▁Fort ▁T ong ass ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁US ▁Army ▁base ▁established ▁in ▁Al aska ▁following ▁its ▁purchase ▁from ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁and ▁was ▁g arrison ed ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁U . S . ▁Art illery ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Captain ▁Charles ▁H . ▁Pe ir ce . ▁ ▁Histor ian ▁Hub ert ▁How e ▁B anc ro ft ▁notes : ▁" the ▁site ▁was ▁well ▁chosen , ▁containing ▁a ▁pl ent iful ▁supply ▁of ▁tim ber ▁and ▁past ure , ▁while ▁fish ▁and ▁game ▁ab ound ▁in ▁the ▁neighbourhood . ▁ ▁The ▁post ▁was ▁commission ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁and ▁abandoned ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁ ▁After ▁Al aska ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁custom s ▁district ▁by ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁a ▁deput y ▁collect or ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁Fort ▁T ong ass ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁Fort ▁W r angel , ▁meant ▁to ▁intercept ▁prospect ors ▁and ▁commercial ▁traffic ▁bound ▁for ▁the ▁gold fields ▁of ▁the ▁St ik ine ▁River ▁in land ▁in ▁British ▁Columbia , ▁and ▁a ▁re venue ▁cut ter ▁was ▁station ed ▁in ▁the ▁area ' s ▁waters . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁Jefferson ▁C . ▁Davis , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁army ' s ▁Military ▁District ▁of ▁Al aska , ▁visited ▁Fort ▁T ong ass ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Fort ▁W r angel ▁and ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales ▁Island ▁ab o ard ▁, ▁with ▁Jefferson ▁request ing ▁an