The Old Fort and the Indian Wars

From 1864-1868 Fort Morgan was a U. S. military outpost that sat at the junction of the South Platte Trail and the Denver Cut-off.  The Denver Cut-off was a shortcut that ended up at Four Mile House stage stop.  Its major disadvantage was a lack of water as there was one seasonal creek along the trail, and that was about all.

The Fort was originally staffed by galvanized Yankees.  These were Confederate soldiers who were captured in battle, and given an option to man US outposts on the frontier.  The soldiers didn't really want to be here, the pay was lousy, and the gold fields were just down the trail- all of these facts led to high desertion rates among soldiers on the frontier.

The South Platte Trail was no longer used once Cheyenne, Wyoming got the railroad.  Without a trail to guard, the fort was closed. 

The Indian Wars, which gave birth to Fort Morgan and other frontier forts, did not stop just because forts were closing.  The last major Indian battle fought in the area was the Battle of Summit Springs in July of 1869, fought between Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and the US Cavalry.