▁instead ▁of ▁a ▁rectangle , ▁to ▁protect ▁against ▁har sh ▁winter ▁wind s ▁that ▁how led ▁across ▁the ▁then ▁tre eless ▁high ▁pla ins . ▁The ▁diam ond ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁measured ▁ 8 0 0 ▁by ▁. ▁The ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁fort ▁was ▁at ▁a ▁point ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁present ▁day ▁Chap el ▁ 1 . ▁The ▁first ▁troops ▁station ed ▁here ▁lived ▁the ▁rough ▁front ier ▁life , ▁which ▁meant ▁cop ing ▁with ▁the ▁rig ors ▁of ▁the ▁weather ▁in ▁winter ▁and ▁" cop ing ▁with ▁Indians " ▁in ▁spring ▁and ▁summer . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁troops ▁from ▁Fort ▁Russell ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁Si oux ▁Indian ▁Wars , ▁the ▁same ▁in ▁which ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁C uster ' s ▁forces ▁were ▁defeated . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁Fort ▁Russell ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁permanent ▁post , ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁strateg ic ▁location . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁ordered ▁the ▁post ▁be ▁re built ▁to ▁serve ▁eight ▁inf antry ▁companies . ▁The ▁Army ▁built ▁ 2 7 ▁red ▁brick ▁buildings ▁for ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁older ▁wood ▁frame ▁structures , ▁and ▁plant ed ▁thousands ▁of ▁trees . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁brick ▁buildings ▁were ▁st ables ▁that ▁hous ed ▁nearly ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁horses ▁and ▁m ules . ▁From ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁more ▁than ▁