Book Two in the Series of Eight

This is the story of the military post from 1865-1889. Writer Leo Oliva brings the past of Fort Hays to life in this stirring frontier fort book. James B. Hickok, William F. Cody, and George A. Custer were among the famous figures who added to the fort's colorful history.

Fort Hays was established to ease the westward expansion and protect the railroad's construction and operation. The post guarded people who were headed west toward the Gold Rush and for those who settled in western Kansas.

The book tells the story of the military post from its beginnings until it was abandoned in 1889. It was founded on October 11, 1865, and named after Missouri governor Thomas Fletcher. The name was changed in 1866 to honor General Alexander Hays of Pennsylvania, who had been killed in the Civil War. A flash flood in 1867 nearly destroyed the fort, which was relocated to the present site south of Hays. With the arrival of the railroad in 1867, the frontier post became a quartermaster depot that supplied other forts throughout the West and Southwest.

Many well-known people have been associated with Fort Hays. Colonel George A. Custer served out of Fort Hays during General Winfield Scott Hancock's 1867 Spring Campaign. General Philip H. Sheridan, the famous Civil War commander, established his headquarters there in the summer of 1868. William F. Cody was among the civilian scouts hired to assist the army.

Oliva, a Woodston resident, is a historian specializing in Kansas and the American West. He has published numerous books and articles on the military and the trails. Thomas, a Manhattan resident, created cover artwork for each of the books in the forts series. He is a full-time artist who has received numerous national awards for his wildlife and historical paintings.

This series has been financed in part with federal funds from the National Parks Service, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, and administered by the Kansas Historical Society. The contents and opinions, however, do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of the Interior or the Kansas Historical Society.