Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-14
FORT ABRAHAM R|IHl
LINCOLN IN 1878

| The incidents of Bismarck, Mandan and
! Old Fort Lincoln are so interviewer that
it is a difficult matter to write Of Lin
coin and leave the towns out Of the nara
tive. In writing Of Lincoln, it is not what
can be written, but what can be written
that will be of interest to the readers
of today.
| How many persons. who now have
happy homes in Morton county, realize
that the place where they now reside was
an indian county in 1878? Only a few
! families lived on the west side of the
| Missouri river, near Lincoln. in that year.
| Adjoining the reservation on the north,
| Jessie Ayrcs has his homestead; north of
this was what was known as 1.-THE Clark
farm" near which Lincoln City, the first
county seat of Morton county. | cannot
call to mind who the first commissioners
of Morton county were, nor whether all
! the county officials had been appointed
and qualified.
In the territorial legislature of 70 one
Robert McNeider Of Bismarck represent
ed a large district in this legislature. Nc
! Neider was part owner of the ferry be-
tween Bismarck anu the Morton county
| side of the river. Morton' county claimed
taxes fro mthe ferry for the right to
land on the west side. McNeider intro
duced a very innocent bill in the legisla-
ture to define the boundaries of Burleigh
county. which passed; when it was found
that the western boundary Of Burleigh
was many miles west of the present site
of Mandan and there was no Morton
county. Lincoln City was in Burleigh
county, where it remained until the next
legislature again defined the boundaries
Of Burleigh county. This was in 1881.
when new commissioners were appoint
ed. The city Of Mandan had by this time
arisen; had a rail road and was a Yer!
lively city. and was made the county seat
Strange things were don in territorial
days.
In the fall Of this year the last hunt
ing party Of soldiers left the post for the
Hart river, about twenty miles west,
where buffalo were fOund in large num-
berS.
In the good old days a military post on
the frontier was a little kingdom Of it.
self. The commanding officer was abso-
lutte. The comfort and happiness Of those
comprising the garrison depended on the
whims and disposition of the post COM
mander. and at times on Mrs. post COM
mander. This winter was the last that all
the quarters We're fully occupied. The
garrison consisted of six troops Of the
Seventh cavalry. and three companies of
infantry. In October the cavalry was in
the field on the last Indian expedition ever
sent out from the post. and during its abb
sence the post was commanded by Major
r. r. A. Crofton The majors wife was
q very large woman. and as she llved
at the hill post she had Il road cut di-
rect through one of the hills to the lower
post so that in case the ambulance would
upset it would strike on the side of the
cut. Late in the fall the cavalry return
ed from the field and General S. ID.
Sturges assumed command. Sturges was
an officer ''of the old school, and a gen
tleman under all conditions and circum'
stances. His wife was a lady with al
the name implies
About the end of November historical
Old Fort Rice was abandoned, and thu
troops and supplies shipped to Lincoln
For the benefit Of the future historian
will say the Captain j. S. Poland an
his company a." 6 Infantry were tn,
last troops to leave Rice.
Il The u. S. Steamer Sherman brought thu
troops and stores to Lincoln The las
trip being made on the 3rd day of De
cember when the river was so filed will
floating ice hat the regular captain re
: fused to command and Capt. Jessie Ayre!
was employed by Capt. =. D. Baker, o
Polands company coming to Lincoln nee
| essitated the removal of one Compan!
of the 18th Infantry to Fort Yates.
The garrison now consisted of 81!
troops Of cavalry, (7th.) two companie
Of the 9Th Infantry and one Of the It'll
Infantry. In addition there was a de
; tachment of ordinance under command o
Lieut.. J. c.. Ayres. The quarters for which
was a little south of the cavalry post
There was also a detachment Of Indian
, scouts under charge OF Fred Gerard. Be
; sides what has been mentioned there wa
the usual number of civilian employees. II
+; all the garrison consisted Of about eigh
hundred persons.
Shortly after my arrival Lieutenan
( Ayres was about to leave the post to &c
married; before leaving he left his orde
; for food supplies, which he ordered b,
the wagon load. I though' the ordel
/; rather large, ana when his wife arrived
T; she must have thought te same, for sh'
I ! cnrt tho crao tat& ma ut ~ tho Goods. to oH