Barnesville's Post

Barnesville's Post located near Barnesville, in Bourbon County, Kansas, was the site of military camps for stretches of time during the American Civil War. 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, "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."[1]

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4]

References
  1. Sen. James H. Lane, report to Capt. W. E. Prince, The War of the Rebellion (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1881), Series I, Vol. III, p. 163.
  2. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas (Leavenworth: Bulletin Co-Operative Printing Co., 1867), Vol II, p. 109.
  3. George E. Flanders, letter to mother, Camp Denver, Barnesville, Kans., February 10, 1862, in Virginia Swenson, ed., Civil War Letters Written by George Edwin Flanders During His Service in the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry (N.p.: Kansas Daughters of the American Revolution, 1989), pp. 3-5.
  4. "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.

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