Bad Lands Cantonment

Bad Lands Cantonment. . , The Bad Lands Cantonment, a temporary military base to protect railroad construction workers from Indian attacks, was established on November 10, 1879. At first consisting of only canvas tents, the cantonment soon grew to eight lumber buildings, servicing a garrison of up to 60 men., Indians never did attack the cantonment, but in early June 1880, Indians ran off a horse picketed on a nearby ridge., A week later, a hunting party was attacked. A small detail of soldiers pursued the raiding party, coming upon them near Sentinel Butte, about 12 miles west of the cantonment. During a brisk engagement the soldiers’ horses became frightened and ran into the Indians’ herd and were captured. The soldiers were forced to walk back to the cantonment, arriving about midnight. Attempts to recover their horses were unsuccessful., The cantonment was abandoned by the military on March 4, 1883, but its buildings would continue to serve in various capacities including Medora’s first school and later the offices of a local newspaper, The Bad Lands Cow Boy. ,