Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-08-14
Fort HOWE Was Erected IN
1868 as Safeguard Against
Marauding Blackfeet Reds
rs NOW AN ALMOST. FORGOTTEN
OUTPOST OF FRONTIER
DAYS

! EUFE HNMAEs AWtt saM AA&Nu3t AuA~
gotten outpost of defense during
/ frontier days In Montana. Few
! people know that Meagher county
had such fort, as IL has not been
I In existence for many years. IL Was
4 built in 1858, near the North Fork
Of the MusseIshell, on the old Car
/ r0I trail, about eight miles west Of
! Martinsdale, as protection from
4 the BIackfeef Indians.
During the early days Of settlement
4 in Montana, while many settlers came
/ from the east via the Missouri river
: to Fort Benton, at the head Of naviga-
ton, most of them came from the west
and southwest, following the placer
mining camps, the most noted being
Gold Greek, Bannack. Alder Gulch,
Last Chance and Confederate Gulch
on the east end of the chain. This made
Montana an exception to most Of the
western states, with the settlements
| located In the western and southwest
ern part, while the eastern part re-
manned unsettled, forming the frontier.
Steamboats, could reach Fort Benton
most of the year; but during low water
freight had to be unloaded at point
northeast of Judith Gap and trans
ported by wagons to the mining camps
and other points. A freight road was
soon located between the river landing
and Confederate Gulch, known as THE
Carol Trail" named for the freighter
who had most to do with laying it out.
This road passed between Judith Gap
and the Afoccasin mountains, up the
North Fork of the Musselshell, through
White Sulphur Springs to Confederate
Gulch Traces Of this old freight road
can still be seen at various points near
Checkerboard, MILESTONE and Flag
staff. The road was on the north side
of the river, with the fording near the
place where the Ed Holiday home now
stands.
The Blackfeet were the most hostile
of the various Indian tribes, causing
trouble to both settlers and freighterS.
During 1867 and 1868 hostilities and
depredations grew worse; and when
Malcolm Clark was killed near Helena,
the people were reused to the fact that
some point of defense must be estab-
lished farther east on this trail to care
for this section, should there be a gen.
eral outbreak among the Indians.
Neil Howie, from east of Helena, or
ganized small body of territorial vol
unteers in the fall of 1863 and selected |
the location for their fort on 1.-THE |
Carol Trail" on what is now the
Charles Holiday ranch. They built a /
small Stockade, which was named in /
Howie's honor, and also built up pro-
tecting embankment While they had |
only one cannon, a 3-inch one, they had |
a large supply Of rifles and ammuni-
ton.
The Indians quieted somewhat, so the |
men returned to their homes during |
the spring of 1869, and little Fort HOWE |
was abandoned. 1t remained standing /
until some time during the late 70's-
some people say it burned down; others
that settlers tore it down for dry fire.
wood. All that remains of it now is a /
small pile Of stones from the old fire.
place.
John Barrows, of San Diego Calf,
author of "Ubet," writes that when he /
came to Montana In the spring of 1880,
q boy of is, he was employed by Frank
Gaugler, Of Gauglersville; and one day
in early summer, while looking after
Gaugler's small band Of cayuseS he
crossed to the south side Of the North
Fork, between the Sayre ranch and the
Hall ranch, starting home on the
White Sulphur Springs road or 1.-THE
Carol Trail" just south of the trail
he noticed the remains of what had
been rectangular stockade; but all
that remained was a lot of bark and
small chips, and the fragments of a
fireplace. This left little impression
with him, there being too many ex-
citing adventures to occupy a boys
mind. In later years, David Hilger iden-
titled the place for him as Fort Howie.
The father Of Charles and Sanford
Holiday, while living at Canyon Ferry
IN the late 70'S, acquired q bunch of
cattle and brought them to the Mus
selshen to winter, making several such
rips. He told that the fort was stand