Gustavus Cheyney Doane - Assignment To Fort Ellis

Assignment To Fort Ellis

After his business and political failures in Mississippi, Doane again became a military officer. In the summer of 1868, through the good offices of a California senator, John Conness, Doane earned a commission in the U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment as a Second Lieutenant. After a year of un-eventful, training and scouting assignments at Fort McPherson, Nebraska and Fort Russell, Wyoming, Doane's cavalry unit was transferred to the newly created Fort Ellis, Montana Territory near Bozeman, Montana. On July 1, 1869 Doane and his wife, Amelia arrived at Fort Ellis. By the fall of 1869, Doane was given command of Company F, 2nd Cavalry at Fort Ellis.

In January, 1870, Doane's Company along with others under the overall command of Major Eugene M. Baker led a successful attack on a Blackfoot Indian camp on the Marias River in response to the alleged murder of a white fur trader. This engagement became known as the Marias Massacre.

In reality, Doane spent little time at Fort Ellis with his wife Amelia. By 1877 the frontier life at Fort Ellis and Doane's constant absence, had severely strained their relationship. Gustavus and Amelia were eventually divorced in September 1878.

Doane wasted little time in re-marrying. In December 1878, Gustavus and 19 year old Mary Lee Hunter of Hunter Hot Springs, Montana were married in Helena, Montana in a well attended ceremony including the Territorial Governor, Benjamin F. Potts. Mary Lee was the daughter of Dr. Andrew Jackson Hunter, formerly the camp physician at Fort Ellis. They remained married and together until Doane's death in 1892.