Camp Maury

 (1864-1864) - Established 18 May 1864 by Capt. John M. Drake, 1st Oregon Volunteer Cavalry as Camp Separation, and later named for his commander Col. Reuben F. Maury. Abandoned 21 Jul 1864 and moved 5 miles west to Camp Gibbs.



History
Selected as the site for a supply depot but abandoned when forage became scarce. This same site was the point at which an 1860 expedition was spit into two columns headed by Maj. Enoch Steen and Capt. Andrew J. Smith of the 1st U.S. Dragoons. This episode was the origin of the initial name, Camp Separation.

On 18 May 1864 Capt. John M. Drake sent Lt. Stephen G. Watson with 13 men of Company B, Lt. John M. McCall with 26 men from Company D and 10 scouts under Donald McKay to attack an Indian camp just north of Rabbit Valley at the foot of Juniper Butte. The attack was badly timed and the hostile Indians under Chief Paulina managed to retreat to prepared positions on Juniper Butte. Lt. Watson charged the positions without waiting for the other troops to catch up and was killed just as he reached those positions. Two Company B privates were also killed and several others wounded. The command retreated taking their wounded but leaving the dead behind. With the arrival of reinforcements the ground was retaken and the mutilated bodies of the dead recovered. Capt. Drake then pulled the command back and established Camp Separation.

The dead were buried about 2 pm the next day on a knoll south of the camp. The Camp was renamed for Col. Maury and was established as a supply depot.

Current Status
Private property.

Sources:
 * , page 136
 * , page 34
 * , page 148-149
 * Oregon Military History, Forts-Camps-Roads

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