Bismark ~ Mandan North Dakota

8 Miles Today;  
  My virtual walking journey has me seven miles south of Mandan, North Dakota. Along with Lewis & Clark historical campsite here along the Missouri. Another historical site is located here in the Bismark, Mandan area.

What a difference a day makes....  It rained hard last night.  Hopefully all the snow and ice is gone from the road surfaces............to be continued ....what great day to walk.  It's the third week of January and it seemed like early spring.   Forty degree temperatures and NO snow.  Life is good............Until tomorrow, God Bless Walk Forrest Walk

Lewis & Clark Update

Bismark & Mandan North Dakota

              The History of Fort Abraham Lincoln

As the Northern Pacific Railroad advanced west across Dakota Territory, the US military kept pace. When the railroad reached the Missouri River in 1872, Fort McKeen was established on the west bank of the river as a small infantry post. In November of that year, Fort McKeen was renamed Fort Abraham Lincoln.

Fort Abraham Lincoln was expanded to house six companies of the 7th Cavalry under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer in 1873. Their mission was to further the advancement of the Northern Pacific Railroad and guarantee the westward expansion of the American frontier.
By 1874, Fort Abraham Lincoln was the largest and most important fort in Dakota Territory, housing a combined 650 cavalry and infantry soldiers. The fort was also the starting point of the 1874 Black Hills Expedition undertaken to confirm rumors of gold in the area.
May 17, 1876, the troops left Fort Lincoln on the Centennial Campaign, which took the 7th Cavalry into the valley of the Little Big Horn. They were attempting to force non-treaty Indians back to their respective reservations. Outnumbered, outgunned, and out-maneuvered, over 260 men were killed during the ensuing battle, including all five of Custer's companies.
In 1883, the cavalry was detached to Fort Meade, in present-day South Dakota, the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed to Montana, and Fort Abraham Lincoln’s importance declined. The post was officially abandoned in 1891 by order of Congress. Fort Abraham Lincoln and General Custer’s 7th Cavalry would leave a lasting legacy for years to come.  .............to be continued