In September, 1864, captured soldiers of the Confederate States of America were being held at Rock Island Prison, Illinois. Conditions at the prison were dismal; small pox, dysentery, poor rations, and bleak northern winters were contributing to the deaths of many rebel inmates. Due to prison conditions being so harsh men were dying at the rate of 1 out of every 3 men.

During this time, due in part to the Civil War, there was a large migration of people westward. This of course caused more contact with the American Indians in the West who were angry to see the whites coming west in large numbers and the result was bloodshed on both sides.

At the same time, the United States government under President Abraham Lincoln was experiencing political pressure re guarding further troop requirements. As a result of that pressure, the president authorized the recruitment, on a voluntary basis of two regiments from among those prisoners at Rock Island for frontier outpost duty. He guaranteed that on becoming Union soldiers, these men would receive a pardon, would not be fighting their former comrades, and would be sent west, far from the battles of the Civil War. Thus, many of those incarcerated men chose to take the oath of allegiance and become soldiers in the U.S. Army. Because of this outward change of allegiance, they were likened to the iron utensils that had an outward coating to make them rust-free while not changing the inward nature, a process called galvanizing. Thus was the birth of the "Galvanized Yankees". What you saw on the outside did not necessarily represent what was on the inside. However, the six thousand Galvanized Yankees who served in our army during 1865 served as loyally as any unit, and came to be respected for their hardiness and fighting ability.

Six companies of men were recruited. They were shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and from there they marched on foot to points west. Some of these men were assigned to Company I, 3rd. U.S. Volunteer Infantry. Company I. was sent to the Oregon Territory which included present day Wyoming and arrived at Platte Bridge Station (now Ft. Caspar) on the Oregon Trail, in the summer of 1865.

Their main objective was to guard the emigrants going west on the Oregon Trail and to keep the Pacific Telegraph Wire open from Fort Laramie to Sweetwater Station near Independence Rock.

Company I, 3rd U.S. Volunteers saw more action and fought in more battles than any of the other galvanized unites. They served with distinction with a very low desertion rate. Members of Company I. were present at the Battle of Platte Bridge in which Lieutenant Caspar Collins was killed.

The Plains Indian tribes were outraged by the Chivington Massacre at Sand Creek in the Colorado Territory, and in 1865 Indian hostility erupted on the plains. In response, troops of the Union Army including those of the 3rd. U.S. Volunteer Infantry were stationed at Platte Bridge and other sites along the trail. In July of 1865 the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes, resolved to eliminate Platte Bridge Station and the other small stations in the area, and there inhabitants.

In late July a wagon train with twenty five men under Sgt. Amos Custard's command were traveling from Sweetwater Station east toward Platte Bridge Station. Lt. Caspar Collins and a small detachment of soldiers were sent out from Platte Bridge Station to try and reach the wagon train and escort it to the station but upon crossing the bridge to the north they were overwhelmed by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. Lt. Collins and several of the men were killed.

For more information about these subjects check out these books:
The Galvanized Yankees by Dee Brown
Tending the Talking Wire
Fort Caspar by James Mhokeler
Frontier Crossroads by John McDermott
Battle of Platte Bridge by Vaughn

Company I. of the 3rd. U.S. Volunteer Infantry was reorganized as a reenactment group at Fort Caspar, in Casper, Wyoming on January 19th, 1986 to form an authentic Civil War era infantry regiment. The Company designation "I" was chosen for Casper, since that corresponded with the original disposition of the regiment. In 1989, Company "A" was formed in Grand Island, Nebraska and Company "K" was formed in Scottsbluff, Nebraska also companies in the original Regiment. The original 3rd. served in our area during 1865, and was one of 6 Galvanized Yankee regiments that plugged the manpower gap in the West.

The reorganized 3rd. U.S. is a volunteer historical organization which strives to depict an accurate visage of what life was like during the Civil War era at Fort Caspar (then called Platte Bridge Station). A great amount of time and effort goes into this hobby. Research must be conducted so that clothing, actions and even speech are authentic to the period of the 1860's. All uniforms, weapons, clothing, equipment, etc. are privately purchased and owned by each member. Travel costs are also covered on a personal basis. The group expanded during 1988 to include men, woman and children as frontier civilians in the living history demonstrations.

The group travels not only around the state, but out of state as well. Members of the group have performed for Governor Sullivan and Senator Simpson, traveled as far away as Great Britain, and even been invited and selected to work in movies such as "Gettysburg" & "Crazy Horse"