The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-08-08
PRACTICALLY a ruin, but
picturesque in its decay, old

in the now prosperous and peace
full Gallatin valley, just beyond tn
, outskirts of the city of Bozemar
The fast-flying Northern Pacifi
railway trains whirl through it
limits, on one side the site of tn
old stables, now gone, and on tn
other the former habitations of tn
officers and men. Along the space
now occupied by the railway man.
times was formed hurriedly thu
little squadron of cavalry that wa
part of the garrison.
| Across the fields, now yielding
a wealth of golden grain, the stir
ring notes of Boots and Saddles
oftimes sounded the overture to the
tragedy of a chase after and battle
with invading Indians. And ther
the swift sharp orders of the adj
jutant, the turning over Of the com
mand to the senior officer, the brief
seconds wait and then the rafting
order Column of tours to break
from the right to march to the
left. Mar-r-rch!" The blare of
the bugle Forward" that took up
the command, and then the march
ing away of the little column, fire.
quently to come back with ranks
thinner than it went.
One can see it all in imagination,
and then, too, he sees the white
faces of the women peering from
the row of log houses on the side
hill, peering after the disappearing
column, looking out across the field
with eyes that bravely held back
the tears, gazing at the line of blue
that merged into dust cloud, and
saying nothing of the agony IN
their souls. AS the husbands did
their duty nobly and bravely, so
did these frontier soldiers wives do
theirs. In their code one must new
er weep when the command is or
dered out.
When Fort Ellis was in existence
as military post its reservation in
cluded square of land each side
of which was seven miles long.
Now this land has been cut up
and sold to farmers, who have
it into prosperous
grain fields. Of the original re-
serve only $40 acres remain. 1t is
now the property of the state OF
Montana and here have in recent
years been held several of the an
nual encampments of the state mil
tia, whose tents were pitched down
the broad street that leads away
from the guardhouse and passes
between the barracks and officers
quarters.
The post has changed materially |
since it was first built half cen
fury ago. OF all the buildings the
stocky, solid double houses that
formed the officers quarters re-
ain most OF the original appear
lnce. They are little changed. j
Fort Ellis was established in 1867
ind the original building were con-
tructed by two companies of the
9th infantry under command Of
Major Lamont. A large stockade
e feet high was built about the
ouses, which-both mems and Of
icers' quarters = were of logs.
3astions were erected at two Of the
our corners = the southwest and
ortheast. While intended to con-
ain a garrison of at least two com
anies the orders were to build the
ort so it could be held by Is men
attacked when the main COM
land was away. The object Of the
ost at this point was to command
le passes that led into the Gallatin
alley from the Yellowstone. The
alley then was almost on the east
IN frontier. III
The post was given the name Of
ort Ellis in honor Of Colonel Ellis
the Sixth Massachusetts colored
olunteer infantry, a brave and
rilliant officer who was killed dur
lg the Civil War. In 1869 the gar
son was reinforced by four troops
the Second cavalry, which
larched in from Fort Russell, III
Jyoming, in the department of The
latte. These four troops re- III
aimed at the post practically al
lie time up to its abandonment in
384, but the two companies of in II
lntry were changed several times, II
Of the Seventh infantry III
lcceeding those Of the 18th and in
i'm being succeeded by companies h
| the Third infantry. III
For years the garrison Of the II
LrsaH