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Barber County Mounted Guards Under Captain L.H. Bowlus

Indian Scare 1874

9/3/1874 - 12/22/1874
T. P. Whitaker, 3rd Sargent
Joined 7/9/1874 in Sun City
Ordered into active service 9/3/1874
Relieved of service 12/2/1875 by Gov. Osborne
110 days in service
Pay per day 55 2/3 cents for a total of $62.33
Allowance for clothing $12.83
Allowance for horse and equipment: 44 cents per day for a total of $44.00
Total due $119.16
Amount of stoppages $28.65
Balance paid $90.51

12/23/1873- 1/28/1875
T. P. Whitaker, 3rd Sargent
37 days active service
Pay per day 55 2/3 cents for a total of $20.96
Allowance for clothing $4.37
Allowance for horse and equipment: 44 cents per day for a total of $14.80
Total due 40.13
Balance paid $40.13

H. E. Van Trees 1st Lieut, age 38, Post office Sun City, he had 1 horse. He swore his oath to the militia on July 9, 1874

Henry Gilroy - 1st srgt, age 24, Post office Sun City, he had 1 horse. He swore his oath to the militia on July 9, 1874

J. C. Marshall- 11th Priv, age 50, Post office Sun City, he had 1 horse. He swore his oath to the militia on July 17, 1874.

Reuben Marshall--12th Priv, age 38, Post office Sun City, he had 1 horse. He swore his oath to the militia on July 17, 1874

Also listed on the Muster roll were F. A. Whitaker and Wilkes Whitaker.

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The above information is a partial listing of the Adjutant General's Muster Rolls & Payrolls for the Barber County Mounted Guards Under Captain L.H. Bowlus. All of these men lived in the Sun City area and were related to each other directly or through marriage.

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Medicine Lodge Stockade Commemorative Sign, Medicine Lodge, Barber County, Kansas
Photo by Nathan Lee, October 2006.

MEDICINE LODGE STOCKADE

The Southwest Corner of the Original Stockade was located near this point. The Militia consisted of many young men who had no families, therefore they were kept scouting most of the time. There were over 100 miles of state line to guard. The outfit and rations of a scout consisted of a Carbine rifle, 100 cartridges, bacon, sugar, coffee, and a grain sack that held five days rations and included army crackers. All of this was tied to the saddle with a frying pan and coffee bucket. The rations became pretty stale towards the end of their trip. The Militia's job was to guard and keep the territory from Caldwell to Dodge City, then south to the Cimarron River clear of any marauding bands of Indians.

Sponsored by the Medicine Lodge Guest Tax Committee.

Medicine Lodge Stockade Commemorative Sign, Medicine Lodge, Barber County, Kansas
Photo by Nathan Lee, December 2006.

MEDICINE LODGE STOCKADE

In 1874, during a period of Indian Raids in Western and Southern Kansas, the Governor, Thomas A. Osborne, organized the Kansas State Guards. Sun City and Medicine Lodge furnished the companies for this section of the state. The Stockadge was built by the Militia and Citizens of Medicine Lodge. Guards were posted inside the Stockade walls. The walls of the Stockade were made of cedar posts that stood about 9 ft. high. They were placed side by side and set on end in the ground. The drill ground was outside and to the southeast of the Stockade. Many times 200 or more people would gather in the Stockade with wagon teams, cattle and dogs. The Southeast Corner of the Stockade was located near this point.

Sponsored by the Medicine Lodge Guest Tax Committee.

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Thanks to Cathie Schuck for contributing the above information to this web site, to Kim Fowles for doing the html markup for this page and to Nathan Lee for the photographs of the historic markers in Medicine Lodge!