Fort Row facts for kids

Fort Row was a small fort built in Kansas during the American Civil War. It was located near the Verdigris River, close to where the town of Coyville, Kansas is today. Local soldiers built it in late 1861 to protect the area. However, Fort Row is mostly remembered for a very sad event involving thousands of Native American people.

What Was Fort Row?

Local soldiers, called a militia, built Fort Row. They formed in the summer of 1861. Their job was to defend the area from attacks by Confederate fighters. These fighters were active in eastern Kansas. The fort was named after John R. Row, who was the captain of this militia. When it was first set up, the militia had about 70 to 80 men.

How Was the Fort Built?

Fort Row was built in a flat area. This allowed the soldiers to see far across the land. The Verdigris River was also a good natural defense. Its bank was very steep.

The fort had three log buildings called blockhouses. Each one was about 16 by 24 feet. A strong log fence, called a stockade, surrounded three sides of the fort. The river protected the fourth side. Soldiers also built an earth wall along the stockade. They cut small holes in the stockade walls for rifles. The fort covered about half an acre of land.

A Winter of Hardship

The militia stayed at Fort Row during the winter of 1861-1862. They even kept their horses inside the fort. In the spring, they left Fort Row to join a larger group of soldiers called the 9th Kansas Volunteers.

However, Fort Row became famous for a different reason. In January 1862, about 10,000 Native American people arrived there. They were in great need of help to survive the harsh winter.

The Journey of the Creek People

A leader of the Creek Native Americans, Opothleyahola, had many followers in what was then called Indian Territory. This area is now part of Oklahoma. Confederate leaders hoped he would join their side in the Civil War. But Opothleyahola wanted his people to stay neutral and avoid the fighting.

His plan for neutrality did not work. In late 1861, about 9,000 Creeks and at least 2,600 Native Americans from other tribes began a long journey. They were heading for Fort Row.

A Difficult Escape

The Native Americans fought Confederate forces twice. On December 26, they suffered a terrible defeat. This forced Opothleyahola's people to flee with almost nothing. Many had no shoes. They had no food and had to walk 100 to 150 miles. They marched through deep snow and freezing cold weather to reach Fort Row.

The Creeks lost 2,000 to 3,000 people on the way. More would have died if they had not eaten some of their dogs and ponies to survive. The Native Americans expected help when they arrived. But their large numbers overwhelmed all efforts to help them.

Help Arrives, But Not Enough

In mid-January 1862, the first groups of Native Americans arrived at the fort. More than 2,000 people came at first. Then, 20 to 60 Native Americans arrived each day. Eventually, about 10,000 people gathered at Fort Row.

In late January or early February, William G. Coffin arrived. He was the government's superintendent for Native American affairs in the region. He came to help. He spent $10,000 on supplies, but these quickly ran out. He managed to get more supplies using credit. He and his son, Oliver, also used their own salaries to buy more goods.

Struggling to Survive

At first, the Army helped feed the Native Americans. But by February, Coffin was in charge of feeding everyone. He got some help, but it was still not enough. Doctors tried to help the starving people. They had to amputate many limbs that were badly frostbitten.

The Native Americans tried to hunt for food. But the local animals were quickly used up. Thousands of ponies and dogs died from hunger and lack of shelter. Many of these animals were eaten. At least 1,000 Native Americans died, including Opothleyahola's daughter.

Burials and Aftermath

Many of the Native Americans who died were placed into hollow logs and trees. The ground was frozen, so it was very hard to dig graves. Those who were buried were put into shallow graves. It is likely that most of the people and animals who died were never buried. When the weather warmed up, a terrible smell filled the air.

Local stories say that the dead could not be buried because of the frozen ground. So, they were rolled over the steep bank into the river. After the thaw, so many bodies had gathered that the river water stopped flowing.

Moving to Other Locations

To ease the suffering, the Native Americans were gradually moved to other places. Some went to Fort Belmont. Others went to a U.S. Army post at LeRoy, Kansas, known as LeRoy's post. Conditions were still very difficult at Fort Belmont. Some young Native American men from these posts joined the Union Army to fight.

By the time Fort Row was completely empty in the spring, all the Native Americans had been moved. Fort Row was never used again. Over time, floods destroyed its buildings. For many years, human and animal bones could be found scattered across the surrounding land.