During the late 1850s and early 1860s residents of the Honey Lake Valley requested military presence for their protection with the conflicts with the Indians. Most of the times, their requests were ignored. However, when Horace Adams was killed by the Indians on June 18, 1860, at Honey Lake Valley, this time their requested was granted.
On July 4, 1860, 1st Lt. Hamilton and 50 troops from the San Francisco Presidio set up camp along the Susan River near present day Litchfield. The first order of business was to construct a bridge across the Susan River. This was one of the first bridges constructed in that section of the valley and locally it was known as Soldier’s Bridge. The military, however, named it Camp Honey Lake. In addition, the soldiers built one structure, measuring 18 by 30 feet, to house the men, the largest military building in the Honey Lake Valley (until the establishment of the Sierra Army Depot in 1942). They also constructed a stone corral. That fall, Lt. Hamilton, with 27 men, returned to the Presidio, leaving Second Lt. E. R. Warner and 23 men to spend the winter there. The original bridge was moved by a quarter-mile to Tanner Lane in 1867. The lane is now referred to as the Cut-Off road.