Kansas Military Records

Portal:United States Military Records&gt;Kansas

The U.S. Military Records Research Outline provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many military records are found at the Family History Library and the National Archives and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information regarding these records.

The Kansas Historical Society has a detailed description of its military records.

DEATH AND BURIAL RECORDS-SOLDIERS

Forts
There were many forts established for specific purposes on the frontier. Some existed for only a few years. Some were official U.S. military posts. Some were never used as military garrisons. As a result, some had official military records, but many did not. Those listed below are only some of the known forts that existed in what is now the state of Kansas. (read more...)


 * Fort Abercrombie -- Textual records of this fort, 1859-1877, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Atkinson -- Sometimes mentioned in connection with Kansas, Fort Atkinson was actually located in Nebraska.
 * Fort Blair -- The official name of a Civil War fort existing from about 1862 to 1865, more commonly known as Fort Baxter. It was located near the present town of Baxter Springs.
 * Fort Cavagnolle -- 1744-1760
 * Fort Dodge -- Textual records of this fort, 1865-1883, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7). These records have also been microfilmed on 25 rolls as National Archives Microcopy M989.
 * Fort Fletcher -- the original name of Fort Hays.
 * Fort Harker 1866 -- Textual records of this fort, 1865-1873, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Hays -- Established in 1865 as Fort Fletcher, it was closed for a few months in 1866 and then reopened later that year and renamed Fort Hays. It was abandoned in 1889. Textual records of this fort, 1860-1878, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Kearny -- Although near the Kansas-Nebraska border, this fort was actually located in Nebraska.
 * Fort Larned 1859 -- Textual records of this fort, 1848-1871, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Leavenworth -- Originally established as Cantonment Leavenworth in 1827 near the site of the 18th Century French Fort de Cavagnal. It was renamed Fort Leavenworth in 1832. It is still an active military post. Textual records of this fort, 1856-1919, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7). The fort is also the site of Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.
 * Fort Lincoln -- Civil War Fort
 * Fort Lyon -- Sometimes associated with the state of Kansas, Fort Lyon was actually located in Colorado.
 * Fort McKean -- Civil War Fort
 * Fort Mann -- Established as a non-military fort principally to protect teamsters and provide a place for the repair of their wagons and replacement of animals. It was in use for only a few years in the late 1840s. It was abandoned when Fort Atkinson was built.
 * Fort Marion -- Fort Marion was located at St. Augustine, Florida. It occupies a place in the military history of Kansas because Indian leaders from Kansas and other states were sent to Fort Marion as punishment for their involvement in murders and other military actions against settlers and military troops. For the names of Indians sent to Fort Marion, read more...
 * Fort Montgomery -- Civil War Fort
 * Fort Riley -- Established by a group of surveyors early in the year 1853, it was initally called Camp Center. In June of that year, it was renamed Fort Riley and has continued under that name to the present day. Textual records of this fort, 1859, 1864-1919, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Scott -- Fort Scott was an active Army post from 1842-1854, 1861-1865, and 1870-1873. It is now a National Historic Site. Textual records of this fort, 1862-1865, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7). The records of Fort Scott, 1869-1873, have been microfilmed and form National Archives Microcopy M1077, 2 rolls.
 * Solon's Fort
 * Fort Wallace -- Textual records of this fort, 1866-1882, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
 * Fort Zarah -- Fort Zarah was established in 1864 at a site about 2 miles east of present-day Great Bend, Kansas and was originally named Camp Dunlap. It was moved about one-half mile upstream in 1866 and was abandoned in 1869. Textual records of this fort, 1864-1869, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).

References

A paper was presented by William C. Pollard, Jr. at the Fourteenth Annual Mid-American Conference on History in 1992 about Kansas Forts During the Civil War. It lists many of the above forts and others, as well.

Kansas Frontier Forts, a web site maintained by the Kansas State Historical Society.

Encyclopedia of Indian Wars Western Battles and Skirmishes 1850-1890. By Gregory F. Michno. Mountain Press publishing Co., Missoula, Montana. C. 2003 ISBN 0-87842-468-7

Civil War (1861-1865)
for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for Kansas, see:

Civil War Pension Index Cards - A free Internet index to pension applications of veterans who served in the US Army between 1861-1917 is available on FamilySearch Record Search. Each card gives the soldier’s name, application and certificate numbers, state of enlistment, and might include rank and death information. Other wars, of that time period, may be included.

Volunteer Regiments - An index to the enlistment papers of Kansas Volunteer Regiments, 1861-1865, which are housed in the Kansas State Archives is on the Lineages, Inc. website (free search). The enlistment papers may contain the following information on a soldier:


 * Name
 * Date
 * Place of birth,
 * Date and place enlisted
 * Date and place mustered into service
 * Physical description
 * Signature
 * Occasionally a medical report.

World War I
United States. Selective Service System. Kansas, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On Family History Library films beginning with 1643420.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (Family History Library film 1498803)

Kansas Historical Society has an online index to their "state bonus," or "bounty claims," records for World War I veterans, their widows, and orphans. These records might include name, rank, physical description, age, character, vocation, nativity, and battles or skirmishes in which the veteran participated.

The Kansas State Guard
Prior to 1917 the citizens of Kansas did not give much thought to having local troops to protect municipal and industrial properties. Once the United States entered World War I, it was thought that the National Guard offered ample protection against activities of alien sympathizers. Exagerated claims of sabotage, originating with stories published in Eastern newspapers soon excited the local citizenry.

On April 17, 1917, the State Council of Defense was organized in the Governor's office at Topeka. The objective was "to mobilize all the resources of the state to support of the war." The Department of Public Defense was created by the Council and assigned the duty of organizing Home Guards "for the protection of local property." Immediately after the meeting, units were organized in many Kansas communities. This Home Guard, or Kansas State Guard, as it became known, existed from August 6, 1917, to November 11, 1919, when it was disbanded. A complete history, including the rosters of those involved, is found at http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/military/ksguard/index.html.