The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-05-11
OLD FORT KE0GH, LANDMARK OF INDIAN WARS M MONTANA,
MAY BE ABAND0MED FOUNDED BY GENERAL MILES I'M 1876
By LOUIS F. GRILL

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II last 45 years, since the estab
Iishment of Fort Keogh near the
mouth of the Tongue river in south
eastern Montana, the question OF its
abandonment by the war department
at Washington, d. c., is being con-
sidered. Less than two decades after
it's construction, after it had served
as an outpost for military protection
against roaming bands of Indians, 1t
was abandoned and subsequently re-
opened as a remount station and be-
came the largest in the world.
During the last few years the war
department has had under considera-
tion the question of the abandonment
of a number of forts which have out
lived their usefulness, and cOnsum-
mate action in O. number of instances
has been taken. Owing to the yalu-
able services which Fort Keogh has
rendered to the stockgrowing inter-
ests of the northwest it has been re-
tanned, but it is understood that the
matter of expense in connection with
it's continuance has entered as a
practically determining factor, and its
fate is already sealed.
In the summer of 1876 the eyes
of the world were turned toward
Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly
Love, and literally thousands visited
the location near that city on which
was being celebrated the centennial
observation of the adoption by the
early fathers of the Declaration of In
dependence. Americans heralded to
the world that these were the free
and United States of America-and
independent.
On June 25 of that centennial year,
General George A. Custer and his
command we're annihilated by an
the Little Big Horn in the great I'M
developed and partially settled north
west. The magnitude of the disaster
of that bright June morning also at
tracted the attention of the world as
soon as the news of the battle came
speeding over the wires from Bis
marck, then an outpost on the edge
of civilization. The country was
aroused to the fact that there was a
goodly portion of this great. domain
where virtually another sovereignty
reigned supreme.
Very few people in the more set
tied portions of the country were cog
infant of the conditions in the Indian
country which were known more in
to the army and the scat
tered pioneers. Suddenly, in the mas
sacre of General Custer and his COM
mand, the attention of the nation was
called to the situation, embellished
rs it was by the details of bloody
horror that sickened while it enrag-
I'd. E.
Keogh Established in 1876
The military authorities imme-
liately ordered the occupation. of the
Yellowstone valley. For the protec-
ion of incoming settlers and to add
% the effectiveness of the troops two
military posts we're established. Each
we're named after hero of the mas
acre. Fort Custer was established
It the confluence of the Big Horn and
he Little Big Horn, few miles from :
he famous Custer battlefield. Fort
keogh was established at the con-
luence of the Tongue and Yellow
tone rivers.
On the LIST day of August, 1876,
fajor General Nelson A. Miles, then
colonel in the regular army, arriv- !
d at the mouth of the Tongue river
n command of the Fifth infantry. A
ract of land 10 miles square subse- +.
uently was selected as the site of
he fort which was named Keogh. 1t
onsisted of bad lands, Yellowstone
liver breaks and benchlands and sew :.
raj thousand acres of level bottom !.
ands, considered as an ideal location :
Or the construction of fort and a
ne Indians, who had united their
orces for the purpose of driving the !,
-hite man from the favorite hunting :,
rounds and buffalo haunts.
After spending some time recon- :
and looking over various To- !
atoms along the Yellowstone, Gen =
raj Miles returned to the mouth of
le Tongue river and erected a stock
de built largely from timber secured
ON the telling of cottonwood trees =
hich grew in abundance along the .
ream. There is nothing left of this :
-iginal site, except the well which
lpplied the drinking water, and the
dyes of earth along which the
ockade walls we're erected. Imme-I
ately to the south are located the
ir grounds used by Custer county
Id in late year the scene of the an
lal roundup and historical celebra
on.
Would Erect Monument
A movement is on foot to erect
onuments on the site of the original
ort Keogh, and in 1922 George M.
i1oe a naphouy of Goporo1 Mi1ac and
no accompanied him as clerk in
q quartermaster's department in
ugust, 1876, together with L. A.
e. IA