The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-08-02
FIGURE IN IT'S PLANS.
Montana Forts in Apparent Favor
With War Department.

Montana forts are again beginning
to figure prominently in the plans Of
the war department concerning the
garrisoning Of interior posts. In
stead Of abandoning several OF them,
as it appeared the secretary of war
had decided upon some time ago, it
seems that all which were ~garrisoned
at the beginning of the Spanish
American war r to be cOntinued and
present indications are that some of
them will have more troops than they
ever had. Forts Assiniboine and Mis-
soula, which are among those that
had apparently been marked for
abandonment, are to be supplied with
troops at once and instead of the few
men left at each to guard govern
ment property when the soldiers
from all parts over the country were
called to the eastern seaboard for
embarkation to Cuba, whole COM
panies, and in the case Of Assiniboine.
an entire battalion, will soon occupy
them. Then Harrison is also select
ed as one of the posts at which 1t
is considered advisable to maintain
troops and instead Of the company
which has been stationed there sew
eral of them will soon occupy it's bar
racks.
Fort Keogh, one of the oldest posts
in the state and which was practical
ly ordered abandoned a few weeks
ago, has been given another lease of
life and the improvements under way,
which were stopped, r to be
completed. In fact it is said by
those claiming to know that the post
is to be made one of the large and per-
manent military establishments Of
the country. 1t is known that General
Miles had formed some decidedly am
bilious plans concerning this post
and which were on the eve of being
carried into execution when the Span
ish war upset all calculations and
plans concerning the army as it was
then organized. It was his desire and
intention to make Fort Keogh a per-
manent cavalry post where regiments
were to be ~rendezvoused and drilled
and ~aftersthey had attained the proper
degree Of efficiency and drill were to
be distributed. among the other and
smaller cavalry posts Of the country.
Had his scheme been permitted to
mature the post woull have proved
an excellent institution for every
rancher and horse raiser in eastern
Montana, as it would have afforded
a splendid market for forage and
many other products of the farm, not
to say anything of the large demand
for horses which would have always
existed there.
What the departments present in
tentions in references to the historic
old fort are is not definitely known.
At all events. it is not likely to be
abandoned. The troop of the First
cavalry now stationed there has been
ordered to Fort Yellowstone for tenn
porary duty. In it's place a troop of
the Thirteenth cavalry has been or
dered from Fort Meade and will ar
rive at Keogh shortly. The troop of
the First, however, will not leave in
a body, having been ordered to pro-
coed to it's new station in two detach-
ments. The first detachment was ex-
pected to leave yesterday, while the
second will not move until after the
arrival of the relieving troop, as it
is not the intention of the war depart
ment to leave Lame Deer Indian
agency without the customary mil
itary guard which has been maintains
ed there ever since the agency vas