Camp Poplar River was established during the Indian wars in the Department of Dakota by U.S. Army to maintain order, keep non-agency Indians away, and help capture the Indians who disturbed the peace and would not conform to reservation boundaries of the Fort Peck Agency, which in 1878, was relocated to its present-day location in Poplar because the original agency was located on a flood plain, suffering floods each spring.Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior, United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Govt. print. off., 1878. The post was located one-half mile north of the then called, Poplar River Agency, or 2 miles north of the Missouri River on the south bank of the Poplar River and normally consisted of only two companies of infantry. This tiny post has disappeared except for the fact that the town of Poplar, Montana, on the site, bears the same name.Hart, Herbert M., Tour guide to old western forts, Pruett Pub. Co., 1980.
11th Infantry
September, 1880, Companies B and F, Eleventh Infantry, changed station from Fort Custer to Poplar Creek Agency, under orders to establish a cantonment at that point.
October 12, 1880, Camp Poplar River, Mont., established, Companies B and F, Eleventh Infantry, from Fort Custer, arriving this day and taking station.Annual report of the Secretary of War, Volume 1, United States War Dept., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1881.
December 15, 1880, in compliance with telegraphic instructions from department headquarters, dated December 12, 1880, Companies A, B, C, F, and G, Fifth Infantry, and 6 enlisted Indian scouts, under command of Maj. Guido Ilges, Fifth Infantry, left Fort Keogh, en route to Camp Poplar River, Mont., to take temporary station there, for the purpose of strengthening the garrison at that post owing to the threatening attitude of hostile Indians in that vicinity; arrived there December 24, 1880. Distance estimated at from 135 to 175 miles.
December 23, 1880, Troop A, Second Cavalry, left Fort Keogh, Mont. and proceeded en route to Camp Poplar River, Mont., as escort, with rations and forage for the latter place. Camped at Ferry Point, Mont., December 31, 1880. Distance marched, about 60 miles.
January 1, 1881, Troop A, Second Cavalry, escorting public stores from Fort Keogh to Camp Poplar River, Mont., left camp at Ferry Point and arrived at its destination January 19, 1881. Total distance marched, about 135 miles.
January 2, 1881, Maj. Guido Ilges, Fifth Infantry, with Companies A, B, C, F, and G, Fifth Infantry, Troop F, Seventh Cavalry, and detachment Seventh Infantry, marched from Camp Poplar River, Mont., against a band of hostile Indians encamped about two miles to the southeast of the latter post, on the south bank of the Missouri River, and after an engagement, in which 8 of the hostiles were killed, compelled their surrender, capturing 303 Indians, about 200 ponies, 69 guns, and burning 60 of their lodges.GENERAL TELEGRAPH NEWS; SITTING BULL'S WANING POWER, New York Times, page 2, January 23, 1881.
The infantry battalion, composed of Company F, 11th Infantry, and detachments of Companies A, B and E, 7th Infantry, and one three-inch gun, all under command of Captain Ogden B. Read, 11th Infantry, left the agency at 11.30 A. M., marched three miles, crossed the Missouri River, took and held a point of timber commanding the lower village of the Indians until joined by Major Ilges with the main command. The attack commenced at once, and after an engagement of about one hour, during which Company F was engaged in firing upon and turning back Indians attempting to escape from the artillery fire, resulted in the capturing of three Indian villages and their destruction. 324 prisoners were taken, with about 300 ponies and a large number of arms. No casualties among the troops.Rodenbough, Theophilus F. and William L. Haskin, eds. The Army of the United States: Historical Sketches of Staff and Line. New York: Charles E. Merrill and Company, 1896. Patterson, John Henry, Eleventh Infantry ISheridan, Philip Henry, Record of engagements with hostile Indians within the Military division of the Missouri, from 1868 to 1882, United States Army. Military Division of the Missouri, Govt. print. off., 1882.Hunt, Fred A., The Punishment of Pi-Zi'S People, Overland monthly and the Out West magazine, Vol. LV Second Series, January–June 1910.Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, (New York, NY) Saturday, February 12, 1881; pg. 400; Issue 1,324; col A.
On the 6th of January these Indians, together with 102 ponies, were sent from Camp Poplar River under guard (Troop F, Seventh Cavalry) to Fort Buford, arriving there January 10, 1881.
January 3, 1881, Major Ilges, Fifth Infantry, with James M. Bell, Troop F, Seventh Cavalry, and battalion Fifth Infantry, left Camp Poplar River and proceeded towards the camp of the Yanktonnai, on the Red Water, to compel the surrender of hostile Indians who fled to that camp after the capture of their village on the 2d instant. When about 7 miles on the way, Major Ilges was met by the Yankton chiefs, who promised that, if he would not take his command to their camp, the hostiles should surrender the next day. This was done. Distance marched, 14 miles.
January 8, 1881, Captain Samuel Ovenshine, Fifth Infantry, with Companies A and G, Fifth Infantry, left Camp Poplar River to scout up the Missouri River for hostiles reported in that locality. No Indians were seen and the command returned same day. Distance marched, 30 miles.
January 9, 1881, Lieutenant Thomas W. Woodruff, Fifth Infantry, with detachment Fifth Infantry, left Camp Poplar River to scout in an easterly direction, to search for and bring in a party of hostiles reported to be hidden in that direction. Returned same day with 18 hostiles captured. Distance traveled, 18 miles. These Indians, with 6 others who had, meanwhile, been arrested by Major Ilges, were forwarded January 11, under charge of Captain Thomas B. Dewees and his troop A, Second Cavalry, to Fort Buford arriving January 15, the troop returning to Camp Poplar River January 24.
January 23, 1881, Capt. Simon Snyder, Fifth Infantry, with Company F, Fifth Infantry, with all available transportation, left Camp Poplar River for Wolf Point to assist a band of Indians under Crow King numbering about 300 (who had refused to go with Sitting Bull to Canada), on their journey to Fort Buford. Captain Snyder with his company returned to Camp Poplar River January 31, 1881.
January 27, 1881, First Lieutenant Charles A. Booth, Seventh Infantry, left Camp Poplar River with detachment of Companies A, B, and E, Seventh Infantry, which had formed part of Major Ilges' command at that post. Arrived at Fort Buford January 30.
February 1, 1881, Troop A, Second Cavalry, left Camp Poplar River for Fort Buford with 53 Indian prisoners of war. Arrived February 4. Left Fort Buford February 10 and arrived at Fort Keogh February 19, 1881. Total distance marched, 230 miles.
February 1, 1881, Capt. O. B. Read, Eleventh Infantry, with detachment of Companies B and F, Eleventh Infantry, left Camp Poplar River as escort to 325 hostile Sioux Indians, under charge of Scout Allison, en route to surrender at Fort Buford. Arrived February 5. Indians surrendered February (with 150 ponies and 40 guns and pistols. Captain Read with his detachment left Fort Buford February 6 and arrived at Camp Poplar River February 8, 1881. Distance marched, 120 miles.
July 25, 1881, Companies D and K, Fifth Infantry, Captain McDonald, commanding, left Fort Keogh, Mont., for Camp Poplar River, to remove intruders from reservation under charge of agent Porter. Returned to Fort Keogh September 20, 1881.
August 8, 1881, Second Lieutenant Greene, Seventh Infantry, with a small detachment, left Fort Buford, Dak., to stake out a telegraph line between Fort Buford and Camp Poplar River, Mont.
August 12, 1881, Second Lieutenant Wheeler, Eleventh Infantry, and detachment Company C, Eleventh Infantry, left Fort Custer, Mont., for guard duty at Terry's Landing, Mont.
August 12, 1881, Company H, Eleventh Infantry, First Lieutenant Mansfield, Eleventh Infantry, commanding, left Fort Custer for Fort Maginnis to assist in the construction of a telegraph line from that post to Camp Poplar River, Mont. Arrived at Fort Maginnis August 23.
August 10, 1881, Company F, Eighteenth Infantry, Captain Lloyd commanding, left Fort Assinniboine, Mont., for Summer Camp at Rocky Point, Mont., to aid in the construction of a telegraph hue between Camp Poplar River, Mont., and Fort Maginnis, Mont.
August 18, 1881, First Lieutenant Kingsbury, Second Cavalry, with a detachment of 20 enlisted men of Troop B, Second Cavalry, left Fort Maginnis, Mont., to select a route for a telegraph line between Rocky Point and Camp Poplar River, Mont. Returned to Fort Maginnis about September 15, after examining the route on both sides of the Missouri River.
August 24, 1881, Sergeant Neeland, with 10 men of the garrison at Camp Poplar River, left that post to work on telegraph line between Camp Poplar River and Fort Buford, Dak.
September 10, 1881, United States military telegraph line completed from Fort Buford to Camp Poplar River. The line from Fort Maginnis to Summer Camp at Rocky Point now under construction.
March 6, 1882, Capt. O. B. Read, Eleventh Infantry, accompanied by one Indian scout, left Camp Poplar River for the half-breed camp on Milk River, for the purpose of effecting the release of Sheriff J. J. Healy and party, held as prisoners by half-breeds. The main camp, about 100 miles from Camp Poplar River, was reached March 8, where Mr. Healy and three assistants were found, under close guard. The prisoners were released upon demand of Captain Read, and their property restored to them excepting two shot-guns which could not be found. Captain Read then started to return to his station, but during the night was informed that further violence was being used against Sheriff Healy and his party. Upon his return to the cabin which the prisoners occupied, a party of thirty or forty half-breeds, under the influence of liquor, and some of them armed, made their appearance with carts to carry away by force the property which Sheriff Healy had seized. Captain Read succeeded in preventing bloodshed, and remained until an agreement was entered into between Sheriff Healy and the half-breeds regarding the property carried away. Sheriff Healy's horses were restored to him and he then left for Benton with his party. Captain Read returned to his station March 11, 1882.Annual report of the Secretary of War, Volume 1, United States War Dept., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1882.
July 28, 1882, telegraph connection was made with Fort Maginnis via Camp Poplar River, Wolf Point, Willow Creek, crossing Missouri River at Hawley Bend, thence to Rocky Point (all on Missouri River), and Fort Maginnis. First Lieut. C. A. Booth, Seventh Infantry, in charge of the construction party working west from Camp Poplar River, built 108 miles of the line; and First Lieut. F. W. Kingsbury, Second Cavalry, in charge of the party working east from Rocky Point, crossing the wire over the Missouri River, built 70 miles.
December 2, 1882, First Sergeant Neeland, Company B, with Sergeant Bobst, Company F, Eleventh Infantry, and a detachment of Indian scouts, from Camp Poplar River, struck a camp of foreign halfbreeds and Crees near Campbell's houses on Milk River. The halfbreeds and Indians fled with their ponies, leaving in Sergeant Neeland's hands 58 carts and harness, 20 hides, and 10,000 pounds of meat.Annual report of the Secretary of War, Volume 1, United States War Dept., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1883.