August 5, 2009
The infantry post, shown here, is ona high ridge and predates the cavalry post established in the valley below. The infantry post, cavalry post and On-the-Slant Village are all part of the Abraham Lincoln State Park. The following is the official description given on the plaque at the top of the hill:
“This United States military post was established as Fort McKeen, June 14, 1872, by companies ‘B’ and ‘C’ of the 6th Infantry under the command of Lt. Col. Daniel Huston, Jr. It was named in commemoration of Col. H. Boyd McKeen of the 81st Pennsylvania Volunteers, who lost his life in the Battle of Cold Harbor during the Civil War. The name of this post was changed to Fort Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1872. With the establishment of the cavalry post the next year in the flat below, the name Fort Abraham Lincoln designated both garrisons. The primary purpose of these posts was to protect the surveyors and construction parties of the Northern Pacific Railway.
“Indian raids at or near this site were quite common during 1872 and 1873. On a number of occasions small detachments of troops from the post were attacked by Indians lying in ambush along the trail a short distance from the fort. Favorite spots for these ambuscades were the brushy ravines immediately to the north of the blockhouses. In several instances the Indians forced the soldiers to return to the blockhouses where additional help was summoned to drive the Indians away. When the Fort Lincoln troops were away in the Indian Campaign of 1876, the Indians attacked this site on several occasions.
“During the most active years of Fort Abraham Lincoln, infantry troops were staioned at this site while the cavalry troops were stationed at the cavalry post below. In the latter years of Fort Lincoln, the Government dismantled the buildings on this site and moved the lumber to the cavalry post. After this time, the troops were stationed at the cavalry post only. The present blockhouses were rebuilt in 1935 on the original sites.”
“During the most active years of Fort Abraham Lincoln, infantry troops were staioned at this site while the cavalry troops were stationed at the cavalry post below. In the latter years of Fort Lincoln, the Government dismantled the buildings on this site and moved the lumber to the cavalry post. After this time, the troops were stationed at the cavalry post only. The present blockhouses were rebuilt in 1935 on the original sites.”
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