Fort Shaw
Barring fur trading posts, the first important white settlements in
Montana were the mining camps in the western mountains. every thing to the
east belonged to the plains Indians and was buffalo range. to protect the
miners and settlers from possible incursions of hostile tribes a series of
military posts was established around the eastern border of the mining camps and
settlements. Fort Shaw established in 1867 was one of these. It also
protected the stage and freight trail from Ft. Benton head of navigation on the
Missouri to the Last Chance Gulch placer diggings at Helena. every thing
north of the Sun River was Blackfeet Indian territory at that time. The
Fort was built by the 13th U.S. Infantry under Major Wm. Clinton.
Gen. Gibbon led his troops from here in 1876 to join Gen. Terry and Gen.
Custer on the Yellowstone just prior to the latters disastrous fight with the
Sioux and Cheyenne Indians at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. ~ text of
marker