News – Sheridan Media
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On Tuesday, March 11, SCLT (Sheridan Community Land Trust) Explore History at the Hub heard a presentation about the Historic Bozeman Trail. Dave McKee, historian and president of the Fort Phil Kearny Bozeman Trail Association, gave a slide show and a talk about the Trail, which is a part of the area history.
Kevin Knapp of SCLT, introduced the speaker and talked about some of the upcoming programs. In April, Knapp will give the program about George Ostrum, who designed the iconic Wyoming bucking horse logo. In May Knapp will talk about early electricity in Sheridan County, not the Acme Power Plant, but other local suppliers. One discovery session will be an archaeology SHIPO survey on May 17 survey on the property they recently purchased on Big Goose.
McKee gave an overview of the Bozeman Trail, especially the part of the Bozeman that is a part of the history of Sheridan and Johnson County.
That started the gold boom near Virginian City, Montana, which became a thriving town for several years, until the gold played out.
By 1864 Virginia City had around 5000 residents, it was the first Montana territorial capital, it had the first bank and a telegraph. By 1866 the gold boom was over, and town began to die.
But, to get to the gold fields, the miners needed a road, or a trail. Enter Jim Bridger and John Bozeman, each with different ideas of where to establish a trail to the gold fields.
John Bozeman left his wife and children in Georgia and came to Colorado and then to Montana in search of gold. He failed as a miner,
The Crow Tribe called it “The Trail That Goes South.”
Although the new trail was shorter, with more water and forage than the trail on the east side, Bridger was right about the Indian troubles. The new trail went through land ceded to the tribes via treaty.
Not deterred by the fact that the land was Indian land, Bozeman brought another wagon train north in 1864. Bridger took a train up the west side, but Bozeman got to Virginia City first, and three other trains came north.
Although only in use for a few years, the Bozeman Trail had a big impact on the history of this area.
After the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, the northern Cheyenne approached Lakota leader Red Cloud to enlist Lakota help in driving out the invaders. After the Connor Battle, in 1865, which was fought near present-day Ranchester, the Arapaho also joined the other tribes to fight off the whites.
McKee talked about the forts that were established along the trail, Fort Reno, Fort Phil Kearny and Fort C.F. Smith to protect the travelers.
At the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1866, the tribes said they would negotiate with the whites, giving them safe passage, but the tribes wanted something in return.
Red Cloud and the other leaders were not happy with the invasion of their hunting country, and there were three major fights along the Bozeman in this area of Wyoming and Southern Montana, the Fetterman Fight, and the Wagon Box Fight near present day story, and the Hayfields Fight near Fort C.F. Smith in Montana.
McKee also talked about the battles that were fought on the trail, and the battles around Fort Phil Kearny. One of the worst defeats the U.S. Army suffered during what became known as “Red Cloud’s War” was the Fetterman Fight.
He also talked about the famous ride of John “Portugee” Phillips, who rode to Fort Laramie from Fort Phil Kearny, a distance of around 200 miles, to report the disaster and ask for reinforcements for the Fort. He arrived there on Christmas Day, having made the trip in four days through blizzard conditions, deep snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Dave McKee he also highlighted prominent participants such as John Bozeman, Colonel Henry Carrington, Lieutenant William Judd Fetterman, Margaret Carrington, Francis Grummond Carrington, and John “Portugee” Philips, as well as American Indian leaders including Red Cloud, High Backbone, American Horse, and Crazy Horse.
This program will be repeated on March 18, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the TRVCC in Dayton.
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Last modified: March 12, 2025