In the meantime, the Government had decreed that no annuities should be paid to the hostile bands or to any Sioux until they had ceded the coveted Black Hills to the whites. A commission succeeded in getting the Sioux to sign an agreement effecting that end when it became law in February 1877.
The Northern Cheyennes were taken south to the Indian territory in 1877, but they broke away the next year, led by Dull Knife and Little Wolf, and headed north for their old home in the Dakotas. After hard campaigning by troops from Fort Laramie and other posts, many of Dull Knife’s band were killed and all others were captured. These, however, were permitted to remain on the northern reservation.
[Illustration: _In 1888, officers’ row featured boardwalks, picket fences, and family gatherings on vine-shaded verandas._ Courtesy Col. Louis Brechemin.]
The rush to the Black Hills gave new importance to Fort Laramie, for, with its bridge across the North Platte, it was the gateway to the gold-mining region via the trail leading north from Cheyenne, whose merchants advertised the route as being well guarded. Although the troops from the fort were virtually all engaged in the effort to combat Indian depredations and provide escorts, travel to the gold fields was in fact extremely hazardous. Regular service by the Cheyenne and Black Hills stage line was impossible, until conditions improved in the fall of 1876. But no sooner had Indian raids on the trail lessened than the activities of “road agents” threatened the traveler. Even armored coaches with shotgun guards failed to deter the bandits seeking gold shipments.
Beginning in the late 1870’s, other changes took place around Fort Laramie. With the Indians removed to reservations, ranchers and other settlers came in, and great herds of cattle replaced the buffalo on the Wyoming plains. To many of these settlers the fort on the Laramie was a supply center, as well as insurance against Indian outbreaks and lawless white men.
[Illustration: FORT LARAMIE PLAN OF POST 1888]
LEGEND 1 OFFICERS’ QUARTERS 2 ” ” 3 ” ” 4 ” ” 5 ” ” 6 ” ” 7 ” ” 8 ” ” 9 ” ” 10 ” ” 11 ” ” 12 ” ” 13 COMMANDING OFFICER’S QUARTERS 14 OFFICERS’ QUARTERS 15 ” ” 16 ” ” 17 ” ” 18 ” ” 19 ” ” 20 PRINTING OFFICE 21 ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 22 LIBRARY 23 MAGAZINE (OLD GUARD HOUSE) 24 BARRACKS 25 KITCHEN AND MESSHALL 26 GUARD HOUSE 27 GENERAL SINK 28 OIL HOUSE 29 MARRIED MEN’S QUARTERS 30 BARRACKS 31 KITCHEN AND MESSHALL 32 ” ” ” 33 ” ” ” 34 NEW BARRACKS 35 COMMISSARY STORE HOUSE 36 GRANARY 37 BAKERY 38 Q.M. STORE HOUSE 39 Q.M. STORE HOUSE AND OFFICE 40 TELEGRAPH OFFICE 41 Q.M. STORE HOUSE 42 ” ” ” 43 Q.M. SHOPS 44 ” ” 45 Q.M. EMPLOYEES’ QUARTERS 46 Q.M. SHOPS 47 ” ” 48 ” ” 49 Q.M. EMPLOYEES’ QUARTERS 50 HARNESS ROOM 51 STABLES 52 ” 53 ” 54 SAW MILL 55 RUSTIC HOTEL 56 STAGE COACH STABLES 57 HOSPITAL 58 HOSPITAL STEWARDS’ QUARTERS 59 N.C. STAFF QUARTERS 60 BATH HOUSES 61 SUTLER’S RESIDENCE 62 SUTLER’S STORE _BUILDINGS STANDING TODAY ARE SHOWN IN BLACK_