Moving two miles due east of the Tongue River Cantonment, these early merchants founded the first Miles City. Nelson Miles said that 'whiskey caused him more trouble than the Indians' and, after tiring of drunken soldiers causing problems during the winter campaign, evicted the sutlers who provided 'liquid stock' in the spring of 1877. Miles, effectively brought the remaining 'uncontrolled' Native Americans into subjugation during the last decade of the 1800s.

A second, permanent fort was constructed on higher ground two miles to the west of the mouth of the Tongue and this became Fort Keogh.įort Keogh (named after Captain Myles Keogh, one of the battle dead, whose horse, Comanche, was the lone survivor of Custer's command) started as a few rough winter cabins, but grew into a moderate sized western fort, from which its commander, General Nelson A.

The first fort was known as the Tongue River Cantonment or the Tongue River Barracks and was founded on August 27, 1876. Army created forts in eastern Montana, including one where the north-flowing Tongue River flowed into the east-flowing Yellowstone River. History Miles City, 1881Īfter the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, the U.S. The population was 8,354 at the 2020 census. Miles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States.

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