Vancouver Barracks Cemetery The present Vancouver Barracks reservation was formerly the location of the Hudson Bay Company's principal depot in the Pacific Northwest (1825-1846) until 1849 when it became a U.S. Reservation and has had a continuous Federal ownership. In the early 1850s, the post was known as Camp Vancouver, then Columbia Barracks, and was renamed Fort Vancouver in 1853. The name Vancouver Barracks dates from 1879. The original commander was Major John Hatheway who led a contingent of First Artillery Regiments troops on a sea journey from New York around Cape Horn arriving on May 13, 1849. Dozens of officers who served at Vancouver at various times during the 1850s were promoted to the rank of General during the Civil War. Most were with the Union Army, but some were Confederates. Among Union ranks, the most famous were U.S. Grant, later elected President and Phil Sheridan. Many other Army notables would serve at Vancouver Barracks in later years. The best known officer among them was General George C. Marshall, a 1930s commander who would later gain international fame and a Nobel Peace Prize for the post-World War II Marshall Plan. Another notable of Fort Vancouver was Sarah Winnemucca, the daughter of a Paiute Chief (1844-1891), who was fluent in English and several native languages. She served as an Army scout, an interpreter among numerous tribes, a peace negotiator with Lt. C. E. S. Wood for the Bannock Treaty in 1878 and as an instructor for the Bannock tribe children incarcerated with adults at Vancouver Barracks in 1879. To the end of her life, Winnemucca continued to teach and campaign for decent living conditions and peaceable compromises in the west. The New York Times carried a notice of her death in 1891 with the remarks of Colonel Frank Parker, whose life she had saved during the Bannock War. He observed, "She was the only Indian on this coast who ever took any prominent part in the settling the Indian question, and as such her memory should be respected." Winnemucca's name is virtually unknown today by the public. While major buildings and streets bear the names of Army officers sent to fight the Indians, not a single such remembrance recognizes Winnemucca. The following are excerpts from the National Archive - Document No. 351000: "The original post cemetery was in the northwest corner of the reserve, area 4 acres, enclosed by a strong picket fence. Total interments to 12 August 1882 was 314. Of these the number of officers, as far as was known was six; number of enlisted men whose record could be obtained 30; the remainder civilians or persons whose graves were without headboards or any other marks to designate who they were. Civilians were encouraged to reclaim and remove the remains of their relatives, about 72 disinterment of civilians occurred during the year 1881. The new cemetery, situated about 1/2 mile north of the old one, area 2 acres, was enclosed with a strong new picket fence. No new interments had been made to 12 August 1882. There was some dissention (local) to the disturbance of the burials for reinterment in the new post cemetery. Rather it was recommended that the old post cemetery be declared a national cemetery as had formerly been done by GO# 4 of 1875 subsequently revoked by GO of 1876. The original post was needed for expansion of the building area of the Reservation." At present (15 April 2000) there are 1400 graves at Vancouver Barracks, 210 of which are unknown from the mid 1800's.
There are four Medal of Honor recipients buried here. Major William Wallace McCammon, who died in 1903, was decorated for Civil War Service; Sgt. James Madison Hill, died 1919, Arizona Indian Campaigns; 1st Sgt Moses Williams, died 1899, Apache Indian Campaign and Private Herman Pfisterer , a musician, died 1905, Spanish American War. In 1991 General Colin Powell, then the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dedicated a monument dedicated to these four men. In his dedication he said "It is a great honor for me to be with you today on this important, patriotic occasion. The Medal of Honor is the highest tribute America can give to those who put their lives at risk above and beyond the call of duty." He said that only about 3,400 people (up to 1991) have earned the medal, "a small number when you consider the millions and millions of Americans our nation has sent in harms way."
"This monument we are dedicating honors four of these Americans, one, William Wallace McCammon fought in the Civil War. Another, Herman Pfisterer, fought in the Spanish-American War and the other two, James Madison Hill and Moses Williams, fought in the Indian Campaigns." Powell asked the audience to bring their children to see the monument, and have them bring their children to see when the time comes because it is a monument for all generations to see. A former Commander of the 104th Division at Vancouver from 1980 to 1984 Major General Retired Jack Howard King is buried here. This is an index of the persons buried at Vancouver Barracks, researched by Robert and Ruth Crouch, in cooperation with Mr. Rolf Evans the Mortuary Officer for Vancouver Barracks (located at Fort Lewis, Wa.) and Mr. Bob Baerncopf the Sexton at Vancouver Barracks. Ruth and I have found the history of Vancouver Barracks to be fascinating. Once we started this project it was hard to stop. In addition to the above we would like to thank all those who assisted and provided data. A&B, C&D, E&F, G&H, I&J, K&L, M&N, O&P, Q&R, S&T, U&V, W&X, Y&Z We have also completed indexes for the cemeteries at Fort Lewis (Tacoma, Wa.), Fort Lawton (Seattle, Wa.) , Fort Stevens (Astoria, Or.) and Fort Worden (Port Townsend, Wa.)
To access my personal web page please click here. © 2000 R E Crouch, This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without my consent. July 12, 2000, The corrections made this date will show the old spellings or data changes in red immediately following the changes to assist those doing research. The changes are the same as the Form data and tombstone inscriptions located at Vancouver Barracks. Updated April 28, 2006 with additions to B, L, M, N, R & S SECTIONS |
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