The army established the post to protect steamboat traffic en route to Fort Benton, which carried passengers and freight to supply swiftly growing boom towns at the site of rich gold strikes in the western mountains of the Montana Territory.
The army established the post to protect steamboat traffic en route to Fort Benton. Fort Benton carried passengers and freight. This was to supply swiftly growing boom towns at the site of rich gold strikes in the western mountains of the Montana Territory.