The soldiers who died and were buried at Fort Larned are now relocated in graves marked "Unknown Soldier" at the National Cemetery at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Their graves are in Section B, graves 2136 to 2200. The saddest part of this is that we do have records that show who died and were buried at Fort Larned. Can we know exactly who is in which grave? No, but we can list here for you the names of those brave soldiers who gave their lives protecting others on the Santa Fe Trail.

     Most of these deaths were not from Indian fighting, but from accidents, cholera, dysentery and other injuries. Alcohol intoxication was common and there were whiskey ranches and houses of prostitution nearby that spread venereal diseases. Illnesses and injuries were a constant threat to the army and many health problems resulted from the crowded and poorly ventilated quarters. Respiratory illnesses, unsanitary water induced diarrhea and fevers, mosquitoes that carried illness and inadequate bathing facilities contributed to boils and other infections.

     In 1867 a cholera epidemic was widespread and although there were 15 reported cases and 6 deaths, only one of those deaths was a soldier. There was also a death from a rabid wolf bite.

     Fort Larned is located on the Santa Fe Trail near Pawnee Fork River, 7 miles west of Larned, Kansas. The fort was established in 1859 and was originally called Camp on Pawnee Fork. In February 1860 it was renamed Camp Alert. On May 2, 1860 they renamed it Fort Larned to honor the paymaster general, Colonel Benjamin Larned.

     The soldiers of Fort Larned offered protection for the U.S. Postal Service mail trains and trail commerce. They were also the principle annuity distribution point for the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Indians. Although mounted troops were often not available, both life and property on the Santa Fe Trail were in danger from Indian raids and the soldier escorts were invaluable. Their presence made a significant contribution to the safe passage of many people and their goods. Fort Larned was a peacemaker.

     During the Civil War most officers were not regular army, but members of state volunteer regiments. The garrison usually held both cavalry and infantry companies. The cavalry was not stationed at the post after 1869. The number of soldiers stationed there varied with the seasons and activity with as many as 400 -- 500 for short periods of time to as few as 30 in the winters. Although it fluctuated, they probably averaged 150 soldiers. Fort Larned was deactivated in 1878 and a small detachment of troops was left to guard the property until 1882.

     The troops from the Second Volunteer U.S. Infantry, stationed at Fort Larned in 1865 to 1866, were known as "galvanized Yankees". These soldiers were former captured Confederate soldiers that had been held as Union prisoners. They were allowed to volunteer to soldier in the west and served well as our protectors.

     The "Buffalo Soldiers", black soldiers of the 10th Cavalry, served at Fort Larned from 1867 to 1869. Although their records were excellent, they often faced hostility from the white soldiers at military posts in the West.

     In this time of renewed pride in our soldiers and our country, I think it is especially important to recognize these men. For them to go on through eternity without any identity other than "Unknown Soldier" seems very wrong. We do know, according to records, that these soldiers died and were buried at Fort Larned. We do know that the majority was reburied at Fort Leavenworth and it seems so wrong for this majority not to be remembered with the fear that a particular solider might not be buried there but we listed him or that we didn't list a soldier and he is buried there. It seems better to recognize that they were buried at Fort Larned and hope they are reburied there, than to not recognize them at all.

     Check out the list -- maybe you will recognize a name and know if he is buried somewhere else. We welcome your comments and help, but please remember that this list is compiled from old surgery and other forts records. Any errors in this report are mine alone and this Information is meant for background information only. My sole intent is to have this list of soldiers available for all who would like it. For more information about Fort Larned, please go to their website . This is a wonderfully preserved Indians era fort with a knowledgeable staff that is dedicated to its preservation. There are many volunteers who regularly bring the fort and its history to life. The "Fort Larned Old Guard" and The "Wet/Dry Routes Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail" are friends of Fort Larned and are also dedicated to Fort Larned. Visit the fort online and check out the schedule of upcoming events or even better, come visit it in person.
(Janice K. Seymour)

References:
"Fort Larned: Guardian of the Santa Fe Trail", Leo E. Oliva
Microfilmed copies of hospital records from Fort Larned, Kansas
Records from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas National Cemetery

     A special thank you to Jeff Barnes, Cemetery Director, Leavenworth/Fort Leavenworth/Fort Scott National Cemeteries, and Pam Westmoreland, for their help in trying to get a monument with the soldiers' names erected at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.

     After 121 years of resting in peace, 62 frontier soldiers who died on the Kansas plains got their identity back.

     The soldiers were once stationed at Fort Larned, Kansas one of many frontier outposts established by the War Department in the 1800s to protect settlers and traders from Indian attacks along the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Larned was occupied from 1859 to 1878, its soldiers known as "Guardians of the Santa Fe Trail" as these troops protected settlers traveling the trail.

     When the post was abandoned and later sold in 1888, the remains were exhumed and taken to Fort Leavenworth for reburial. Fort Larned National Historic Site historian George Elmore said the Army knew the name of each soldier, but the identities weren't placed on headstones when re-interred.

     "It was just a different period of time," Elmore said. "The Army didn't do anything to identify the soldiers coming in. There were no photographs or fingerprints."

     With no markings, the soldiers were given white headstones reading "Unknown US Soldier" in Section B of the cemetery. On September 19, 2009, those soldiers who died over a 19-year span at Fort Larned will be identified. A new bronze monument was dedicated in Section B with the names of 62 soldiers, giving them recognition for their service. The identities of three soldiers still remain unknown.

     "It finally gives the Fort Larned dead the name recognition," Elmore said. "In a sense, it gives identity to the individuals who gave their lives out here at Fort Larned."

     Most of the men died of diseases that today wouldn't be fatal but were on the remote Kansas prairie. Elmore said about 15 percent of those who died were killed in fighting with Indian tribes, one soldier was killed by a wolf. Most of the men were single, choosing a life in the Army and adventure in the West over a wife and family.

     Efforts to recognize the Fort Larned soldiers buried at Fort Leavenworth began in 2001 with volunteers at the historic site who felt the soldiers should be properly honored.

     The List below was compiled by Edward L. Randall, Post QM, during April 1873. The statement shows numbers, names, etc. or persons interred in Post Cemetery at Fort Larned, Kansas.

Description of the Cemetery:
     The Post Cemetery is one hundred and forty-four [144] feet square and is surrounded by a board fence. The cemetery is 1/4 mile from the flag staff in a north westerly direction.

Grave No.	Name	Rank	Co.	No.	State	Arm	Cause of Death	Date of Death
74	Adams, Elliot W.	Pvt	H	7th	US	Inf	Vulmuse: Setopleom	October 3, 1868
	Ayers, Sergt	Sergt.		7th	US	Cav	Gunshot complications	Unknown
	Bach, Henry	Pvt	B	3rd	US	Inf	Froze to Death	November 29, 1867
1347	Backus, C. T.	Sergt	L	1st	Col	Cav	Typhoid Fever	September 21, 1864
5	Baker, George	Pvt	A	10th	US	Cav	Cholera	July 11, 1867
1	Benton, Thomas	Pvt	A	10th	US	Cav	Typhoid Fever	May 22, 1867
845	Burns, George W.	Sergt	F	5th	US	Inf	Diarrhea	November 20, 1873
1928	Burton, J. F.	Pvt	E	2nd	US	Vol Inf	Pleurisy	May 10, 1865
1929	Buston, James F.	Pvt	E	2nd	Wis	Inf	Peurisy	May 19, 1865
25	Carpenter, John	Pvt	B	3rd	US	Inf	Texacomia	November 21, 1867
54	Cornolius, C.	Pvt	K	3rd	US	Inf	Cholera	July 20, 1867
1616	Cotton, Charles	Pvt		3rd	Wis	Cav	Unknown	January 18, 1865
659	Cox, James	Pvt	C	3rd	US	Inf	Rupture of Bladder	March 19, 1872
	Davis, William	Pvt	M	2nd	Col	Cav		March 9, 1865
564	Dougherly, Joseph	Pvt	H	12th	US	Inf	Gonorrhea	May 7, 1863
Grave No.	Name	Rank	Co.	No.	State	Arm	Cause of Death	Date of Death
790	Drissoll, Patrick	Pvt	H	5th	US	Inf	Consumption	October 2, 1872
	Fields, Joseph		F	2nd	Col	Cav
30	Finley, Fair	Pvt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Drowning	June 13, 1867
	Fulkerson, Richard H.	Pvt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Suicide	November 29, 1868
288	Gordon, David	Sergt	M	7th	US	Cav	Gunshot Wound	December 16, 1870
10	Harlod, Alex	Pvt	A	10th	US	Cav	Diarrhea	July 25, 1867
284	Harrison, George	Pvt	B	2rd	US	Inf	Diarrhea	November 29, 1870
4	Hatchett, James	Pvt	F	2nd	Wis	Vol Inf	Scurvy	August 21, 1865
64	Hatisite, Iames	Pvt	F	2nd	US	Vol Inf		August 21, 1865
62	Helm, Issac A.	1st Lieut	B	3rd	US	Inf	Cholera	July 25, 1867
364	Hickey, Wiliam	Pvt	B	3rd	US	Inf	Fractured Skull, Coma	March 25, 1871
41	Hickman, Hezekial	Pvt	G	15th	Kans	Cav	Int./ Feb/	September 11, 1865
1346	Hudgel, Resom	Pvt	M	1st	US	Cav	Dysentery	September 21, 1864
3/258	Hughes, Francis	Sergt	H	7th	US	Cav	Cholera	August 1, 1868
	Hyatt, G.		H	48th	Wis	Inf		November 29, 1865
1668	Johnston, James	Pvt	M	2nd	Col	Cav	Pneumonia	Febuary 21, 1865
Grave No.	Name	Rank	Co.	No.	State	Arm	Cause of Death	Date of Death
1629	Kosson, William	Pvt	M	2nd	Col	Cav	Pneumonia	January 21, 1865
	Laner, George	Pvt	D	6th	US	Inf		November 8, 1870
36	Linord, James F.	Pvt	H	4th	Mo	Cav	Typhoid	September 20, 1865
789	Longley, Justin	Pvt	G	5th	US	Inf	Consumption	Feburary 21, 1873
100	Lynn, Francis M.	Sergt	E	15th	KS	Cav	Dysentery	September 12, 1865
95	Mabloctes, Joseph R.	Pvt	B	12th	MO	Cav	Pneumonia	September 8, 1865
6/45	Mahony, Thomas	Sergt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Inflammation of Bladder	May 13, 1865
31	Market, August W.	Pvt	L	2nd	US	Cav	Frost Bite	Febuary 8, 1866
16	McCarthy, John	Sergt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Cholera	July 7, 1867
16/220	McGillicoddy, Michael	Corp	C	3rd	US	Inf	Rabid Wolf Bite	September 9, 1868
9	McIntyre, James B.	Major		3rd	US	Cav	Phthisis Feutmomlis	May 10, 1867
286	Morgans	Pvt	J	19th	KS	Cav	Pneumonia	August 11, 1862
73	Morrison, Riley	Pvt	G	15th	KS	Cav	Gunshot	September 10, 1865
19	Mullah, Patrick	Corp	B	3rd	US	Inf	Congestion of L[ungs	December 20, 1866
72	Nevelle, Richard	Corp	K	1st	Col	Cav	Contusion	September 10, 1865
Grave No.	Name	Rank	Co.	No.	State	Arm	Cause of Death	Date of Death
500	North, John F.	Corp	D	3rd	US	Inf	Inflammation of Lungs	November 30, 1870
29	O'Brian, James	Pvt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Disease of the Heart	December 24, 1866
44	Pierey, Jasper	Pvt	H	14th	MO	Cav	Typhoid	September 20, 1865
111	Poltoff [Pttorf?], Jacob	Pvt	G	15th	KS	Cav	Cysentery	August 5, 1865
58	Regan, John	Sergt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Disease of heart	June 29, 1869
1600	Richardson, Joseph	Pvt	K	2nd	Col	Cav	Gonorrhea	January 26, 1865
41	Rickman, F.	Pvt	L	15th	KS Vol	Cav	Unknown	September 14, 1865
25	Sandhamer, Louis	Pvt	H	2nd			Gunshot	March 14, 1862
8	Schofield, I. T.		A	48th	Wis	Inf	Unknown	November 1, 1865
	Schrfield, Jospeh	Pvt	A	46th	Wis	Inf	Unknown	November 1, 1865
18	Sheppard, George	Pvt	A	13th	US	Inf	Chronic Dysentery	May 29, 1866
36	Simmonds, James F.	Pvt	M	15th	KS	Cav	Pneumonia	September 6, 1865
90	Squism, A. M.	Acting Assist. Surgeon	US Army				Cholera Epidemic	July 29, 1867
87	Swisher, James	Pvt	D	3rd	US	Inf	Typhoid Fever	August 4, 1867
	W. Rhodes	Pvt	D	18th	KS Vol	Cav	Unknown	August 7, 1867
	Whitson, Franklin	Pvt	C	3rd	US	Inf	Wounds From Indian Fight	January 7, 1872
	Wright, Daniel	Pvt	C	3rd	US	Inf	Unknown	September 4, 1869
Grave No.	Name	Rank	Co.	No.	State	Arm	Cause of Death	Date of Death

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