U.S. Army Forts in the 19th-century American West

Many people envision these forts with a relatively small footprint, surrounded by a wooden stockade, as shown above. However, such dimensions and protection were relatively rare in forts on the Great Plains. (Fort Phil Kearny, in NE present-day Wyoming, was one of the few exceptions that had a perimeter stockade of vertical logs.) Most forts were much larger (several acres), and the majority forwent the stockade, for several reasons:

• Wood was scarce in the Great Plains, rendering stockade construction impractical.

• Forts across the Great Plains varied widely in appearance. The U.S. Army authorized a few permanent forts to be built of stone or brick; but most forts were considered temporary—despite their decades-long use. Those forts used wood as the primary construction material. Still, the vast majority did not have access to the lumber needed to build a stockade.

• Post commanders had significant latitude in construction decisions, often relying on poorly trained lieutenants who designed buildings and oversaw their construction. The few consistent design elements included:

-   A parade ground—an open space in the center of the fort, where troops could assemble.

-   The fort’s primary buildings (officers’ quarters, barracks, headquarters, and guardhouses), which faced the parade ground.

-  Quarters that reflected the military hierarchy. The highest-ranking officer at a post occupied the largest house. Ordinary troops were housed in barracks.

-   Behind the parade ground and the aforementioned buildings stood the secondary structures: stables, workshops, hospital, and laundresses’ quarters.

Check back for more information about, and photos of, some of the forts that played a part in the Bone Wars Trilogy.