Barnesville's Post facts for kids

Barnesville's Post was a military camp located near Barnesville, Kansas, in Bourbon County. It was used by soldiers during the American Civil War. This post was important for a short time, helping to protect areas in Kansas during the conflict.

What Was Barnesville's Post?

Barnesville's Post was not a permanent fort with big walls. Instead, it was a temporary military camp. Soldiers would set up tents or use existing log buildings. They sometimes built simple earth walls to protect their position. These camps were used to house troops and keep an eye on the surrounding area during the Civil War.

Early Days: 1861

The first time Barnesville's Post was mentioned was in September 1861. This was early in the Civil War. Senator James Lane, a Union General, wrote a report about it. At this time, General Lane had moved his soldiers from Fort Scott, Kansas, to areas further north.

He wrote to Captain W. E. Prince, who was in charge of Fort Leavenworth. General Lane explained that he was holding Barnesville with about 250 soldiers. These soldiers were staying in log buildings. He also mentioned that they were making their position stronger by building earth entrenchments. These were like ditches and mounds of dirt to help defend the camp.

Life at Camp Denver

Soldiers stayed at Barnesville's Post for several months. In October 1861, a group called the 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry was stationed there. Their camp was known as Camp Denver.

A soldier named George E. Flanders wrote a letter home in February 1862. He described what life was like at the camp during the winter. He said the men lived in tents. They had to cut down a lot of trees for firewood to stay warm. Flanders also mentioned that there was some "guerrilla activity" near the camp. This meant small, unofficial groups of fighters were causing trouble in the area.

Later Years and End of Use

After February 1862, the troops left Barnesville's Post for a while. The camp was empty for nearly two years.

In December 1863, soldiers returned to Barnesville. One or two companies from the 9th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry were stationed there. A "company" is a group of soldiers, usually around 100. However, these troops also left after February 1864. After that, Barnesville's Post was no longer used as a military camp.