Fort Ellis was a military post established by the United States Army near Bozeman, Montana Territory, in 1867. Established to protect settlers in the Gallatin Valley from a perceived Indian threat, the post housed troops from a number of different regiments prior to its deactivation in 1886. Among the cavalry units stationed at Fort Ellis was the Second United States Cavalry, and an officer from that regiment, Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane, became well known for his exploration of Yellowstone National Park. Doane also explored the Snake River during his career and accompanied the Howgate Arctic expedition in Greenland in 1880. He died in 1892 and his widow, Mary L. Doane, tried unsuccessfully to copyright his diary of the 1870 Yellowstone trip in the 1930s.
The collection contains papers collected by the Museum of the Rockies pertaining to both Fort Ellis and Lieutenant Doane, including: the complete handwritten report of Doane regarding the Howgate expedition of 1880; quartermaster and ordnance returns from the Second Cavalry signed by Doane and lieutenant E.J. McClernand at various posts including Fort Ellis and Fort Maginnis, Montana Territory, and the Presido, San Francisco, California; military returns from the first battalion Mississippi Marine brigade 1865-1867; prescription book from Dr. John H. Kuhle, Fort Ellis, 1876; file of correspondence by Mary L. Doane; various printed materials pertaining to military matters and the Grand Army of the Republic. The collection has been inventoried.
This collection is open for research.
Military records and personal papers pertaining to Fort Ellis, Montana Territory, and Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane, Second United States Cavalry, were transferred to Special Collections by the Museum of the Rockies in the summer of 1970.
This collection was processed 2009 February 16
Purpose was the scientific and geographical exploration of Greenland. Preliminary handwritten report with original supporting manuscripts attached.
Preliminary report by G.C. Doane, March 16, 1881, unpaged.
Chap. 1 - order for the expedition, pp. 1-11.
Chap. 2 - departure of the expedition, pp. 12-27.
Chap. 3 - description of personnel, the arrival, the natives, animal life, etc., pp. 28-60 (the pages are complicated with official affidavits glued in place and are paged on the verso).
Chap. 4 - continued the outfitting of the expedition and the description of the island to the withdrawal by sail in the absence of coal authorized by H.W. Howgate, pp. 61-94.
Chap. 5 - report on the conduct of the expedition and the findings. The entire report was prepared by G.C. Doane, pp. 95-159.
Appendix C - to G.C. Doane from David S. Snively, Ft. Ellis, MT, Jan. 21, 1881.
Efforts by Mrs. Mary L. Doane to get copyright for her husband's diary of the so called Yellowstone Expedition of 1870. Letter from his mother (N. Doane) while he was in Arizona.
Grand Army of the Republic. Battle Ballads by Fred Emerson Brooks. Roster, By-Laws, and Roll of deceased members, Geo. H. Thomas Post N. 2, Dept. of Calif.
Decisions, orders, etc. affecting target practice and the small-arms firing regulations. 10th Annual Report Army Mutual Aid Association. Covering board for enclosures which were not in the collection, notes on the board may be meaningful.