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Camp Lewis established near Story's Fort
The establishment of Camp Lewis was very ably reported in the hand written report filed with the
Adjutant General's Office in Washington D. C. as follows:
Headquafters Camp Lewis, M.T,
October t7,1BB4
Adjutant General
U.S, Army
Washington, D.C.
In 15
General-
I have the honor to submit the following report in accordance with Paragraph775,
Revised Army Regulations.
Camp Lewis established as a summer camp in obedience to Special Orders No. 73, dated
Headquarters Fort Shaw, M.T., April 7 , 1874, was occupied by Company F, 7tn Infantry May 10,
1874. It is situated on the Big Spring Fork of the Judith River, about 15 miles above the junction
of the Big Spring and South Fork, and 2r/zmiles above the crossing of the road from Helena to
Carroll, M.T. It is 116 miles westward from Camp Baker,73-Il2 miles southwestfrom Carroll, g0
miles southeast from Fort Benton, and 125 miles east from Fort Shaw. During the past summer
and up to date the mail has been delivered by private messengers in the employ of merchants of
Helena, This messenger procures the mail at Camp Baker, the nearest post office on the road.
Pine wood is procured in abundance on the foot hills of the Snowy, Judith, and Moccasin
Mountains, but has to be hauled from three to five miles. There are a few scattering of
Cottonwood trees along the stream above the camp. The grazing is excellent in every direction
for miles, and a sufficient quality of good hay for public animals was easily obtained in a short
time. The bottom of the stream is generally quite narrow, but the distance of about seven miles
in the vicinity of the camp it widens considerable being from one quarter to three quarters of a
mile wide. The soil is very rich and deep in the bottom and easily cultivated. During the past
season the following articles matured in a small garden planted by me, viz: peas, beans, radish,
lettuce, parsley, and onions. Nothing else was planted. The soil on the benchland is also rich and
can be cultivated profitably if a little labor is expended in making irrigating ditches.
The buffalo, elk, white tailed deer, black tailed deer, antelope, mountain sheep, mallard,
teal and other ducks, prairie chickens, mountain grouse and other game animals and birds
abound. The streams in the viciniW afford fine trout fishinq.
I am very respectfully
Your obedient servant
(Signed) Constant Williams
Captain of Infantry - Comdg.
Object Description
| Title | Constant Williams letter about Camp Lewis |
| Creator | Constant Williams |
| Description | A letter by Captain Constant Williams, US Army, Company F., 7th Infantry, to his commanding general giving the description of the area that later became Lewistown, Montana. The letter was written in 1874, describing the location, the abundance of grasslands, the wildlife, fishing and hunting. |
| Date created | 1874 |
| Physical format | |
| Publisher | Lewistown Public Library |
| Subject | Central Montana. Fergus County, Montana. Lewistown, Montana. Camp Lewis. |
| Contributed by | Lewistown Public Library, Lewistown, MT. |
| Coverage-date | 1874 |
| Coverage-geography | Fergus County, Montana. Lewistown, Montana. |
| Rights information | No copyright restrictions. |
Description
| Title | Page 1 |
| Full text of this item | Camp Lewis established near Story's Fort The establishment of Camp Lewis was very ably reported in the hand written report filed with the Adjutant General's Office in Washington D. C. as follows: Headquafters Camp Lewis, M.T, October t7,1BB4 Adjutant General U.S, Army Washington, D.C. In 15 General- I have the honor to submit the following report in accordance with Paragraph775, Revised Army Regulations. Camp Lewis established as a summer camp in obedience to Special Orders No. 73, dated Headquarters Fort Shaw, M.T., April 7 , 1874, was occupied by Company F, 7tn Infantry May 10, 1874. It is situated on the Big Spring Fork of the Judith River, about 15 miles above the junction of the Big Spring and South Fork, and 2r/zmiles above the crossing of the road from Helena to Carroll, M.T. It is 116 miles westward from Camp Baker,73-Il2 miles southwestfrom Carroll, g0 miles southeast from Fort Benton, and 125 miles east from Fort Shaw. During the past summer and up to date the mail has been delivered by private messengers in the employ of merchants of Helena, This messenger procures the mail at Camp Baker, the nearest post office on the road. Pine wood is procured in abundance on the foot hills of the Snowy, Judith, and Moccasin Mountains, but has to be hauled from three to five miles. There are a few scattering of Cottonwood trees along the stream above the camp. The grazing is excellent in every direction for miles, and a sufficient quality of good hay for public animals was easily obtained in a short time. The bottom of the stream is generally quite narrow, but the distance of about seven miles in the vicinity of the camp it widens considerable being from one quarter to three quarters of a mile wide. The soil is very rich and deep in the bottom and easily cultivated. During the past season the following articles matured in a small garden planted by me, viz: peas, beans, radish, lettuce, parsley, and onions. Nothing else was planted. The soil on the benchland is also rich and can be cultivated profitably if a little labor is expended in making irrigating ditches. The buffalo, elk, white tailed deer, black tailed deer, antelope, mountain sheep, mallard, teal and other ducks, prairie chickens, mountain grouse and other game animals and birds abound. The streams in the viciniW afford fine trout fishinq. I am very respectfully Your obedient servant (Signed) Constant Williams Captain of Infantry - Comdg. |