Fort Rice
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| Fort Rice | |
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Psíŋ Otȟúŋwahe | |
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Fort Rice (Lakota: Psíŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Wild Rice Village") was a frontier military fort in the 19th century named for American Civil War General James Clay Rice in what was then Dakota Territory and what is now North Dakota.[1] The 50th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment became the garrison in October 1865.
The fort was originally established in 1864 by General Alfred H. Sully and was built by him and the 30th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.[2] This regiment would later be replaced by the 1st US volunteer infantry, consisting mainly of ex-confederate soldiers who had joined the Union.[3] Its location was placed north of the mouth of Cannonball River, and south of Heart River's mouth.[3] The buildings within the fort were made of materials that could be found locally, including cottonwood logs for walls and support, and prairie sod for roofing.[3][2][1] The fort was reconstructed in 1868, with the old buildings being torn down and new ones constructed in their stead.[1] The fort became a quadrangle with dimensions of 864 by 544 feet, with 10 foot high wooden barriers surrounding it. By the renovations' completion in 1875, the fort consisted of a guardhouse, a library, a bakery, a magazine, a hospital, four company quarters, five storehouse, and seven officer buildings.[1]
The State Historical Society of North Dakota protects the fort area as Fort Rice State Historic Site, located about 30 miles south of Mandan, North Dakota in Morton County. Visitors can see depressions, foundation lines, and WPA corner markers for the original buildings.[2] The site has a marker indicating the historical significance of the area.
Usage
Despite the protests of its location, Fort Rice sometimes served as a connecting point between the people of the United States and Sioux Nation. Meetings were held and treaties were signed on its premises. Though tensions remained high for the entire duration of the fort's usage, it served as an invaluable outpost in the frontier for the US government. Expeditions were led from the fort for exploratory purposes, and having a military presence nearby meant that travelers, railway surveyors, and workmen were safe from ambushes from indigenous peoples and wildlife.[3]
