In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of June 13, 1870, a copy of the report of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel B. Holabird, of a reconnoissance made by him in the Department of Dakota, in 1869.

DECEMBER 21, 1870.-Ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

December 20, 1870.

The Secretary of War, in obedience to the resolution of June 13, 1870, has the honor to submit to the Senate of the United States a copy of the report of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel B. Holabird, chief quartermaster of the Department of Dakota, of a reconnoissance made by him in his department in the year 1869, with accompanying maps.

WM. W. BELKNAP,
Secretary of War.

DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA, OFFICE CHIEF QUARTERMASTER, Saint Paul, Minn., October 15, 1869. GENERAL: In obedience to instructions from the department commander, I have the honor to report upon the result of my inspection as follows:

FORT ELLIS.

Fort Ellis is situated in the valley of the East Gallatin, seventy miles northeast of Virginia City, one hundred and three miles a little east of South from Helena, and twenty-five miles from the Yellowstone River by the road. The forks of the Missouri, where the great river itself is formed, is forty miles distant. A range of mountains running first north and south, and then throwing off spurs to the eastward, separates the valleys of the streams, forming the Missouri River from the Yellowstone and its tributaries. Through these mountains there are but few passes, and this post is placed with the view of closing at least two of them, and affecting as far as may be the third and last one.

The valley in which the post is built is very fertile, and is fast filling with settlements. A promising town, Bozeman, is growing up within three miles of the post below it. Upon either side of the valley, the hills, or mountains they may be termed, rise to a considerable height, although some of them are rounded and grassy to their tops. These broken,

mound-like ranges add great beauty and variety to the scenery of the valley. The East Gallatin, a stream of clear cold water, with small tributaries of cold water, flows within a thousand feet of the post, over auriferous gravel about the post, and through a rich bottom land just below it, where are located the post gardens, which produce abundant vegetables. Extensive pine forests, furnishing fine logs for lumber. exist within twelve miles of the post. Sufficient wood for fuel is found within a radius of from four to six miles. Large coal beds of easy access are found within four miles of the post, which furnish a light, lustrous coal, suitable for fuel and for use in blacksmiths' forges. This coal can be mined and delivered at a cost of $6 or $8 per ton, and after a while perhaps at lower rates. Limestone is found convenient in sufficient quantities for all practical purposes. Clay for brick and adobes, and sharp sand for mortar, gravel, &c., abound.

The buildings are roughly constructed of pine logs laid upon each other or "filled in" between vertical posts horizontally, spaces being left for doors and windows. The interspaces between the logs are irreg ularly filled with mortar. The rooms are finished with panel doors and pine casing, baseboards, &c. Strong ceiling joists are laid or built in above each room, rough boards are laid upon them, and these boards are covered with a layer of several inches of rammed earth to give warmth to the building by taking the place of ceiling. The roofs are of short slips of boards laid on in the manner of shingles, but with about twice the length of a shingle exposed, forming an imperfect covering. One of the officers' quarters is regularly shingled with pine shingles, forming a perfect roof. Little attention has thus far been paid to ventilation, and orders had to be given to ventilate the storehouses and stables.

Storeage cannot be said to be abundant, although it may answer the present wants of the post. A good granary building is constructed outside, near the stables and corral. The stables are of logs covered with earth, and lack feed-troughs, hay-racks, and many other devices to economize the public forage.

It is the general judgment of all intelligent persons that a better site for a post exists but a short distance from the present one, upon higher ground. Fort Ellis is contracted in the arrangement of the quarters, and is inclosed closely by an unnecessarily high stockade, excluding the air, and making the place seem more like a prison than a military post. Much of this stockade will have to be thrown down in the future enlargement and use of the post. For the disposition of the buildings, &c., see plan herewith. Good water, as already mentioned, runs within a thousand feet of the post.

Forage.-Grain and hay are both procured by contract. Grain ought to cost not over 5 cents per pound, and hay about $15 per ton. Miscellaneous articles purchased in the country cost from 300 to 500 per cent. above Chicago and St. Louis prices.

Captain Constable, assistant quartermaster United States Army, acting under the instructions of the district commander, Lieutenant Colonel George L. Andrews, purchased without advertising, and of course without competition, 500,000 pounds of grain, at 10 cents per pound: and 300 tons of hay, at $32 50 per ton. Only 300,000 pounds of grain were delivered. In my opinion, this purchase was a very bad one, and indicates that little discretion in such matters can safely be given to officers generally. There was sufficient time to advertise. A contract was made immediately after for 1,000,000 pounds of grain, to be deliv ered at Ellis, at an average rate of four cents two and one-tenth mills

per pound, and 125 tons of hay, at $16 74 per ton. The hay purchased by Captain Constable was old hay left over from last year. A contract for 1,000 cords of wood, at $6 72 per cord, was also made by this officer for the current fiscal year. Authority was given by the department commander to purchase coal for blacksmiths' use and for trial for fuel. The cost of civilian labor the last year, including hire of mule and ox teams, has been $24,782 13; of enlisted labor, $1,781 10. Cost of post for labor and building materials last year, $35,261 23. Employés now authorized: 1 clerk, at $125; 6 carpenters, at $75; 1 blacksmith, at $75: 1 guide, at $75; 1 engineer, at $125. Number of extra duty men at this date, 16; number of mules, 53; of organized teams, 7. Four more were ordered to the post. Number of horses in good condition, 63; quartermaster's funds transferred the past year to the quartermaster. $9,500.

The best route of supply for this post during the season of navigation will be via the Muscleshell River. At present the hauling is done from Fort Benton, distance as follows:

To supply this post via the Pacific Railroad would give hauling from Corrine, upon the Union Pacific Railroad, to Virginia City.. 330 From Virginia City to Fort Ellis..

Total

70

400

The hauling by ox teams over the road would cost $1 25 per 100 pounds per 100 miles in the best season, and $1 50 per 100 pounds per 100 miles with horse or mule teams. From Benton to Ellis, in the hauling season, by present contract, the price per 100 pounds per 100 miles Is $1.58.

No other buildings than those now authorized are recommended to be constructed at Fort Ellis, for the reason that these will suffice for the present. The country is settling so rapidly that the post will be of little use except as a depot to collect supplies, and one company will be a sufficient guard in such case.

It is of the first importance to occupy the country between the Yellowstone and the Missouri, entirely inclosed by those rivers, except over a space of from fifteen to twenty-five miles. Across this country a road to Helena from below Grande Island shoal in the Missouri, and above the Muscleshell, is required; and this road will have to be protected at or hear its starting point on the Missouri, and probably wherever it forks for the Gallatin Valley.

A post in the valley of the Yellowstone will draw settlements eastward into this country, and be of use in opening up the country, and will effectually put an end to the discussion in regard to the Flathead, Bridger's, and the other passes into the Gallatin Valley, by closing them to the Indians.

FORT SHAW

is situated in the valley of Sun River, called the Medicine by Lewis and

Clarke, about fifteen miles from the Missouri in a direct line, and about fifty miles from Cadotte's Pass, directly west of it through the Rocky Mountains. It is forty-five miles from the Indian agency upon the Teton, and about four miles from the Sun River crossing of the main road from Benton to Helena, sixty miles from Benton and eighty miles from Helena.

This post was established to shut out Indians crossing from the westward and northward, and since it was established the country has filled up with settlers below the post on the Sun River to a considerable extent. The valley of Sun River is wide, flat, and well covered with grass. The soil is alkaline. The Sun River is a clear stream of cold water, not pure, but having considerable alkali in it. It answers very well for use. Wood is better than has been represented heretofore by the local quartermaster, and ought never to cost over $9 per cord. Hay depends upon the season, and will generally cost about $20 per

ton.

The quarters at this post are well planned for temporary buildings. The officers' quarters are more highly finished than is necessary. There have been faults in construction, as follows: The ceilings, joists, and roof timbers were made too light for the load placed upon them, and all have settled out of shape, and in some instances the timbers have given way. One entire building, marked on the plan H, with tongued and grooved flooring, is used for offices, by a kind of multiplication of district, post, &c., offices. Much of this building, by confining the offices to the regulation allowance, might be used for storage or for quarters. A band has separate quarters, although no band is allowed by law. The prison-room, so much required, and to finish which lime was purchased, (see Captain Constable's report upon lime purchased,) is unfinished. The granary is unfinished. Considerable lumber is on hand-how much was not known. It is a practice at all the posts to take up and account for nothing made at the post. Therefore entire posts are built by mechanics, civilians, and enlisted labor, and the use of steam-mills, and no record of the material manufactured nor of the work done is kept. This is all objectionable, as no opinion can be formed of the result economically, and no supervision can be exercised. The Government has no record of value received for its labor that is hired and paid for. No intelligent opinion can be formed upon estimates for building material or upon demands for additional civilian labor.

Fuel.-There were on hand 965 cords of wood by measurement, some 300 cords not being on the returns. (Here it may be remarked that there seems to be a disposition to accumulate a surplus at posts even where such surplus cannot be made available, for the benefit of contractors and those in league with them. Fuel and forage never issued or fed is constantly returned for, and in this there is constant violation of the regulations at most of the posts.) There is a contract with J. B. Hubbell for 2,000 cords of wood for the use of this post, at $8 98 per cord; this wood was being delivered. The wood at the post was found to be of as good quality as at the other posts on the Missouri River, and in this particular the previous reports of Captain N. S. Constable upon this subject were found to be in a manner inaccurate.

Forage. There was represented to be on hand 135,660 pounds of corn, and 9,955 pounds of oats; but from an inspection there was manifestly a large surplus not upon the accounts; this was ordered to be taken up, and the grain to be delivered by the contractor was ordered to be put for inspection of the board in a separate building until it had been inspected and weighed. There is a contract for 1,000,000 of pounds of

grain, at an average rate of five cents five and one quarter mills per pound, to be delivered at this post, and a contract with E. W. Sims for 400 tons of hay, at $16 75 per ton. Mr. Sims seemed to be opposed strongly by the post authorities, and has since thrown up his contract. Hay only is required for a few months in winter, and the few animals kept in stable at times; for the grazing is abundant, and near the post, and there is no pretext for a constant and general issue of hay which is not fed out.

Straw-Hay is used in lieu of straw.

Stationery is furnished from the depot in St. Louis.

Building material.-Stone in abundance, of good quality, easy to dress, it being a soft sandstone, is found at a distance of three miles. It is represented that there is no good limestone nearer than Helena. This matter ought to be investigated further.

Adobes are used for the quarters, which will have to be stuccoed or clapboarded eventually. Bricks may be readily manufactured for chimneys. The lime is purchased and hauled from Helena at a cost of 4 or 5 cents per pound; sharp sand is abundant. Coal, for blacksmith's use, and possibly for fuel, is reported to exist from nine to fifteen miles from the post, upon the Dearborn River. This subject has, as yet, received no attention at Fort Shaw. Examinations for coal ought to be made.

Clothing and camp and garrison equipage are abundant, and well cared for.

Tools and miscellaneous property in excessive abundance, as was found to be the case at every post, especially iron. The property of this kind comes from St. Louis, and all received this year was uniformly reported to be of good quality and received in good order. Heating and cook stoves have been required at all the posts, much in excess of their wants, and are of good pattern, and received in good order.

There was a fine saw-mill at this post, which was ordered to Fort Ellis, to saw into lumber the 2,000 logs at that post. The mill at Camp Cooke was ordered to Fort Shaw to cut the logs-200,000 feet-authorized to finish the hospital, granary, guard-house, &c. There were authorized the following mechanics: 1 engineer and sawyer, at $125; 5 plasterers, (for three months only,) $130; 1 blacksmith, $100; 7 carpenters, 1 at $125, and 6 at $90; 1 guide and interpreter, at from $75 to $100; 1 chief clerk and general superintendent, at $150; 1 clerk, post, at $100. Number of extra-duty men, 24; number of horses, 102; number of mules, 70; number of organized teams, 11. Four teams were ordered to Fort Ellis for the use of the cavalry at that post, bringing the number of teams for Ellis to 11. Total cost of this post since it was established, $187,013 49.

This post is supplied from Fort Benton by river to Benton, and sixty miles of hauling. The hauling costs at the rate of $1 70 per one hundred miles per 100 pounds.

A company is required at Benton every summer to attend to and guard the stores for Shaw and Ellis. The property was not removed as promptly as it ought to have been from the landing.

At Benton orders were issued giving Brevet Major Torry, the officer stationed at Benton, control in this matter so as to correct it. A storehouse is needed at Benton, if the stores are to be sent that way, or any part of them. Old Fort Benton would answer this purpose, and can be obtained for that purpose.

Something of a force will be required at Fort Shaw for some time longer, as it is near the Blackfeet reservation, and until a road is opened