Fort Harney Fort Harney was a United States Army outpost in eastern Oregon , United States . It was named in honor of Brigadier General William S . Harney . Fort Harney was used as a supply depot and administrative headquarters from 1867 to 1880 during the Army ' s campaign against Northern Paiute bands in Eastern Oregon and the Bannock uprising in the same area . Today , nothing remains of Fort Harney except a small cemetery . Camp Harney . In 1864 , the Army had began using a site along Rattlesnake Creek , in what is now Harney County , Oregon , for temporary supply drops . The site was unofficially known as " Rattlesnake Camp " . As civilian wagon trains passing through eastern Oregon increased and the number of miners in the area grew , the demand for protection from Native American raiding parties required the Army to establish a number of permanent outposts in eastern Oregon . Rattlesnake Creek was located near the center of eastern Oregon , making it an ideal place for a military supply depot and administrative headquarters . The Army established a permanent outpost near the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek on 16 August 1867 . The post was originally called " Camp Steele " . However , Major General Henry W . Halleck , commander of the Military Department of the Pacific at the time , disapproved the " Camp Steele " name and suggested the camp be named in honor of Brigadier General William S . Harney who commanded the Army ' s Department of Oregon in 1858 and 1859 . Based on General Halleck ' s recommendation , the post was officially designated " Camp Harney " on 14 September 1867 . The first unit to man Camp Harney was Company K of the 23rd Infantry Regiment . Military campaigns . In 1867 and 1868 , General George Crook led companies from the 1st Cavalry Regiment and 8th Cavalry Regiment , mounted infantry from the 9th Infantry Regiment and 23rd Infantry Regiment , and Indian scouts from the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes in a successful campaign against Northern Paiute bands in eastern Oregon and northern California . This was part of the conflict known as the Snake War . Camp Harney was one of the outposts used to resupply Crook ' s troops during the campaign . During the Bannock War , Camp Harney once again served as an important Army supply depot and military headquarters . The camp was in the center of the conflict area and several newspapers reported that Camp Harney was in imminent danger of being overrun by Native American warriors . However , the United States Army forces under General Oliver O . Howard quickly defeated the Bannocks and Paiutes engaged in the uprising . By January 1879 , there were 543 Bannock and Paiute prisoners being held at Camp Harney . After the war , the prisoners were resettled on the Yakima Indian Reservation in the Washington Territory , north of the Malheur reservation . The Army officially changed the name of the post to " Fort Harney " on 5 April 1879 . However , without a reservation to guard , there was no reason to maintain the post . As a result , Fort Harney was abandoned on 13 June 1880 . On 13 September 1982 , the Malheur reservation lands were officially returned to the public domain except for the Fort Harney site which was retained by the Army . The Army returned the parcel to the public domain on 2 March 1889 . After the fort was abandoned , local settlers dismantled the buildings , using much of the materiel to build up the nearby town of Harney City . Today , nothing remains of Fort Harney except a small cemetery . Fort infrastructure . In 1867 , Camp Harney was busy and growing rapidly . It was located in the high desert country of eastern Oregon at an elevation of above sea level . The fort structures were built on a flat west of Rattlesnake Creek between steep ridges that flanked the stream . North of the site there were stands of pine that supplied the camp ' s sawmill with timber . By 1877 , Camp Harney was a well - developed frontier outpost . It had a large parade ground oriented north and south with a headquarters building and guardhouse s . There was a home for the commanding officer plus five additional officers ' quarters , two were log structures and three were frame buildings . There were three log barracks building for enlisted troops plus four log houses for enlisted men with families . To feed the men , the camp had mess hall s , kitchens , a bakery , and a slaughter house to provide fresh meat . There were quartermaster ' s storehouses , a military commissary , a hospital , and a sawmill . The post also had a blacksmith shop and stables for 150 horses . In addition to the Army troops , the post had four civilian clerks , two masons , one saddlemaker , a shoemaker , a painter , a baker , and four laundry maids . Location . The historic Fort Harney site is located east of Burns , Oregon . To reach the Fort Harney site from Burns , head east on U . S . Highway 20 for ; then turn north on a gravel road leading to the ghost town of Harney City , which is two miles ( 3 km ) from the highway . The Fort Harney site is located on private property about two miles ( 3 km ) north of the Harney City town site .