The most rapid expansion of forts into the Northern Plains took place from 1850 to the early 1880s. This expansion was directly related the U.S. military policy of attempting to control the Indian populations presently in the Northern Plains. The majority of the Indian Wars fought on the Northern Plains occurred during this period. As the emigrants and the railroads pushed westward the Indians continually attempted to stop this intrusion into what they considered their territory. In many cases the Indians were correct – treaties signed with the government gave them certain lands for both reservations and hunting. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory is a prime example. Following the expedition of 1874 by Custer’s 7th Cavalry and discovery of gold, miners, settlers and farmers moved into the Black Hills even though at the time it was part of a Sioux reservation. An attempt by the army to keep these people out of the Black Hills proved futile and eventually the Indians lost the land.

Contrary to popular belief, especially reinforced by movie westerns, the vast majority of forts constructed on the Northern Plains were not the high-walled, single-gated structures with blockhouse type structures at each corner. Fort Phil Kearny was one of the exceptions – it was a stockade type of fort with high walls completely surrounding the interior. Most of the forts were usually laid out in a rectangular pattern with a central parade ground and buildings around the perimeter – the officer’s quarters were along one side, the enlisted barracks across the parade ground, and the commissionaire and operational type buildings on both ends.

Probably the most controversial of the forts built immediately after the Civil War were those established along the Bozeman Trail to protect the emigrants and miners – Forts Phil Kearny, C.F. Smith and Reno. All were built in 1866 and abandoned in 1868 following the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868.

Almost without exception forts were built near a major water source, usually near a river or stream from which water was available throughout the entire year. The most notable of the these forts were as follows:

 Fort Abraham Lincoln  Established in August 1872 as Fort McKeen, the name was changed to Fort Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1872. The fort was located on the right (west) bank of the Missouri River, opposite Bismarck, Dakota Territory. There was a post office and telegraph office located on the post. Wagon roads on the west bank led to Fort Rice and Cheyenne Agency, and on the east bank to Forts Stevenson and Buford. Fort Rice is 25 miles by land and Fort Stevenson is 70 miles by land and 94 miles by river. The fort was abandoned in 1891.

            Fort Buford  Established on June 15, 1866, on the left bank of the Missouri River, near the mouth of the Yellowstone. There was a post office on the post. In 1876 the nearest telegraph and railroad stations were at Bismarck, D.T., 220 miles distant by land, and 380 miles by river. The ford was abandoned in 1895.

            Fort Custer  Established on July 4, 1877, on a bluff near the confluence of the Big Horn and Little Big Horn Rivers. It was just 11 miles from the Little Big Horn battlefield. There was a post office and telegraph station at the post. The nearest railroad point was Custer Station on the Northern Pacific Railway, 29 miles distant. The fort was abandoned in 1898.

Fort Ellis  Established August 27, 1867, in Dakota Territory in the eastern end of the Gallatin Valley, and on the left bank of the east Gallatin River. The post office and telegraph station were in the town of Bozeman, M.T., three miles distant. The fort was abandoned in 1886.

Fort Fetterman  Established July 19, 1867, in Wyoming Territory at the junction of La Prele Creek and North Platte River. Nearest post office was in Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, 75 miles distant and there was a telegraph station at the post. The fort was abandoned in 1882.

Fort Laramie  Established on June 27, 1849, in Wyoming Territory on the left bank of the Laramie River, about half a mile from its junction with the North Platte, and near the eastern base of the Black Hills. There was a post office and telegraph station at the post. Cheyenne, on the Union Pacific Railroad, was 80 miles distant. The fort was abandoned in 1890.

Fort Rice  Established in 1864 in Dakota Territory on the right bank of the Missouri River. There was a post office at the post and the nearest telegraph and railroad stations were at Bismarck, D.T., 28 miles to the north. The fort was abandoned in 1878.

            Fort Robinson  Established in March 1874 on the north bank of the White River, 25 miles south of the northern line, and 20 miles east of the western line of the state of Nebraska. There was a post office at the Red Cloud Agency, 1 1/2 miles distant, and the nearest telegraph station was at Fort Laramie, W.T., 82 miles distant. Cheyenne, W.T. was 165 miles distant. It was not abandoned until 1948.

Fort Stevenson  Established in June 1867 in Dakota Territory on the left bank of the Missouri River, at its junction with Douglas Creek. There was a post office at the post and the nearest telegraph and railroad stations were at Bismarck, D.T., 70 miles distant by land, and 95 miles by water. Fort Buford, the nearest post up the river, was 150 miles distant by land and 285 miles by water. The fort was abandoned in 1883.

Fort Totten  Established in 1867 in Dakota Territory on the southeastern shore of Lake Minniwakan (better known as Devil’s Lake). There was a post office at the post and the nearest railroad and telegraph stations were at Jamestown, D.T., 100 miles to the southeast. The fort was abandoned in 1890.

Books on Western Forts

Athearn, Robert G., Forts of the Upper Missouri (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1967). The dramatic, action-filled story of how the military forts and trading posts of the Upper Missouri River contributed to the exploration and development of the American West. Hardcover in fine condition with a very good dust jacket. (Item No. 0592) …………………$45.00

Billings, John S., Circular No. 8: Report on Hygiene of the U.S. Army and Otis, George A., Circular No. 9: Report ....on the Transport of Sick and Wounded by Pack Animals (New York, NY: Sol Lewis, 1974). Reports from the War Department, Surgeon General's Office on the hygiene of the Army at various military posts with descriptions of the posts, and how to move the sick and wounded in the field using pack animals. Hardcover in fine condition, no dust jacket as issued. Limited to 500 copies. (Item No. 3122) ...............$90.00

Carroll, John M. (editor), Fort Custer and A Bonus (Bryan, TX: Private Printing, 1983). A long letter from the Medical Officer stationed at Fort Custer in 1894. It is a revealing letter, both personally and historically. The bonus is a story about a potential political badge showing Custer picture similar to a badge used by Grant in the 1868 campaign. Wraps in fine condition. (Item No. 1643E) ...........$25.00

Delo, David M., Peddlers and Post Traders: The Army Sutler on the Frontier (Helena, MT: Kingfisher Books, 1998). A well-researched, comprehensive account -- will be remembered as a pioneering work that filled a major void in the economic history of the frontier. Softcover in fine condition. Signed. (Item No. 2232) ..................$25.00: Another copy, hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. (Item No. 2883) .....$35.00

Emmett, Chris, Fort Union and the Winning of the Southwest (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965). Founded in 1851 it marked the beginning of the final stages of U.S. penetration into the area. From that time until it was abandoned in 1891, the fort was the supply post and focal point for dealing with the Spanish and Indian populations in New Mexico Territory. Hardcover in very good condition with a good dust jacket. (Item No. 0493) ....$45.00: Another copy, hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. First edition. (Item No. 3259) .................$55.00

Frazer, Robert W., (editor), Mansfield on the Condition of the Western Forts, 1853-54 (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963). In the spring of 1853, Colonel Joseph K.F. Mansfield was ordered to inspect the Department of New Mexico; the following year, he inspected the Department of the Pacific. His tours included a thorough examination of individual posts and their surroundings. Hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. (Item No. 2492) ...................$35.00

Hagen, Barry J., "Exactly in the Right Place" -- A History of Fort C.F. Smith, Montana Territory, 1866-1868 (El Segundo, CA: Upton & Sons, Publishers, 1999). In the eyes of the Sioux, the Bozeman Trail ran like a malignancy through the Dakota and Montana territories, spreading its virulence for more than 500 miles. The three forts on the Bozeman Trail, Fort Phil Kearny, Fort Reno and Fort C.F. Smith were a thorn in the side of the Sioux and, for the soldiers who were stationed there, it was a life of constant terror and a state of siege. Hardcover in like new condition with a like new dust jacket. Limited edition in leather, this is No. 49 of 50. (Item No. 3408) ................$150.00: Another copy, trade edition. Hardcover in like new condition with a like new dust jacket. (Item No. 3897) ..................$40.00

Hansen, Marcus L., Old Fort Snelling, 1819-1858 (Iowa City, IA: The State Historical Society of Iowa, 1918). The fort was established in 1819 within the Missouri Territory on ground which later became a part of the Territory of Iowa. This volume begins with the establishment of the fort in 1819 and ends with the temporary abandonment of the site as a military post in 1858. Hardcover in very good to fine condition, no dust jacket. Lettering on spine light. (Item No. 2769) ..............$135.00

Hart, Herbert M., Old Forts of the Far West (Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Co., 1965). The author takes you back to Civil War times when the flimsy forts were thrown together as settlers and armies moved West and the Indians moved in. Nearly 300 pictures. Hardcover in very good condition with a fine dust jacket. First edition. (Item No. 2471) …………….$35.00

Hart, Herbert M., Old Forts of the Northwest (Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Co., 1963). Includes description of forts located mainly in the Northwest – Washington, the Dakotas, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Hundreds of photos and descriptions of the forts “then” and “now.” Hardcover in very good condition with a very good dust jacket. First edition. (Item No. 2473) ………………$35.00

Hart, Herbert M., Old Forts of the Southwest (Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Co., 1964). The author finds the crumbling adobe walls of the western forts from Kansas to California. More than 200 photos of over 60 old army forts “then” and “now,” plus maps and plates. Hardcover in very good condition with a very good dust jacket. First edition. (Item No. 2623) ……….$35.00

Hart, Herbert M., Pioneer Forts of the West (New York, NY: Bonanza Books, 1981). The author covers the posts, stockades and blockhouses from “hell to breakfast” from stagecoach days to Civil War in the West. More than 70 of the earliest forts are included from Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Utah, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. (Item No. 2622) …………….$25.00

Holmes, Louis A., Fort McPherson, Nebraska: Guardian of the Tracks and Trails (Lincoln, NE: Johnsen Publishing Co., 1963). The expanding of our nation westward under the tireless and fearless fur traders-mountain men brought attention to Fort McPherson, south of Maxwell, Nebraska. It was one of forts used by the pioneers in their western movements. Hardcover in fine condition, no dust jacket as issued. Limited edition, this is No. 617, tipped in signature of the author. (Item No. 3016) ...........$45.00

Jones, Evan, Citadel in the Wilderness: The Story of Fort Snelling and the Northwest Frontier (New York, NY: Coward-McCann, 1966). Built high on a bluff commanding the confluence of the St. Peter’s and Mississippi rivers, and completed in 1824, Fort Snelling – Gibraltar of the West – Eloquently announced that the U.S. had taken possession of the lands of the Upper Mississippi. Hardcover in very good to fine condition with a very good to fine dust jacket. (Item No. 1834) ..................$35.00

Kansas State Historical Society, 1926-28, Volume XVII, (Topeka, KS: Kansas State Printing Plant, 1928). Contains Custer High Spot No. 14, "Fort Wallace and Its Relation to the Frontier" by Mrs. Frank C. Montgomery. Also contains a number of articles concerning early Kansas history. Hardcover in like new condition, no dust jacket as issued. (Item No. 1247) ...................$40.00

Lee, Robert, Fort Meade and the Black Hills (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1991). Fort Meade was the home of the famous 7th Cavalry after its ignominious defeat in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The controversial career of the beleaguered Major Marcus Reno ended there in a court-martial. Troops from Fort Meade played a pivotal role in the events that led to the tragedy at Wounded Knee in 1890. Hardcover in fine condition with very good dust jacket. (Item No. 1488) ............$35.00: Another copy, hardcover in  fine condition with a very good dust jacket. (Item No. 1620) ...........$35.00

Miller, Don, & Cohen, Stan, Military & Trading Posts of Montana (Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1978). Includes sites in North Dakota, Wyoming, Alberta and British Columbia. This volume will contribute in a major way toward closing another gap in the numerous relatively unexplored periods in Montana's past. Softcover in fine condition. (Item No. 3590) ...............$30.00

Nye, Colonel W.S., Carbine & Lance: The Story of Old Fort Sill (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1951). The history of Fort Sill, in the heart of the old Kiowa-Comanche Indian country in southwestern Oklahoma. With the inauguration of the so-called Quaker Peace Policy during Grant's first administration Fort Sill became a place of refuge for the marauding bands which went forth unmolested to raid in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico. Hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. Sixth printing. (Item No. 0117) ...................$35.00

Pride, Captain W.F., The History of Fort Riley (Kansas: NP, 1926). The "Preface" reads: It is the hope of the author that, by reading this brief history, that generation of officers who attended one of the schools at Fort Riley before the World War may revive old memories, and that the present and future generations of cavalry officers may learn something of the history of this Post, which has now become what General Sheridan foresaw -- "A headquarters for cavalry of the Army." Hardcover in near fine condition, no dust jacket. (Item No. 2172) .......................$75.00

Reynolds, Lindor, Forts & Battlefields of the Old West (New York, NY: BDD Promotional Book Co., Inc., 1991). Photographs by Lynn Radeka. Covers many forts and battlefields including the Alamo, Bent's Old Fort, Custer Battlefield, Fort Bridger, Fort Clatsop, Fort Cove, Fort Huachuca, Fort Meade, and others. Hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. (Item No. 1463) .................$25.00

Sheridan, Philip H. (commander), Outline Descriptions of the Posts in the Military Division of the Missouri (Bellevue, NE: The Old Army Press, ND). A reprint of the 1876 document of the same name and includes a description of the posts of the different departments in the division. The departments are Dakota, The Platte, The Missouri, Texas and The Gulf. Also included is a tabular lists of Indian superintendencies, agencies and reservations, and a summary of certain Indian treaties. Softcover in like new condition. (Item No. 2682) ...................$40.00

Upton, Richard, Fort Custer on the Big Horn (Glendale, CA: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1973). The history and personalities of Fort Custer from 1877 to 1898 as told and pictured by its contemporaries. Hardcover in fine condition, no dust jacket as issued. (Item No. 3006) .............$90.00

Walton, George, Sentinel of the Plains: Fort Leavenworth and the American West (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1873). Fort Leavenworth was a post that was to play an instrumental role in the "settling" of the West and in every American war fought after 1827. Hardcover in fine condition with a fine dust jacket. First edition. (Item No. 0705) .............$35.00

Werner, Fred H., Heroic Fort Sedgwick and Julesburg (Greeley, CO: Werner Publications, 1987). Deals with the historical events concerning Fort Sedgwick and Julesburg during the period from about 1864 to 1871. Included is a journal of the author's research at the sites. Booklet in fine condition, signed. (Item No. 3531E) ....................$30.00

Broken Arrow Books has a number of other books on this subject – your inquires are welcome. We also provide a search service if we do not have the book in stock and can either obtain the book for you or provide you with the name of the dealer who has a copy of the book.