The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-06-24

fare within the state that eliminated
in the surrender of Chief Joseph, tht
valiant Nez Perces leader, to Genera
Miles, on October A, 1877. During
that period of border fighting, the
names of a number of generals be
came famous through their exploits
and the sparse population of Mon.
tana came to know quite intimately
such noted army leaders as Miles
Crook, Terry, Custer, Gibbon and
others. OF this aggregation of In
dian fighters the one to whom Mon
tana owes most, who lived longest
within the territory and who was the
most active in military matters was
Brigadier-General John Gibbon.
General Gibbon, who had a bril-
liant Civil war record, anne to Mon
tana in 1870, to take command of the
headquarters of the district of Mon
tana, which were at Fort Shaw. Fort
Shaw had been established in 1857,
construction of the post being COM
pleted the following year, in the
summer of 1868. The first troops
there in 1857 were four companies
of the Thirteenth United States in
fantry, under Major William Clinton.
At first the post was named Fort
Reynolds, but it was changed to Fort
Shaw August L., 1867, in remem-
brance of Colonel Robert G. Shaw, of
the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts volun-
teers (colored), who was killed in the
Civil war engagement at Fort Wag-
ner in July, 1863. Major Clinton at
first lodged his troops in tents, but
uuintnr hoI n,1orf0r1 F4,. f1o
men built, a hospital and other build
ings constructed.
Fort Shaw, which was General Glib
bon's headquarters for the greater
part of his residence of nearly 10
years in Montana, had a military res
ervation about 10 miles up and down
the Sun river valley. General Reeve
designed the post, and adobe bricks,
6x12x4 inches were used in the walls.
The reason for the establishment
of Fort Shaw was to protect and keep
open the route from Fort Benton to
Helena, and to prevent, SO far as pos
'ible, the incursions of Indians into
of the south.
Gibbons First Work
General Gibbons first work was
% complete the establishment of Fort
Shaw as a permanent military post
to cur a thorough knowledge
If the various streams and transpor-
alton routes of northern Montana,
he had no trouble of a serious
nature with the Indians for more
han a year. Shortly afterward, due
o the hostility of the Sioux as a re-
ult of the preliminary work of the
Northern Pacific in making its sur
-eys for a route through the terri
DRY, the troubles began which came
he Little Big Horn.
At this time General w. T. Sher-
was commander-in-chief of the
United States army. In fulfilment
f its agreement with the Northern
'acific, a project that was of national
the government promised
military escorts for the eastern
nd western units of survey and con-
truction. Not only was this done,
ut the troops in the field throughout
district spanned by the company's
lght-of-way were ordered to drive
ne Indians as far back as possible l
'om the line. {
Fight on the Yellowstone !
After General Gibbon had been at !
ort Shaw for nearly two years the '
orthern Pacific, which had been !
)mpleting its eastern surveys, was !
lady to extend it's engineering work :
that section of the country from !
le base of the Rocky mountains to I
ismarck, on the Missouri river, at !.
hich point Fort Lincoln stood. Two Z
lrveying parties were to operate. l.
was to commence at the Missouri 7
Id proceed to the west toward the l
ountains. The other was to begin !
ork on the Upper Yellowstone and d
How that stream till it should meet l
e first party at the mouth of Pow q
# river. The eastern detachment
accompanied by a detachment =
lder General Gibbon, whose chose q
r this duty four companies of the Il
venth infantry from Fort Shaw II
d four companies of the Second II
valry from Fort Ellis. &c
General Gibbon placed in COM st
and of his detachment Major Eu- C
ne Baker, of the Second cavalry, u
10, a couple of years before, had .,
70 oSCd hlIloCll NY hldo0dClluS d
lpless and unprotected band of
ackfeet women, children and old
IN that had been segregated on the W
river as a smallpox camp, the I'll
.rriors of which were all out in the TT
,untains hunting. Major Baker at tn
1T time was supposed to be pursu- be
: a band of Blackfeet marauders sc
o had the year before murdered bl
Clarke in Prickly Pear val to
:, but he ran across the smallpox ar
mp and insisted on its destruction Fl
a time when he was too drunk to
DIV what he was doing. ju
Sioux War Starts ris
being placed in the field by Ii
neral Gibbon to protect the Nor be
IN Pacific surveying crew, Major IA
ker and his command ran into a tn
Id of from 500 to 1000 hostile HI
ux, which attacked the white me
ops in the hope of getting away Id;
b the cavalry horses. A prolong- SCI
skirmish followed and the Sioux ar
e routed, but as Major Baker ap- ca
red again to be somewhat under Pc
weather, and changed his mind At
often about following them, they me
away. The manner in which las
Ier handled his command so dis the
ted the engineers of the surveying rul
- -