The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-06-05
MONTANA MILITARY POSTS.

dOned-a rumOr that lacks official
acknowledgements the Anaconda
Standard q sketch o! Montana mill.
tary posts that will recall many almost
forgotten incidents of early day life in
this part of the country. Within the
past forty years. more than a dozen
military posts have been maintained
in Montana, the menace OF Indian
troubles being in most cases the rea-
son for their existence.
Fort Keogh was built in 1877 to take
the place of one dismantled a year or
two before. There was indeed urgent
need for that fort, for in those days
the Sioux were up and doing and SOL
diers were a pretty acceptable quaint.
ty. Their presence vas absolutely
necessary in order that the white set.
tiers might live their allotted time.
The post vas erected by Brevet Major
General Nelson A. Miles, in whose
honor the city near by was named.
Fort Ass%inniboine was established
May 9, 1879, and 10 that year was oc.
cupied by troops. II is the largest
military reservation in the United
States and An effort is being made by
the people of Havre and other north.
ern Montana towns "a induce Secre.
tary OF War Taft to make OF it q bri.
gade post.
The first military post established
by the government in Montana was
Fort c. +. Smith: then came Forts
Kearney and Reno. These we're built
and garrisoned in the grim determine
ton to stop the depred ations commit.
ted by the Indians upon persons CON-
ing into this promised land in quest
OF gold. They we're abandoned after
a few years, but no sooner we're they
d%ismantled than more excuses and
other rash doings Of the Indians were
committed. ........
The first permanent military post
was established at the mouth of the
Judith river in the fall of 1866 and
garrisoned by the first battalion OF the
Thirteenth United States infantry un-
der Major Clinton.
Fort Buford was established in the
month of July, 1866, q short distance
below oldiFort Union. Eleven months
after the building of the fort it was
attacked by Indians who, however,
were repulsed. Then the Indians re.
tired and were reinforced and made q
second attack with the result that the
fort was taken and the commander,
Colonel Rankin, put to death.
The travel between Fort Benton,
head of navigation, and Helena began
to be noticeable about 1866 and 1867.
Then it was that the fort on Sun river
was built. Fort Shaw was established
June 30,lls67, and four companies Of
the Thirteenth United States infantry
were quartered there. 1t was a nee.
essary move on the part of the gov.
ernment,t for ipcursious of Indians
were frequent and sometimes attended
by depred atoms and violations. The
new post vas named Camp Reynolds.
Later the name was changed in re.
membrauce of the service OF Col. Rob.
ert G. Shaw, colored, who was killed
at Fort Wagner in 1863.
Another is old Fort Ellis, near Boze-
man. 1t was established in August,
1867, under orders from General Terry,
then comm anding the department of
Dakota.
In October, 1872, old Fort Parker,
30 miles from Bozeman, was destroyed
by fire. 1t was built by Col. L.. NJ.
Black in 1869, and a at that time
considered one of the best forts in the
Northwest, commanding a position
from which the territory for miles in
every direction could be viewed:
Fort Thomas Francis Meagher was
established in the autumn of 1867. The
site was near Meadow canyon or yell
lowstone canyon and four miles south
OF the former camping grounds named
Camp Green Gray Smith.
In 1916 the American Fur company
built the historic fort, Benton, and
sold it to the Northwest Fur company
in 1864, and from that company it
passed into the hands OF the United
States government, which used it as
a storehouse for supplies for northern
military posts.
Camp Baker, another historic spot,
was established in 1869 for the protec.
ton of miners in Diamond City and
neighborhood. 1t is now merely a
memory.
Fort Missoula, ont OF the chief mill.
tary posts Of the Northwest, was erect.
ed in 1876. The site was selected by
Lieut.. a. c. Worden.
Fort Custer was established in 1877.
In 1850 Fort Maginnis was established.
1t was named in honor OF Martin
Maginnis, delegate to congress from
Montana.