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Great BasinTreaty

Treaty of Fort Bridger (1863) with the Eastern Shoshone

The 1863 Fort Bridger treaty guaranteed travel routes, telegraph, stage and railway access through Eastern Shoshone country in return for annuities.

Signed
July 2, 1863
Senate
Ratified March 7, 1864

What happened

On July 2, 1863, at Fort Bridger in Utah Territory, the United States and chiefs and warriors of the eastern bands of the Shoshone nation re-established peace. The treaty kept the routes of travel "forever free and safe" for emigrants, allowed military posts and settlements along them, and let the telegraph, overland stage and a future railway operate.

The treaty says the United States knew game had been driven away and destroyed along the routes and by "agricultural and mining settlements." In return it promised $10,000 a year for twenty years. The Shoshone acknowledged the annuities as "full compensation and equivalent for the loss of game." Article 4 records the boundaries of the Shoshone country as the nation described them, but leaves the western boundary undefined because no western Shoshone were present.

The text records no cession of title. Article 7 adds that nothing in it admits any greater Shoshone title than existed under Mexican law when the United States acquired the territory. It was ratified in March 1864 and proclaimed in June 1869. A later 1863 Box Elder treaty adopted its terms.

Good to know. The treaty was ratified March 7, 1864 and proclaimed June 7, 1869; 1869 is sometimes given as the ratification date.

Summarized with AI assistance from 3 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

  1. shall be and remain forever free and safe for the use of the government of the United StatesTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Eastern Shoshoni, 1863
  2. as a full compensation and equivalent for the loss of gameTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Eastern Shoshoni, 1863
  3. Nothing herein contained shall be construed or taken to admit any other or greater title or interestTribal Treaties Database (Oklahoma State University): Treaty with the Eastern Shoshoni, 1863

Research notes. The treaty is dated July 2, 1863. The Oklahoma State University treaty database gives ratification as March 7, 1864, and proclamation as June 7, 1869; 1869 is sometimes given as the ratification date. The treaty text does not explain why the United States sought it.

What happened next

Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.

  1. 1863

    This treaty

    Signed

    The 1863 Fort Bridger treaty guaranteed travel routes, telegraph, stage and railway access through Eastern Shoshone country in return for annuities.

  2. 1864

    This treaty

    Ratified by the Senate

Who is doing the work today

The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.

This history belongs to living nations. Start with them:

Native legal and land defense, nationally

Gifts go straight to each organization; this atlas takes nothing. Listing is not endorsement: how organizations are listed.

Sources

  1. treaties.okstate.edu/treaties/treaty-with-the-eastern-shoshoni-1863-0848reference work
    July 2, 1863. | 18 Stats., 685. | Ratified Mar. 7, 1864. | Proclaimed June 7, 1869.
  2. digitreaties.org/treaties/treaty/178907394reference work

Corrections to this record

  • date ratified was listed as “”; corrected from treaties.okstate.eduJuly 2, 1863. | 18 Stats., 685. | Ratified Mar. 7, 1864. | Proclaimed June 7, 1869.
Research notes

Stat./Kappler; ratified 1869.

Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.