Note 38 — Chapter XIX · FORT BENTON.

There has been a good deal of confusion about this date, and it cannot yet be considered as definitely settled. The weight of authority is as given above. Chardon had other difficulties with the Indians which may have been confused with this affair. Thus the journal of one of the inmates of the Blackfoot post (whether Fort McKenzie or Fort Chardon is uncertain) says: “February 19, 1844. Fight with the north Blackfeet, in which we killed six and wounded several others; took two children prisoners. The fruits of our victory were four scalps, twenty-two horses, 350 robes, and guns, bows, and arrows, etc.” This answers very closely to the description of the “Blackfoot Massacre” at Fort McKenzie. If it is the same, the founding of Fort Chardon was in 1844 instead of 1843.