Abercrombie in Richland County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Headquarters

Photographed By Connor Olson, June 14, 2021

1. Headquarters Marker

Inscription.

Headquarters. . You are standing in roughly the same spot where a photographer took this picture of Fort Abercrombie's headquarters building. The headquarters building is in the foreground of the photograph. It stood one-and-a-half stories tall and had a porch that extended along its front side. This building appears in images of Fort Abercrombie from as early as 1862. The fort's commanding officer and the adjutant had their offices in this building. Upstairs was a guest room and a room used for court martial proceedings.

Notice the woman and the children standing along the front porch in this photograph. U.S. Army regulations of the 1860s scarcely mention the presence of women and children on frontier military posts, yet families played an important part in the daily life of an army officer. As an officer moved from one fort to another, his family moved with him. The army limited the amount of personal furnishings that could travel with an officer's family to their new destination. Because of this, families often resorted to using items such as boards and sawhorses for dining room tables, and overturned crates and boxes for chairs.

The Commanding Officer

The commanding officer oversaw all the operations at a frontier fort with the assistance of his subordinate officers. The rank of Fort Abercrombie's commanding officer varied depending on the number of troops that were stationed at the fort.

Notable commanding officers at Fort Abercrombie included: , . Lieutenant Colonel John J. Abercrombie, whose troops first established Fort Abercrombie in 1858, and for whom the fort is named. , . Captain John Vander Horck, who was in command when the fort was under siege by Dakota warriors during the Minnesota Indian War of 1862. , . Major Marcus A. Reno, who, after serving with the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, was commander during the winter of 1876-77. . This historical marker was erected by State Historical Society of North Dakota. It is in Abercrombie in Richland County North Dakota

You are standing in roughly the same spot where a photographer took this picture of Fort Abercrombie's headquarters building. The headquarters building is in the foreground of the photograph. It stood one-and-a-half stories tall and had a porch that extended along its front side. This building appears in images of Fort Abercrombie from as early as 1862. The fort's commanding officer and the adjutant had their offices in this building. Upstairs was a guest room and a room used for court martial proceedings.

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The Commanding Officer

Notable commanding officers at Fort Abercrombie included:
• Lieutenant Colonel John J. Abercrombie, whose troops first established Fort Abercrombie in 1858, and for whom the fort is named.
• Captain John Vander Horck, who was in command when the fort was under siege by Dakota warriors during the Minnesota Indian War of 1862.
• Major Marcus A. Reno, who, after serving with the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, was commander during the winter of 1876-77.

Erected by State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.

Location. 46° 26.698′ N, 96° 43.153′ W. Marker is in Abercrombie, North Dakota, in Richland County. Marker is on Broadway North (County Road 4) near Abercrombie Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 935 Broadway N, Abercrombie ND 58001, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this

Headquarters Marker and Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Connor Olson, June 14, 2021

2. Headquarters Marker and Site

marker. Fort Abercrombie (within shouting distance of this marker); Hospital / Lieutenant’s Quarters (within shouting distance of this marker); Commissary Storehouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Guardhouse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Surgeon’s & Chaplain’s Quarters (about 300 feet away); Stable (about 300 feet away); Quartermaster Storehouse (about 300 feet away); Magazine (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Abercrombie.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 158 times since then and 102 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 7, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.