Location: Pompeys Pillar, Yellowstone County
On April 17, 1876, a significant military force known as the Montana Column, comprising approximately 450 cavalrymen under the command of Colonel John Gibbon, established a camp near Pompeys Pillar. This movement was part of a larger military campaign against Native American tribes in the region, particularly in the lead-up to the Great Sioux War of 1876. Pompeys Pillar, a prominent sandstone rock formation on the banks of the Yellowstone River, served as a strategic landmark and a temporary base for military operations. The presence of such a substantial military contingent in the area underscores the escalating tensions and conflicts between the U.S. Army and indigenous peoples during this period of westward expansion. This event is a precursor to some of the most well-known battles in Montana's history, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and highlights the military's efforts to assert control over the vast territories of Montana.