The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-22
Four Companies Formed to De-
fend Fort Leavenw0rth.
Fifty Years Ago Today They
Built FOrtificatiOns.
RELIEF FROM LARAMIE
Regulars Came and Volunteers
Were Discharged.
Expected Attack by COnfeder-
ates Never Came.

Ieavenworth, Kan, April 2Z-t1lS
years ago today men here were organ
izine themselves into companies Oh SCI
diers to repel the anticipated at
tack of the southern hosts. -Four com
panies of volunteers were thus 1orIeU
and they worked and toiled for ten
DAYS. preparing for the attack that
never came. Then Colonel D. s. Miles
arrived with force from Fort Laramie
NVyo and the volunteers were holiol-
ably discharged. .,oi,.
After being mustered OUT VI r.
brief service which was one Oh 'nS
shortest on record, the men returned 10
their homes and daily tasks.
Liberty Was Captured.
The arsenal at Liberty, Mo-, had Just
been captured april 20) and the report
was that the southern sympathlzerS
were preparing to march on to LeaNen-
worth to secure the munitions OF war
stored there.
The Fort LeavenwOrth garrison con-
sisted at that time Of comparatively
few men and forced commanding Of
ficer to accept a tender from the resi-
dents of LeavenWorth of four companies
of volunteer guards for the protection
of the arsenal, it's storeho1ses being
filled with valuable equipments and
ammunition.
The Leavenworth companies consisted
of the Union guards, the Shlelds
guards, the LeaVenworth Light 1nfan-
try and a company made up of the Ger
man Turner's. From these four com
panies one hundred men were selected
and with Captain Powell Clayton IT
command were marched to the post that
game evening, fifty years ago last
night, and were placed on duty
Made Long March.
In the meantime the war department,
having been advised of conditions at
the post, ordered Colonel d. S. Miles OF
the Second infantry with two COM
panies of his regiment at Fort Laramie,
to proceed at once to Fort Leaven-
worth. This command arrived at the
Fort in unusually good time and
strengthened the Fort Leavenworth
garrison. Their arrival was about ten
days following the placing of the Leav-
enworth troops on duty at the arsenal
Colonel Miles was much pleased with
the services performed by the LeaVen-
worth soldiers and in relieving them
from further duty, he caused his adj
jutant, Lieutenant George d. Ruggles,
later adjutant general of the army. to
write the following letter to the COM
manding officer of these troops:
Thanked Volunteers.
"Gentlemen: l am instructed by the
colonel commanding this post, to ex-
press to you, and through you to your
patriotic soldiers, his thanks for the
alacrity displayed by your respective
commands in turning out in defense OF
the arsenal and public property at this
place. The colonel desires me to say
that such acts are the best evidence of
the readiness with which you will be
found rallying in defense of your coun-
try's flag, whenever she may require
your services. The arrival of the de-
tachment of the Second infantry rem
ders your further services at this post
unnecessary. You are, therefore, from
this state most honorably discharged
from duty at Leavenworth arsenal. In
thus parting with you and your COM
mands, the colonel directs me again 10
thank you for the services you have
performed, and to express to one and
all of you his kindest wishes for your
future happiness and welfare"
The rumor, fortunately, or unfortu-
Eately for the Leavenworth soldiers.
proved to be untrue, for so far as is
known no organized attempt was ever
made to capture the Leavenworth ar
senal except at the time of the Price
raid in the fall of 1864. But as the
rebel forces did not cross the Missouri
river at any point near enough to be
s. menace to this post nothing further
came of the r1Imor