Camp Cooke (Montana) facts for kids

Camp Cooke, also known as Fort Claggett, was a U.S. Army military base. It was located on the Missouri River in what was then Montana Territory. The camp was set up on July 10, 1866, by the 13th Infantry Regiment. It was just a short distance upstream from where the Judith River flows into the Missouri.

By 1867, Camp Cooke had about 400 soldiers. The army built this post to protect steamboats. These boats traveled up the Missouri River to Fort Benton. They carried people and supplies to fast-growing towns. These towns appeared because of rich gold discoveries in western Montana.

The fort was far from the gold towns. It was also deep in a remote area called the Missouri Breaks. This area has rough, broken land along the Missouri River. Soldiers at Camp Cooke often had little to do. Steamboat traffic was busy only in May, June, and July. During other months, the river was too low.

Because of this, soldiers from Camp Cooke were sent to other important places. They guarded major travel routes in southwestern Montana. This included roads between Fort Benton and Helena. They helped build Fort Shaw in 1867 along that route. Other soldiers from Camp Cooke built Fort Ellis near Bozeman, Montana. This fort protected a key east-west land route over Bozeman Pass. Camp Cooke was closed less than four years after it opened. It was abandoned on March 31, 1870, because its location was too remote.

Why Was Camp Cooke Built?

Camp Cooke was built to protect people and boats traveling on the Missouri River. Many settlers and miners were heading to the goldfields in Montana. Gold was found in places like Bannack (1862), Virginia City (1863), and Helena (1864). Huge gold finds in 1865 in Confederate Gulch brought even more people.

These goldfields were in southwestern Montana's mountain valleys. To reach them, immigrants had to cross the wide eastern plains of Montana. The main way to get there was by steamboat up the Missouri River to Fort Benton. Another route was the Bozeman Trail. This trail started from the Oregon Trail in Wyoming. It went along the Big Horn Mountains and up the Yellowstone River valley. Finally, it reached the Montana goldfields through the Bozeman Pass.

Settlers and miners traveled through lands that belonged to Native American tribes. These tribes included the Blackfoot, Gros Ventre, Assiniboine, Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Crow. The steamboats and wagon trails scared away the buffalo and other animals. These animals were vital for the tribes' survival.

In response, Native Americans carried out small, scattered attacks. They raided steamboats and freight wagons. They also attacked groups of travelers and mail carriers. They stole animals and sometimes harmed settlers.

Montana's First Army Post

Newspapers in Montana's growing towns demanded protection. They reported many thefts and killings by Native Americans. Letters and requests were sent to Washington D.C. In response, the army set up Camp Cooke on the Missouri River on July 10, 1866.

To protect the Bozeman Trail, the army had already built forts in Dakota Territory. These included Fort Reno (1865) and Fort Phil Kearny (1866). On August 12, 1866, the army also built Fort C.F. Smith on the Big Horn River in Montana. So, Camp Cooke became the very first U.S. Army post in Montana Territory, just one month before Fort C.F. Smith.

How Camp Cooke Got Its Name

Camp Cooke was named after Brig. Gen. Philip St. George Cooke. In 1866, he was in charge of the Department of the Platte. This area included the Montana Territory at that time.

Choosing the Location for Camp Cooke

Inspector General D.B. Sackett was sent to Montana to pick a spot for the new army post. It needed to protect traffic on the Missouri River. Fort Benton was the obvious choice, as it was the end of the river journey. However, Sackett thought Fort Benton could defend itself. He also felt the area lacked building materials and enough grazing land for army animals.

He suggested a site at the mouth of the Musselshell River. A small community already existed there. As another option, Sackett suggested the mouth of the Judith River. This is where Camp Cooke was eventually built.

Why Camp Cooke Was So Remote

The gold discoveries in Montana were in the southwestern part of the territory. This was far from Camp Cooke. Camp Cooke was located in the wide, eastern plains of Montana. This made the post very isolated from the western part of the territory.

Also, the post was deep within a long stretch of the Missouri River called the Missouri Breaks. These are steep, eroded badlands that border the river. They separate it from the surrounding eastern Montana plains.

Protecting River Travel

Camp Cooke was on the south side of the Missouri River. It was just upstream from the Judith River's mouth. This spot was along the Missouri River, a major trade route from the 1860s to the 1880s. During this time, steamboats brought people and goods to Fort Benton. Fort Benton was the farthest point steamboats could reach on the Missouri River in Montana.

However, steamboat travel on this part of the river was limited. It was only possible for a few months of "high water." This happened when melting snow from the prairies and mountains made the river deep enough. Except for May, June, and July, steamboat traffic was almost nonexistent. Downstream from Camp Cooke were the Dauphine Rapids. These were very hard to cross once the river level dropped after spring floods. During low water, most goods and passengers were unloaded downstream from Camp Cooke. They were then taken by wagon to Fort Benton. These wagon routes did not pass close to Camp Cooke.

Why Camp Cooke Was Abandoned

Camp Cooke was abandoned on March 31, 1870, because it was so isolated. A rapidly growing problem with rats at the post also helped lead to this decision.

Visiting the Site Today

The Missouri Breaks area has remained wild and undeveloped. Because of this, the site of Camp Cooke is still very remote today. It is not easy to visit. You can reach it by canoeing or floating down the Missouri River. This section is now a wild and scenic river and part of the Missouri Breaks National Monument. The site of Camp Cooke is located at River Mile 86.8 Right. Today, you can only see the foundations of some buildings and scattered rubble.