Fort Randall

Fort Randall (1856-1892) - Established in 1856 by Captain Nelson H. Davis (Cullum 1320), 2nd U.S. Infantry, to replace Fort Pierre (1). Named after Ltc. Daniel Randall who was Deputy Paymaster General of the Army. Abandoned in 1892. Band and Four Companies of the 25th U.S. Infantry at Fort Randall. Fort Randall Church Fort Randall History The site was selected in 1856 by General William S. Harney, Commander of the Sioux Expedition. The post was established 14 Aug 1856 by Captain Nelson H. Davis, (Cullum 1320), 2nd U.S. Infantry. Original Post (1856-1871) The original post was built as a series of one-story log cabins and by 1859 the post had 24 log structures that housed six companies or about 500 men. Lining the large central parade were the officer's quarters, barracks, commissary and a quartermaster department. Other support buildings included the guard house, hospital, morgue, warehouse and the sutler's store. During the U.S. Civil War the post was General Alfred Sully's base of operations for his 1863-1865 campaigns against the Sioux Indians. Final Post (1871-1892) The old post was ordered rennovated by Lt. Colonel Elwell S. Otis, 22nd U.S. Infantry, who commanded the post between October 1870 and June 1873. The deteriorating log cabins were replaced with two-story framed buildings and additional buildings were constructed for a guard house, hospital, bakery, magazine and other support buildings. In 1875, a stone chapel envisioned by the post commander, Lt. Colonel Pinkney Lugenbeel, (Cullum 1044), 1st U.S. Infantry, was built by volunteer labor at a cost of $20,000. The chapel was designed by the post carpenter, George Bush and most of the money for it was raised by the enlisted men of the post. Lt. Colonel Lugenbeel commanded the post between January 1874 and October 1879. Tweleve additional officers quarters were built in 1877. White picket fences were built around all the buildings and the post became a show place. Sitting Bull Sitting Bull and His Family at Fort Randall Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotake) of the Lakota Sioux, who participated in the defeat of Col. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn, and his band of 158 Hunkpapa Sioux camped south of the fort between July 1881 and November 1883 under a loose arrest. The band was moved to Fort Yates, in present day North Dakota in November 1883. Closure The 21st U.S. Infantry left the post on 9 Nov 1892 and the post was officially abandoned on 7 Dec 1892. Current Status Fort Randall National Historic Site. Some remains and a visitor center. {"selectable":false,"width":"500"} Location: Fort Randall National Historic Site, Gregory County, South Dakota. Maps & Images Lat: 43.05028 Long: -98.56036 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 1,296' See Also: Fort Yates Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 732. Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 147. Post returns available June 1856 - Nov 1892 at Ancestry.com (by Subscription) USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 1255116 Links: North American Forts - Fort Randall U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Randall U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Randall Detailed History Visited: No