Welcome to the Vancouver barracks of the 28th Regiment US Volunteers, in a 1902 photo by A.J. Fletcher. Interesting they use both “pup tents” as well as more teepee/ yurt styles.
Mother Joseph is a fascinating figure in PNW history. The Hudson Bay Company made up of French fur trappers, requested religious representation for their Catholic faith. In 1856 Mother Joseph and four nuns arrived with no available living quarters. Mother Joseph was handy with a saw and hammer and built a small cottage. By the early 1870’s she had planned, designed and even worked on construction of the massive brick building which would serve as a hospital, orphanage, boarding school and mission. http://www.narhist.ewu.edu/pnf/articles/s1/i-3a/mother_joseph/motherjosepth.html
L.E.
I am reluctant to mention names here, when they might not apply, but I am leaning toward, the photographer A. J. Fletcher being Albert John Fletcher of Vancouver. Born 1868. The Fletcher family farm and orchard were southeast of the Vancouver Barracks along the Columbia River. Albert’s father John H Fletcher was Sheriff of Clark County before 1900 and they are listed as living on Reserve Street. John was interested in fruit production and shipping. I just can’t find any evidence that Albert John was a photographer.
Kenn
Wonder if wall tents and yurt/tepees indicate separation of officers and enlisted men-
Kevin Widener
I’m guessing the wall/pup tents are for the non-commissioned officers (NCOs) while the bell tents (evolved from the Civil War Sipley tent) was for the junior enlisted. I’m also guessing, based on visits to Fort Vancouver, that the officers were housed in buildings. One of the sites I looked at said the bell tents would sleep 12 men. That would be snug!
1st Battalion, 28th Infantry was first constituted on 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as Company A, 28th Infantry and was organized on 10 June 1901 at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. The 28th Infantry first saw combat service from December 1901 to January 1904 during the Philippine Insurrection where the Regiment was heavily involved in counter-guerilla operations. During the years 1906-1908, the Regiment, minus one battalion, performed guard and police duty as part of the American forces of Cuban Occupation. In 1913, the 28th Infantry was ordered to Texas to assist in guarding the Mexican border against raids by Pancho Villa. Following the entry of the US into World War I, the Regiment was assigned on 8 June 1917 to the 1st Expeditionary Division (which later became the 1st Division and then the 1st Infantry Division). On 29 June 1917, the men of Company K became the first American combat unit to set foot on European soil at St. Nazair, France.
Charlott
Yes those are very much like the Civil War tents called Sibley tents.
L.E.
Very fitting that Providence Academy graces the background.
The historic building is undergoing much needed restoration.
http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jul/26/academy-restoration-downtown-vancouver/
Mother Joseph is a fascinating figure in PNW history. The Hudson Bay Company
made up of French fur trappers, requested religious representation for their Catholic faith. In 1856 Mother Joseph and four nuns arrived with no available living quarters. Mother Joseph was handy with a saw and hammer and built a small cottage. By the early 1870’s she had planned, designed and even worked on construction of the massive brick building which would serve as a hospital, orphanage, boarding school and mission.
http://www.narhist.ewu.edu/pnf/articles/s1/i-3a/mother_joseph/motherjosepth.html
L.E.
I am reluctant to mention names here, when they might not apply, but I am leaning toward, the photographer A. J. Fletcher being Albert John Fletcher of Vancouver. Born 1868. The Fletcher family farm and orchard were southeast of the Vancouver Barracks along the Columbia River. Albert’s father John H Fletcher was Sheriff of Clark County before 1900 and they are listed as living on Reserve Street. John was interested in fruit production and shipping.
I just can’t find any evidence that Albert John was a photographer.
Kenn
Wonder if wall tents and yurt/tepees indicate separation of officers and enlisted men-
Kevin Widener
I’m guessing the wall/pup tents are for the non-commissioned officers (NCOs) while the bell tents (evolved from the Civil War Sipley tent) was for the junior enlisted. I’m also guessing, based on visits to Fort Vancouver, that the officers were housed in buildings. One of the sites I looked at said the bell tents would sleep 12 men. That would be snug!
L.E.
1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment "Black Lions "
1st Battalion, 28th Infantry was first constituted on 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as Company A, 28th Infantry and was organized on 10 June 1901 at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. The 28th Infantry first saw combat service from December 1901 to January 1904 during the Philippine Insurrection where the Regiment was heavily involved in counter-guerilla operations. During the years 1906-1908, the Regiment, minus one battalion, performed guard and police duty as part of the American forces of Cuban Occupation. In 1913, the 28th Infantry was ordered to Texas to assist in guarding the Mexican border against raids by Pancho Villa.
Following the entry of the US into World War I, the Regiment was assigned on 8 June 1917 to the 1st Expeditionary Division (which later became the 1st Division and then the 1st Infantry Division). On 29 June 1917, the men of Company K became the first American combat unit to set foot on European soil at St. Nazair, France.
Charlott
Yes those are very much like the Civil War tents called Sibley tents.