PIECE OF INDIAN MADE ROPE FROM PLANT MATERIAL FROM FORT PEMBINA, NORTH DAKOTA

$95.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1052-720

Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer

To Order:
Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail

This is a short section of rope made from twisted and woven plant fibers and comes from excavations at Fort Pembina, ND, conducted on private property with the owner’s permission, a fort established in 1870 by troops of the 20th US Infantry and garrisoned until 1895, where anaerobic conditions at what was clearly the fort’s dump have produced all sorts of military issue and private purchased material used by soldiers in the garrison, including leather and cloth in remarkably good condition. This was certainly made locally and looks like something created by Native Americans perhaps for sale or trade to the garrison or acquired along with something else and later discarded. In any case, it is an indicator of local trade and commerce that supported the garrison in addition to army and government issue supplies.

Situated in the Red River Valley in North Dakota near the Canadian border, Fort Pembina was established in 1870 and in operation until 1895. Trading posts existed earlier in the area as part of the fur trade, and the first U.S. military post there was temporary- manned by a detachment of Minnesota troops in 1863-1864 following the 1862 Sioux uprising. In March 1870 a new fort was established south of the Pembina River and about 200 yards west of the Red River, completed by July and named in honor of Gen. George H. Thomas. The name was changed to Fort Pembina in September and the initial garrison consisted of two companies of the 20th US Infantry. Their main duty was to provide security for settlers worried about Sioux returning south from Canada, but the troops were more occupied with escorting boundary surveys along the Canadian border and preventing Fenian raids heading north into Canada.

The fort included enlistedmen’s barracks, officers’ quarters, guard house, ordnance storehouse, company kitchen, root house, laundress’s quarters, quarters for civilian employees, hospital and hospital servant’s house, a barn for the “hospital cow,” quartermaster and commissary offices and storehouse, stables, wagon shed, etc. The garrison reached peak strength in 1878 af 200, but the average was about 125 enlisted men and 8 officers. An October 1885 return listed 97 men, 2 field pieces, 1 mountain howitzer, 100 rifles, 19 pistols, 23 mules, and 9 wagons. By 1890 the post had just 23 men, and after an 1895 fire destroyed some 19 buildings it was decided to abandon the fort rather than rebuild, the last detachment left in September. The property was turned over to the Interior Department and later sold in 1902.  [sr][ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire »

Inquire About PIECE OF INDIAN MADE ROPE FROM PLANT MATERIAL FROM FORT PEMBINA, NORTH DAKOTA

For inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

featured item

IDENTIFIED CONFEDERATE CAPTAIN’S FROCK COAT OF CAPTAIN PHARES WALDO SHEARER, 45th MISSISSIPPI, WITH 28-PAGE REMINSCENCES AND VETERAN’S BADGE- HE EXCHANGED SALUTES WITH THE WOUNDED JOHN BELL HOOD AT CHICKAMAUGA

This coat came directly out of the family along with a reunion badge and type-written copy of the officer’s 1906 reminiscences. The coat was formerly in the collection of Steve Mullinax, is accompanied by a file containing details of its… (1179-179). Learn More »

Upcoming Events

21
Jan

The shop will remain closed to the public through Friday, Jan. 24th, re-opening on Saturday, Jan.… Learn More »

Instagram