are provided below.