THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF FORT WASHAKIE

One of the more interesting individuals to serve at Fort Washakie was Assistant Surgeon Thomas G. Maghee.  He was posted to Fort Washakie, when it was still known as Camp Brown,  from September 1873 through May 1877.  Maghee, along with his predecessor Dr. L. S. Tesson, and his replacement, Dr. Robert B. Grimes, kept detailed accounts of the goings-on at Camp Brown/Fort Washakie.  The entries, entirely hand-written, were recorded in a large-format ledger-style book.  In many ways, Maghee used the opportunity to record his thoughts and adventures, as if he was writing a diary instead of an official account.  We learn from his writings that he truly liked his appointment to the post and used every opportunity to explore his surroundings.  Not only did he accompany soldiers into battle, he also fished in Bull Lake and the other lakes and rivers that form the tributaries of the Wind River drainage, he climbed mountains in the Wind River range, and was adept at describing the geological and climatological features of the fort and its environment. 

The medical ledger, generally referred to as "The Medical History of Camp Brown/Fort Washakie," came into the possession of James K. Moore and was later donated to the Wyoming State Archives by Evelyn Bell.  Before she did so, however, she made a typescript copy of the entries.  The two stories and anecdotes shown in the links below are verbatim copies of her transcripts.

Bates Battle   Sanitation at Fort Washakie