Fort Wright was an Army post located in the Round Valley of Mendocino County, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) s northwest of the present town of Covelo, California.
The principal duty of the garrison was to protect the Round Valley Indian Reservation's native inhabitants from the intrusions, thefts and murderous attacks of explorers, some white settlers and state-sponsored massacres.
[1] In 1858, Second Lieutenant Edward Dillard of the 6th U. S. Infantry established the Nome Cult Indian Agency as a temporary tent camp in the valley and supervised the troops garrisoned there.
Difficulty finding a ship, becalmed, foggy seas, and heavy rains on the overland trek to Round Valley resulted in the troops not arriving there until December 11, 1862.
The next day Douglas arrested five of the plot's leaders and, based on testimony of settlers and Yuki people that confirmed their involvement, had all the natives in the valley assemble at the fort.
[12] Douglas witnessed California's Trail of Tears and reported on September 27, 1863, that the indian agent was grossly irresponsible in his reaction to the needs of the arriving Native Americans who were extremely sick with malaria.
[14] A month later, on October 30, he received a letter from the Adjutant General of the Department of the Pacific ordering him to let the Indian Agency handle all affairs related to the Native Americans when they were peaceful and only intervene with those that were warlike.
[17] In 1863 and 1864 the 14 Douglas kept his troops busy erected camp buildings with log walls and shingle roofs: two officers' quarters, barracks, a mess hall, bakery, hospital, guardhouse, storehouse and stables.
[20] Austin Wiley, the new Superintendent of Indian Affairs, restated this need in a letter he wrote to the army on October 4, 1864, resulting in Company A of the 1st Battalion of Native California Cavalry being ordered to Fort Wright on November 12.
June 17, 1875, the troops were withdrawn and the facilities transferred to the Department of the Interior's Indian Service because of the stable, good relations with the natives in Round Valley.