Fort Shaw facts for kids

Fort Shaw was a United States Army fort built in Montana. It was first called Camp Reynolds. The fort was located on the Sun River, about 24 miles west of Great Falls, Montana. It was started on June 30, 1867. The Army left the fort in July 1891.

After the Army left, Fort Shaw became a school for Native American children from 1892 to 1910. Today, some parts of the fort are still standing and serve as a small museum. The nearby town of Fort Shaw, Montana is named after the old fort. Fort Shaw is also part of the Fort Shaw Historic District and Cemetery, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Building Fort Shaw

In the 1850s, many farmers, miners, and fur trappers moved into the Montana area. The government decided to pay more attention to the region. The Montana Territory was created in 1864, partly because of the sudden rush of miners after gold was found.

Camp Reynolds was set up on June 30, 1867. Major William Clinton and four companies of the 13th Infantry Regiment started the camp. It was about 20 miles upstream from where the Sun River meets the Missouri River. The camp was meant to keep the Mullan Road safe and stop Native American attacks on settlements.

On August 1, 1867, the camp's name was changed to Fort Shaw. This was to honor Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. He was a Union Army officer who led an all-black regiment during the American Civil War. Fort Shaw was planned to protect the growing mining towns in Montana.

How the Fort Was Built

When Fort Shaw first started, soldiers lived in canvas tents. They began building log cabins in August 1867. By late fall, they had built barracks for half the soldiers. They also built a temporary storehouse and three officers' huts. The rest of the buildings were finished in the spring and summer of 1868.

Fort Shaw was built around a square parade ground. It was 400 feet on each side. The walls of the buildings were made from adobe bricks. The outside walls were 18 inches thick. The inside walls were 12 inches thick. The officers' homes had white plaster walls and glass windows.

There were four U-shaped barracks for the soldiers. Each barracks was 102 feet long on each side. They had 9-foot ceilings. Each barracks had several rooms. These included a sergeant's room, a storeroom, a dining room, a kitchen, and sleeping areas. The roofs were first made of boards, then later shingles.

Many other buildings were also constructed. These included a storehouse for food and supplies. It was 90 feet by 90 feet. There was also a guardhouse with stone prison cells. A hospital, a chapel, a school, and a library were also built. Other buildings included a bakery, a weapons room, and water tanks.

Fort Shaw was very well planned and built. People called it the "queen of Montana's military posts." A cemetery was located half a mile west of the fort. A vegetable garden was about one mile east.

Life at the Fort

The fort was located in the Sun River Valley. The river was shallow and easy to cross. Food was mostly brought in from other places. Soldiers could catch some fish from the Sun River. They also hunted wild game like deer and elk. But these animals were not common. Nearby ranches sold vegetables to the fort at high prices.

Finding fuel was a challenge. Wood was scarce in the valley. The fort had to bring in wood logs from the Rocky Mountains. This was about 20 miles away. Coal was also brought from mines about 30 miles away. It was used for heating and cooking.

Water was another problem. The valley had good drainage, so there were no springs near the fort. Water was brought from the river through a long trench. Later, a steam engine pumped water through wooden pipes. But these pipes often got blocked or froze in winter. New underground pipes were laid in 1885.

Grass for animals was also an issue. Hay had to be brought from other parts of Montana. Diseases were common at the fort. Soldiers often got the flu, fevers, and diarrhea. Fort Shaw was not a lonely place. Mail was delivered three times a week. The fort also had a telegraph office for everyone to use.

History of the Fort

Early Leaders

Colonel Phillipe Régis de Trobriand, who commanded Fort Shaw in 1869.

Major William Clinton was in charge of Fort Shaw for a short time. In August 1867, Colonel I. V. D. Reeves moved the 13th Infantry Regiment's main office to Fort Shaw. Lieutenant Colonel G. L. Andrews oversaw the fort's daily work. During their time, a steam engine was brought in to pump water. The soldiers also got new rifles that were easier to load. About 33 civilians worked at the fort as well.

General Phillipe Régis de Trobriand took command of Fort Shaw in June 1869. Desertion by his troops was a constant issue. General Trobriand and the 13th Infantry Regiment left Fort Shaw in June 1870. The 7th Infantry Regiment took their place. Colonel John Gibbon led this new unit.

Colonel Gibbon and the Indian Wars

Colonel Gibbon worked to make living conditions better at Fort Shaw. He improved the roofs and plastered the buildings. He also made the storehouses bigger. He helped finish the fort's vegetable garden. Gibbon also worked to make the area safer. He started building a road to Camp Baker. This helped with communication and watching Native American groups.

The area around Fort Shaw had many conflicts between Native Americans and white settlers. In 1869, two Piegan Blackfeet were killed in Fort Benton, Montana. This led to attacks by the Piegan leader Mountain Chief. General Philip Sheridan ordered Major Eugene Baker to attack Mountain Chief's group. On January 23, 1870, Baker attacked the wrong group. This group was led by Heavy Runner, who had signed a peace treaty. Heavy Runner was killed. More than 173 Piegan Blackfeet died in what became known as the Marias Massacre.

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and Colonel John Gibbon meet in 1889.

In 1874, gold was found in the Black Hills. Many white miners moved into the area. This broke treaties with the Lakota people. Conflicts started between Native Americans and settlers. President Ulysses S. Grant decided to remove all native people from the Black Hills. In 1876, Colonel Gibbon led a group of soldiers from Fort Shaw and Fort Ellis. They marched south to stop Native American tribes from moving north or west. Gibbon's soldiers did not fight in the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn. They arrived the day after the battle and helped bury the dead.

Fort Shaw soldiers also fought in another famous battle in 1877. Several groups of the Nez Perce people lived in Oregon. The government wanted them to move to a reservation. In May 1877, General Oliver Otis Howard ordered them to move. Some young Native Americans killed white settlers. This led to a fight. The Nez Perce tried to escape into Montana. Colonel Gibbon quickly gathered soldiers. He attacked the Nez Perce at the Battle of the Big Hole on August 9. The Nez Perce fought back strongly. The battle lasted until August 10. The Nez Perce finally fled, and many of their people died. After a long journey, the Nez Perce surrendered in Montana.

Later Commanders

In 1878, the 7th Infantry moved away. Fort Shaw became the main base for the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. Colonel John R. Brooke was in command. Life at Fort Shaw became more peaceful. By 1881, most companies were back at Fort Shaw. Soldiers from Fort Shaw often watched Native American movements. They helped prevent attacks on white settlements.

In April 1888, Colonel Brooke was promoted. The 3rd Infantry moved to other forts. The 25th Infantry Regiment took their place. Colonel George Lippitt Andrews was in command. By this time, Fort Shaw was not as important as it used to be. Only two companies of soldiers stayed at Fort Shaw. In 1890, these companies were reduced to a very small number of soldiers.

A new, very expensive fort called Fort Assinniboine was built in 1879. This new fort became the main military base in Montana. Because of this, Fort Shaw was no longer needed. The U.S. Army left Fort Shaw on July 1, 1891.

Civilian Use

The Fort Shaw Band under Matthew Flyn.

Fort Shaw Indian School

After the Army left, Fort Shaw was given to the United States Department of the Interior. This happened on April 30, 1892. The Interior Department used parts of the land for an Indian school.

In the 1880s, the U.S. government started a plan to help Native American tribes in a peaceful way. A big part of this plan was creating boarding schools. These schools aimed to teach Native American children English and American culture. They also taught them school subjects and job skills.

The Fort Shaw school opened on December 27, 1892. It was called the Fort Shaw Government Industrial Indian Boarding School. Dr. William Winslow was the first superintendent. It started with 52 students. By the end of 1893, there were 176 students. Teachers and staff lived in the old officers' quarters. Students lived in the former soldiers' barracks. Students were from 5 to 18 years old. They came from tribes in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Half of each day was for learning English and school subjects. The other half was for working. Students worked in the school's garden and stables. They also made uniforms and shoes. Girls learned cooking, sewing, and housework. Boys learned farming, ranching, and skills like carpentry. Both boys and girls played sports. Girls played games like double ball and lacrosse. Boys played baseball, football, and track.

Students usually spent their first two years learning English and American ways. Students moved to the next grade based on what they learned. The school taught up to the eighth grade. Some students stayed until they were in their late teens or even 25 years old.

Frederick C. Campbell became the superintendent in 1898. The school had 300 students from many tribes. In 1902, a girls' basketball team was started at Fort Shaw School. Fred Campbell became their coach. The girls' team started playing other schools in November 1902. They played the first basketball game in nearby Great Falls, Montana in January 1903.

In 1903, the team beat the women's basketball team from Montana Agricultural College twice. The Fort Shaw girls beat almost every high school and college girls' team in the state. They even beat some high school boys' teams. They were the unofficial state champions that year.

In 1904, the team went to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (the St. Louis World's Fair). To pay for their trip, they played games along the way. After each game, the girls wore traditional native clothes. They charged money to show dances and music. At the World's Fair, the girls lived and took classes at a Model Indian School. They played exhibition games twice a week. The 11 girls beat every team they played for five months. They earned the title "world champions."

The Fort Shaw Indian school closed in 1910. This was because not many students were attending.

Ownership by the Town of Fort Shaw

After the Indian school closed, Fort Shaw was given to the Fort Shaw Public School District. The buildings were then used as a public school.

Today, the name Fort Shaw, Montana is used for a small town. This town is some distance from the old fort. Some buildings from the old fort still exist. One of them is a historical museum that is open in the summer. Most of the remaining buildings and land are now managed by the Sun River Valley Historical Society.

Commanding Officers

The leaders at Fort Shaw changed over time.

1867–1870 — 13th Infantry Regiment

• General Phillipe Régis de Trobriand
• Colonel I. V. D. Reeves
• Lieutenant Colonel G. L. Andrews (post commandant)
• Major William Clinton

1870–1878 — 7th Infantry Regiment

• Colonel John Gibbon

1878–1888 — 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment

• Colonel John R. Brooke
• Lieutenant Colonel George Gibsin

1888–1891 — 25th Infantry Regiment

• Lieutenant Colonel James J. Van Horn
• Lieutenant Colonel George Leonard Andrews (commanding from Fort Missoula)

Fort Shaw Historic Site

In 1936, the state of Montana put up a historic marker at Fort Shaw. The marker is a redwood sign with text about the fort's history. It is one of the first historic highway markers in the state. It is still in good condition today.

The National Park Service thought about adding Fort Shaw to its system. But after studying the site, they decided it was "not of national significance." Fort Shaw is part of the Fort Shaw Historic District and Cemetery. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Some parts of the fort are still standing today.