Barnesville's Post located near Barnesville, in

Bourbon County, Kansas Bourbon County (county code BB) is a county located in Southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 14,360. Its county seat and most populous city is Fort Scott. History Early history For many millennia, the Great Pl ...

, was the site of military camps for stretches of time during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

. The first mention of a camp there came from a report written on September 4, 1861, by Sen. James Lane. This was during the time Lane had evacuated Fort Scott and moved his forces to areas north of that post. A post was established at Barnesville. Lane wrote to Capt. W. E. Prince, then commanding

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perman ...

, "I am holding Barnesville . . . with an irregular force of about 250 men, stationed in log buildings, and am now strengthening their position with earth entrenchments." At least until February 1862 troops remained. In October 1861 the 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry stayed at Camp Denver near Barnesville. In February the troops left. George E. Flanders, in a letter home in February 1862 wrote that the men lived in tents during the winter and cleared out much timberland to use as firewood. He mentioned there was some guerrilla activity near camp. For a time troops were absent at Barnesville, between about February 1862 and December 1863. At the latter date one or two companies of the 9th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry were stationed there. After February 1864 these troops were gone and the use of Barnesville's post ended."Troops in the Department of Kansas, Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, US Army, Commanding, January 31, 1864," ''The War of the Rebellion'' (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891), Series I, Vol. XXXIV, Part II, p. 207; "Organization of Troops in the Department of the Missouri, Commanded by Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, December 31, 1863," ''The War of the Rebellion'' (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1888), Series I, Vol. XXII, Part II, p. 762; Col. Edward Lynde, report, ''The War of the Rebellion'' (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891), Series I, Vol. XXXIV, Part II, pp. 273-4.

References

{{coord missing, Kansas Buildings and structures in Bourbon County, Kansas Forts in Kansas 1861 establishments in Kansas