Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-10-26
By Holm MUNRO

The large emigration TO the gold
fields of the northwest near the
headwaters of the Missouri and
Columbia rivers in the heart Of the
Indian country in the early sixties
compelled the government to af-
ford military protection TO the
people who knew hardly where
they were going and nothing as
to the country intervening. The
make this movement necessary and
under orders of Secretary of War
Stanton this duty was devOIved on
James Liberty Fisk, a captain In
the regular service. At the time
of his appointment he was serv-
ing with his regiment in central
Tennessee and the order reached
him about June 3, 1862.
People desiring to emigrate to the
gold fields had been ordered to rem
devious at Fort Abercrombie, Dakota,
about $50 miles northwest of st. Paul,
and there to await the escort. An act
of congress of Jan. 81 1852. appropri-
ated SIS, 900 for the expense Of the
expeditions on the overland routes be-
tween the Atlantic states and Califor-
mia, Oregon and Washington.
Captain Fisk Immediately repaired
to st. Paul and organized an escort
LIlt LAoCQ " lAOA4bAIl
life, who were mustered into the serv-
ice as a protective corps, numbering
about so, to be used as guards, sem
tries, scouting parties, etc. He also
took a physician, a guide and an
Interpreter. He also took a 12-pound
mountain howitzer The supply and
baggage train consisted OF three four
OK teams, one two-mule team and one
two-horse team, and the line was led
y.rt,f he
tfonal colors were flung.
Leaves st. Paul
Captain Fisk left st. Paul June 10
and proceeded to Fort Abercrombie,
which he reached July 3, and where
a large party of emigrants were await
ing him since the 1st. These were put
under military discipline and he also
learned that many others we're on the
way desiring to join the party.
There are many familiar names
the members Of all OF these
expeditions particularly the first one,
Of 1852 The commisSary was put in
charge Of N. P. Langford, for many
years a prominent citizen of the ter
ritorv and closely Identified with our
early history and one of the chronic |
ers of the times as author of "Vigi- !
ANTE Days and Ways" James Fergus, I
founder of Fergus Falls. also was a +
MEMBER OF lLlE party anu llC DSCdAlC /
he father of Fergus county and bore
conspicuous part In our early history.
The leader of the party himself be-
onged to a family which bore part
n the early history of the territory
md state. In after years he was fol-
owed to this section by five brothers
rom western New York. They were
Robert Emmett John Daniel, Webster,
Van H. and Andrew jackson, and
hey, for more than 80 years, were
Interested in or connected with the
Helena Herald, the leading newspaper
4 the territory. They purchased the
liant and publication known as the
radiator which the Herald succeeded,
rom T. j. Favorite, who had brought
printing press and outfit from Walla
Valla In 1865.
The purpose of the emigrants was
0 reach the gold fields Of western
dakota by the shortest route, and 1t
became known as the
orthern route General Stevens, on
lis way to Olympia to assume the
uties Of governor of Washington ter
TORY and at the same time making a
for a Pacific railroad
ear the 47th and 18th parallel Of
lorth latitude, had explored the re-
ion from the Red river to the north
( the western boundary of Minnesota
0 Fort Union, near the mouth OF the