Fort Larned National Historic Site ⓘ

As American society pushed west and disrupted the livelihoods of the American Indian nations on the Southern Plains, conflict was inevitable. Violence, however widespread, was typically small-scale in western Kansas prior to 1867. Much of the violence took the form of raiding along the Santa Fe Trail . In response, Fort Larned was established in 1859. Fort Larned, as part of a system of forts, allowed for a permanent military presence on the frontier aimed at converting the land from tribal to U.S. control.

Following the conclusion of the Civil War, the U.S. Army and its ambitious officers turned their attention westward, where tribes stood in the way of American expansion. From among the tribes' leaders, several stood out to officers at Fort Larned by March, 1867, including Satanta and Kicking Bird of the Kiowa; Tall Bull, White Horse, Bull Bear, Roman Nose, and Black Kettle of the Cheyenne; and Little Raven of the Arapaho. In March 1867, Captain Henry Asbury of the 3rd Infantry reported on his view of the situation from Fort Larned, noting, "The 'Cheyennes' talk but little but are among the most dangerous of the Indians on the Plains, on account of their superior qualities as soldiers."

General Winfield Scott Hancock, a Union hero of the Battle of Gettysburg , arrived in western Kansas in 1867. Hancock was inexperienced dealing with American Indians, though was confident in his ability to bring them under control. Hancock met with several Cheyenne chiefs at Fort Larned on April 12. Legally unable to forge treaties with the tribes, Hancock instead sought to intimidate them into alignment with U.S. interests. "You know very well, if you go to war with the white man you will lose….I have a great many chiefs with me that have commanded more men than you ever saw, and they have fought more great battles than you have fought fights," Hancock warned the chiefs. Hancock concluded the April 12 meeting by indicating that he wanted to meet with the other chiefs. To that end, Hancock and his troops rode west of Fort Larned toward a combined Cheyenne and Lakota village. As the army drew nearer the village on April 14, a group of Cheyenne warriors rode out to meet them, mirroring the army's display of military strength. Colonel Ned Wynkoop, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agent at Fort Larned from 1866 to 1868, rode out between the lines to ask the warriors to stay calm and stay put. The warriors agreed; the army marched to within one mile of the village. Capt. Albert Barnitz of the 7th Cavalry later wrote of the camp, "I was astonished at its magnitude – and magnificence!"

The sight of a massive formation of troops so near their village evoked memories of the Sand Creek Massacre , prompting the women and children to flee on the evening of the 14th, leaving most of their lodges and belongings behind. Hancock, who had brashly moved his troops to within sight of the village, evidently could not conceive of why the people would flee. Furious at what he took to be an offense, Hancock demanded their return. Some of the Cheyenne warriors obliged Hancock and rode to look for the women and children, but returned empty-handed. Fearing the repercussions of Hancock's anger, the remaining warriors also fled, eluding Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry as night fell.

Hancock’s troops, particularly the 7th Cavalry, attempted to locate the villagers for several days but were unsuccessful. Assuming their flight indicated a disinterest in peaceful negotiation, Hancock concluded that the Indians meant war. Hancock ordered the abandoned village burned to the ground . "I am satisfied that the Indian village was a nest of conspirators," Hancock reported. It was the opening round in what became known as "Hancock’s War," an unprecedented season of violence on the plains of Kansas.

Word of the village's destruction quickly spread among the tribes. Battles raged across Kansas: Fort Dodge, June 12; Fort Wallace, June 21-22; Baca’s Wagon Train, June 22; Pond Creek Station and another at Black Butte Creek, June 26; Kidder’s Fight (in which Kidder's entire detachment was killed), July 2; Saline River, August 1-2; Prairie Dog Creek, August 21-22; Davis’s Fight, September 15. Raiding along the Santa Fe Trail also increased.

With the cost of war increasing, the U.S. Government looked for alternatives. By the end of the summer, Hancock had been transferred to another command and was replaced by General Philip Sheridan. Fort Larned, where diplomacy had begun to unravel that spring, played a significant role in ending the season of warfare in October 1867 by supporting the negotiations for the Medicine Lodge Treaty .

Artifacts from the Cheyenne village destroyed by Hancock's troops are on display in the Fort Larned visitor center. The village site is privately owned by the Fort Larned Old Guard and is closed to the public.

Seeking to bring about an end to the state of war instigated by Gen. Hancock’s destruction of the combined village west of Fort Larned, U.S. officials and several tribes including the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache agreed to meet at a site southeast of Fort Larned along Medicine Lodge Creek in October 1867. The area was frequently used by the Cheyenne for religious purposes, and the spiritually significant site was selected to emphasize the occasion's importance.

As an offering of peace, the U.S. Government provided food for the thousands of people who gathered at the site. Fort Larned served as the supply depot for the Medicine Lodge Treaty proceedings, where food was amassed and driven by wagon to the site.

The proceedings concluded with the signing of the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867. Among its provisions, the Medicine Lodge Treaty relegated the Cheyenne to lands south of Fort Larned. The treaty also allowed the tribes to collect annuities, or gifts, from the government. To the US government, gifts were less expensive than war.

Though the treaty could be seen as a diplomatic victory for both sides, Captain Barnitz of the 7th Cavalry, who recorded the speeches during the negotiations, expressed his misgivings. "They have no idea that they are giving up, or that they have ever given up the country which they claim as their own…The treaty amounts to nothing, and we will certainly have another war sooner or later with the Cheyennes, at least, and probably with the other Indians…"

Fort Larned was not quite ready to handle its increased diplomatic role. Post Commander Major Meredith W. Kidd wrote to Brig. Gen. McKeever on March 21, 1868, "Now that the Indians are moving about and frequently visiting this post, it seems to me to be necessary or at least prudent, to have an interpreter here for a few months."

In August 1868, Captain Barnitz observed the Cheyenne collecting annuities at Fort Larned, noting "The Cheyennes have been coming in to Fort Larned to day for their arms and munitions," which were to be used for hunting bison. However, Army officials were always concerned the weapons would be used against whites. Indeed, peaceful relations did not continue to the end of the year.

Despite the peaceful start of 1868, violence began increasing again in August. As the peace afforded by the Medicine Lodge Treaty unraveled and the U.S. Army contemplated how to respond, Ned Wynkoop resigned his position as Cheyenne and Arapaho agent. In November, Custer’s 7th Cavalry attacked the Cheyenne village at Washita . In the fight, Captain Barnitz was wounded. Black Kettle, who had worked for years to achieve peace with Wynkoop, was killed in the attack. A sword found near where Black Kettle fell is on display in the Fort Larned visitor center.

Fort Larned had been significant at the beginning of Hancock's War and the conflict leading up to the Medicine Lodge Treaty, and the post reached its apogee in the year that followed the Medicine Lodge Treaty. 1868 saw the highest troop levels at Fort Larned, the completion of the last buildings on post, and the busiest year at the fort overall. Afterward, as the conflict moved elsewhere and eventually quieted, the post began a decade-long decline into disuse.

In an era of conflict on the Great Plains, the tools of war were essential. In the two decades Fort Larned was active - from 1859 to 1878 - the weapons available to troops changed continuously as new technology became available. At Fort Larned, the army's need to keep costs down limited the implementation of some advances in weapons technology. A variety of historic and replica weapons used at Fort Larned are viewable today at Fort Larned National Historic Site.

Infantry weapons at Fort Larned mainly consisted of several generations of Springfield rifles. In the fort's early days, the Springfield rifle muskets were the .58 caliber, muzzle-loading variety, such as the M1855, M1861, and M1863. Following the Civil War, .50 caliber breech-loading weapons including the M1866 and M1868 became available to troops at Fort Larned. These newer weapons featured modern bullets, simplifying the loading procedure. Later models such as the M1868 and M1873 featured shorter barrels than earlier models. The M1873 also saw its caliber size reduced to .45 caliber. Infantry also carried bayonets, though they were ineffective in combat against mounted warriors armed with superior melee weapons. As faster-loading guns became available, bayonets and bayonet tactics became less important than they were in an age of slow-loading muskets.

The M1841 Mountain Howitzer was the artillery piece deployed at Fort Larned. The gun's smaller size compared to other contemporaneous field guns allowed for easier transport over roadless terrain.

Despite its smaller size, the mountain howitzer could still pack a punch: it could send a 12-pound projectile over 1000 yards. However, these cannons usually proved to be more cumbersome than advantageous against an evasive and fast-moving opponent like Plains Indians. Artillery units were not typically assigned to Fort Larned as a result.

Fort Larned National Historic Site often provides weapons demonstrations during special events .

The prairie here once stretched from one horizon to the other, supporting prairie dogs, pronghorns, wolves, elk, grizzly bears, and vast herds of bison. In turn, these plants and animals supported the people who lived on this land, including the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Kiowa. In the generations that have passed, the land has changed dramatically with agriculture and development. Many of the once numberless animals are no longer found here. However, reminders of the rich natural heritage of the Great Plains remain at Fort Larned.

Use the NPS App to explore Fort Larned’s three-quarter-mile History & Nature Trail, a mowed loop path along the edges of grassland, woodland, and riparian habitats. Along the way, view a broad diversity of native plants and animals including native and restored prairie areas. Cottonwood trees shade the banks of the Pawnee Fork while big bluestem and buffalo grass wave in the steady Kansas breeze.

Birding is particularly good at Fort Larned because of the diversity of habitat. Moreover, the fort is located directly on the Central Flyway, a major bird migration route in the spring and fall that includes half of the migrating shorebirds east of the Rockies and whooping cranes. This part of Kansas is a phenomenal, world-class birding area. Visitors can pick up a bird checklist at the visitor center.

You won't see a large herd of bison, elk, wolves, or grizzly bears at Fort Larned today, but these creatures were here historically. Pressured by changes in the land by the hand of man, these animals and their habitats that once dominated this land have been marginalized. Fort Larned National Historic Site protects a small area of grassland, offering a window into this now radically altered ecosystem.

Today, mule deer and white-tail deer are the only hoofed mammals still here. You can still find many small mammals: fox squirrels, thirteen-lined ground squirrels, prairie dogs, pocket gophers, beavers, skunks, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, muskrats, weasels, and badgers. Occasionally, armadillos may be seen in this northern extreme of their range. Several species of reptiles may also be found at Fort Larned: lizards, toads, turtles, bullsnakes, blue racers, hog-nosed snakes, and garter snakes. The nature trail’s variety of habitats provide for numerous species of birds such as hawks, orioles, kingbirds, blue jays, cardinals, Northern harriers, disckcissels, and red-headed woodpeckers, among many others. Fort Larned is located on the Central Flyway, a major bird migration corridor. White-fronted geese, sandhill cranes, and many other species pass over Fort Larned during spring and fall migrations.

Echoes of the Past The sandstone buildings on Fort Larned’s quadrangle have survived to the present in part because of their sturdy and careful construction. Most frontier military buildings were not such high quality. In fact, many of Fort Larned’s buildings were built out of weaker materials such as adobe or wood. These structures, though once vital to the post, have not survived.

As you explore Fort Larned’s History and Nature Trail, imagine the full scale of the living post: a mail station, corrals, stables, stores, and offices amid a stream of countless passing wagons.

Getting Started The nature trail is a one-mile loop, half on a mowed path, and half on a gravel road. There is no significant elevation change along the trail. The entire trail may be completed at a leisurely pace in about half an hour. Use the History & Nature Trail self-guided tour in the NPS App for information along the way.

Please keep the following in mind as you explore the trail: Please leave the park as you find it. Collecting or disturbing any park resource is prohibited. Upon returning from the trail, hikers are advised to check for ticks. Certain species of ticks can carry life-threatening diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Venomous snakes such as the prairie rattlesnake are uncommon at Fort Larned, but may be present. Be alert! If you hear a rattlesnake, stop, identify the location of the snake, and back away slowly. Do not attempt to harm or kill any snakes. All wildlife is protected in the park.

The nature trail is a one-mile loop, half on a mowed path, and half on a gravel road. There is no significant elevation change along the trail. The entire trail may be completed at a leisurely pace in about half an hour. Use the History & Nature Trail self-guided tour in the NPS App for information along the way. Please keep the following in mind as you explore the trail:

620-285-6911 This phone is answered during regular business hours. After hours calls will be answered the next day. Please select a mailbox or leave a message on the main extension when the fort is closed.