Fort Ellis and Gustavus C. Doane Collection

Fort Ellis and Gustavus C. Doane Collection, 1865-1930

Overview of the Collection

Title: Fort Ellis and Gustavus C. Doane Collection
Dates: 1865-1930
18651930
Quantity: .8 linear feet
Collection Number: Collection 851, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary: The Fort Ellis and Gustavus C. Doane 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.
Repository: Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

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.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

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.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

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.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 February 16

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Howgate Arctic Expedition of 1880 authorized by W.H. Howgate, commanded by Gustavus C. Doane 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.
1/2	Quarterly return of clothing and equipage	quarter ending 1883 December 31
1/3	Quarterly return of clothing and equipage	quarter ending 1884 March 31
1/4	Quarterly return of clothing and equipage	quarter ending 1884 June 30
1/5	Quarterly return of clothing and equipage	quarter ending 1884 September 30
1/6	Quarterly return of clothing and equipage	the first part of the fourth quarter ending 1884 November 30
1/7	Quarterly return of ordnance and ordnance stores	quarter ending 1885 June 30
1/8	Quarterly return of clothing, camp and garrison equipage	quarter ending 1885 December 31
2/1	Certificates of non-indebtedness	1865 December - 1867 May
2/2	Receipts for the acceptance of returns for clothing, equipage, and ordnance stores	1875-1882
2/3	Receipts for the acceptance of returns for clothing, equipage, and ordnance stores	1883-1892
2/4	Commissary book of G.C. Doane	1884-1889
2/5	Hearing to account for supplies destroyed because they were worn out in service	1882-1887
2/6	Doane Correspondence 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.	1886, 1930
2/7	Journal of the Military Association of the Pacific	1885 July, 1885 November
2/8	Kuhle, Dr. John H. Prescription and account book apparently used at Ft. Ellis about 1876, found in an old building by Steve Skaar	1962 May 20
2/9	Ballads and Roster 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.	1886, 1892
2/10	Decisions and Reports 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.	1891, 1888-1889
2/11	Official Army Register	1890 January

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

Doane, Mary Hunter, 1859-1952-Correspondence
Howgate, Henry W.

Corporate Names

Grand Army of the Republic

Geographical Names

Arctic regions-Discovery and exploration
Fort Ellis (Mont.)
Fort Maginnis (Mont.)
Presidio of San Francisco (San Francisco, Calif.)

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Doane, Gustavus Cheyney, 1840-1892 (creator)
- Kuhle, John H. (creator)
- McClernand, Edward J. (Edward John), 1848-1926 (creator)
Corporate Names
- United States-Army-Cavalry, 2nd (creator)
- United States-Army-Mississippi Marine Brigade (creator)

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