The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-05-10


Fort Keogh continued as a militar,
post for a number of years. Occupy
ing a strategic position, it served as {
protecting outpost to the incoming
settlers. For many years during the
Indian a it was the greatest cav
airy post in America. Subsequently
the war department decreed that the
western military posts should be
abandoned, and Fort Keogh shared
in the general fate. Thus it comes
with the advance of the years and
through the ~exigencies arising, that
for the second time in the history of
the fort, its abandonment is again
before the war department.
Following it's first abandonment,
the old post, once the scene of great
activity and the center of military
maneuvers against the Indians, stood
empty and deserted for several years.
As a Remount Station
When the attention of the war de-
partment was called to the fact that
excellent cavalry horses were raised
in eastern Montana, it was decided
that Fort Keogh should be used as a
remount station for the breeding and
training of horses for the cavalry
service.
The old buildings were %remodeled,
new stables and other structures were
added and the horse raising put into
Thousands of horses were bred and
broken at the fort and then shipped
as they were required to all parts of
the United States to be used in the
cavalry. Among the three remount
stations in the country, Fort Keogh
was the largest, and it is not con-
sidered to be an exaggeration to say
that the best mounts for cavalry pur-
poses were prepared at Fort Keogh.
During the late world war the fort
was a busy place. Horse buyers from
all over the world, from Europe par
ticularly, representatives of the al
lies, expert horsemen c~ongregated at
Fort Keogh and purchased the hardy
and fleet ponies of the plains of east
ern Montana. Since that time and
as the demand for trained horses
seemed to decrease, the wal depart
ment continued to maintain the fort
as a remount station. Furthermore,
under the command of Lieut.-Colone
Henry Gibbin, who was transferred
last year to the war college at Wash
ington, D. c., a new line of activity
was inaugurated which included the
importing of standard bred stations
for the benefit of the horse ~raisers
of this section of Montana.
At the same time an expert farmer
was employed to cultivate the bottom
lands. An irrigating system was in
and every effort made to in
crease the usefulness of the fort prop
erty and make it self-sustaining. 1t
Is apparent that the expense of farm
ing the thousands of acres of bot
tom land and the keeping up of the
irrigating system resulted in deficits
at the end of each year, for at present
neither farming nor the operation of
the irrigating system is being kept
up.
Recently the war department
transferred to the department of the
interior the larger portion of the fort
reservation lying west of the Tongue
river and it is surmised that some dis
position will be made of it for other
than military or remount station pur-
poses.
Memories Of Soldiers to Linger
Originally established as a protect
military outpost on the edge of
he advancing civilization of a half
ago Fort Keogh has been an
landmark through the years.
It's glory rose with the success of the
warfare against the Indians, and per-
in the light of it's inception, its
york having been completed, it is
lbout to pass to become one of the
forts of the country.
Whatever it's fate is destined to be,
it is retained as a remount
tation or abandoned; whether it be
converted into a military training
amp for summe occupation, or used
IS a camp for rifle practice for west
I'm troops, whether it be left to the
of a ~caretaker, there will al
linger around the ground and
through the buildings the memories
# those men who came with their
eaders and made it safe for the adj
'enturous advance guard of civiliza-
ion to enter into the northwest when
life was at stake and a pawn for the
.%urderous redmen.
The world may little note or long
emember what was done during the
days of Indian wars in the
ate seventies and early eighties, but
be presence of the fort, in whatever
ondition it may be left, will always
emain as a monument to brave and
aliant men who cleared the plains
nd the hills of the dangers of lurk-
savages.
Fifty years, at best, is but a short
eriod of time, yet within it Fort
-eogh has seen the passing of the
uffalo, the routing of the savage and
ae establishment OF modern condi-
ons. It has seen the coming OF the