The Forts of Kansas during the Indian Wars - Fort Riley

Fort Riley was located between the Oregon and Santa Fe trails to provide protection for travelers on overland routes. The expanding military mission caused Fort Riley to assume a more significant role as a supply depot for the western Army forts. Fort Riley was originally built in 1852 as Camp Center because it was the closest military location to the geographical center of the United States (McKale, 2003).

General William Sherman committed the troops at Fort Riley to the protection of the construction gangs of the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Its setting made it a prime location to supply the western military missions and forts, so Fort Riley became a supply depot and headquarters in 1853. Along with this primary mission, Fort Riley was the central location for training and organizing troops.

The Fort was host to the Thirteenth U.S. Infantry and the Second U.S. Cavalry during the early period of the Indian Wars in Kansas. Later the Seventh and Eighth U.S. Cavalry units were formed at Fort Riley in 1866. Like most of the Cavalry regiments organized at Fort Riley, they moved to other home stations shortly after being declared operational. The 7th U. S. Cavalry was an example of this process. Its official headquarters was Fort Riley, but it was home stationed at Fort Leavenworth for most of its operational life.

McKale, W., & Young, W. D. (2003). Fort Riley: Citadel of the Frontier West. Newton: Mennonite Press.