History: Women at the Frontier Forts

Men weren’t the only ones to come west to settle the new frontier. Many brought their wives as well. Including officers at the remote army outposts in Wyoming.

Most of the married women who came west to live in the forts were officer’s wives, but occasionally a enlisted man’s wife might come along to the fort and work as a laundress or as a household help for an officer’s family.

Three of the best-known officers’ wives, who also wrote books about their experiences on the Western Frontier were Margaret Carrington, who wrote “Absaraka, Home of the Crows,” first published in 1868; Mrs. Frances Grummond, who wrote “Army Life on the Plains”, initially published in 1910. Both women were wives of Henry B. Carrington, who married the widowed Mrs. Grummond after his first wife died. Elizabeth (Libby) Custer, wrote “Boots and Saddles,” in 1885 after the death of her husband, George A. Custer. “Boots and Saddles” is also a bugle call sounded for cavalrymen to mount their horses and take their place in line.

Women not only kept journals and wrote books, but they also corresponded with families back east to let them know what was happening at the Army Posts. Mrs. Carrington, in her book, said that many times the wives had to be their own seamstresses and milliners to, as at Fort Phil Kearny there were no stores nearby, and the only goods had to be purchased at the post’s store.

The Cheyenne Weekly Leader, July 29, 1876, has this story about Mrs. Margaret Carrington and the influence she had over her husband.

How Old Fort Kearney Was Located: Old Fort Phil Kearney was situated in a most exposed and defenseless place, commanded by bluffs on every side. Indians could come within a couple of hundred yards of the stockade without being observed. A dozen better sites could have been selected in the immediate neighborhood.

The officers of the expedition explain the matter in this way: Col. Carrington commanded the 18th infantry. When he was sent out by the government to “prospect for a site.” His wife, a lady of some will, accompanied him.

From old Fort Casper, at Platte bridge, they wandered on and on, northward, until they reached this point on the old Montana road. Carrington always carried a bugle, as he loved to sound the calls himself. One morning he arose from bivouac, as usual, and was going out of the tent, bugle in hand, when Mrs. Carrington said, “Henry, Henry, where are you going with that bugle?”

“Why, Margaret, my dear,” he replied, “I am going to sound the call so that our march may be resumed.”

“You may march all you please,” said she, “but not one foot further in this direction am I going. This is as good a place for your fort as any you can find.” “Henry” laid down the bugle. The march was not resumed, “Margaret” had her way, and so Fort Phil Kearney, of gory memory, came to be built. When Capt. Drummond, (They must have mean Grummond) of the dragoons, went to the rescue of Fetterman and got killed for his pains, Mrs. Drummond gave Carrington a terrible tongue thrashing, called him a poltroon and many other names.

The Colonel had her, Mrs. Carrington, Mrs. Orton, and two other ladies—all that were in the fort—placed in the magazine, laid the train, and was ready to blow them and the whole concern up in case the Indians forced the stockade, which they were quite capable of doing had they attempted the feat. It was a miracle that they did not, as Carrington had less than 90 men left. The Colonel is now on the retired list. His wife, Margaret, died a few years ago, and, strange to relate, the second Mrs. Carrington is no other than Mrs. Drummond, widow of the dragoon officer, on whose account she insulted her present husband so grossly.

Mrs. Grummond, who was at the fort in 1866 and lost her first husband, George, in the Fetterman Fight, talked about her time at Fort Phil Kearny. She said that the army told them that the fort was safe for women and children, but that was not exactly the case. When they first came to the fort on their wagon train, they saw the body of a scalped and naked soldier. She felt that perhaps the army had not been entirely truthful about the dangers at the Fort. Later, she married Col. Henry Carrington after his wife, Margaret died.

Elizabeth Custer, who was the wife of General Custer, lived for many years after his death, and she became an outspoken advocate for his legacy by writing books and giving lectures. Largely due to her campaigning on his behalf, the Custer legend has endured for nearly over 100 years. They were married in 1864, and she died in 1933, just a few days short of her 91st birthday.

She needed to do something to support herself, as this story in the Uinta Chieftain, May 9, 1885 tells of her pension.

Other women at the fort might be laundresses this piece from the Cheyenne Daily Leader, February 24, 1876 – ….And there was this from Speaker Kerr was in the chair today, much improved in health. Bills were introduced and referred to as follows: By Banning, to provide the efficiency of the army…. It gives the General three lieutenant-generals two aides each; it provides for an officer’s school, for cavalry and infantry; it repeals the law allowing women to accompany troops as laundresses.

Cheyenne Weekly Leader, November 23, 1876

Sometimes there was romance at the forts as well. This little tidbit was in The Cheyenne Daily Sun, June 7, 1879 – A Cavalry Private Eloping with a Wealthy Merchants Daughter. From Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota, (near present-day Mandan, ND) says: While the older civilization of the East is excited over the eccentric tastes of well-bred young women who prefer for husbands cab drivers and coachmen to the men of more polite position, the newer and cruder society of the frontier has been enjoying on its own account a little romantic sensation, the end of which has not yet come. In the Seventh Cavalry there is an enlisted man, Charles Mellier, whose good looks have not only cause many of the laundresses’ hearts flutter but have exerted an influence in all of the towns near which his troops have been stationed.….

Recently there came to Bismarck Mr. Francis Melville, a prominent and wealthy merchant of St. Paul, Minnesota, and with him came his daughter, a girl of eighteen, who is spoken of us quite beautiful m person and the possessor of many graceful accomplishments.

Everyone knows what a belle an accomplished girl can be when she is visiting at or near a frontier military post, and Miss Melville was not an exception to the well-proven rule, for never a day passed that several young officers did not dismount in front of her door.

New Year’s Eve ball was given at Carroliton Hall at which, in the characteristic Western way, people of many social grades met and mingled on the floor. There Miss Melville met the handsome Mellier, who received so much encouragement that he met her secretly afterwards, and the acquaintance ripened into an engagement which the other day culminated an elopement to Jamestown, where the couple were married by the Rev. Mr. Jackson.

Officer’s wives and laundresses were not the only women around the frontier forts. Wherever there are young, single men, ‘women of the evening,’ ‘soiled doves,’ ‘sportin’ women’ or prostitutes found a way to make money. At Fort Fetterman, there was a ‘hog ranch’ across the Platte River, where soldiers with a desire for female company and a deep enough pocket, could find willing fancy women to enjoy the evening with.

So, the soldiers and officers weren’t the only ones to come west to conquer the new frontier, women came with them and washed their clothes, cooked their meals, and offered female companionship.