How Kiowa warriors turned an almost-massacre into the Civil War era’s greatest horse robbery

The Great Kiowa Horse Theft at Larned

Fort Larned National Historic Site in Kansas stands as a testament to one of the most audacious raids in frontier history.

The reconstructed hexagonal stone blockhouse you can visit today was built during the winter of 1864-65 as a direct response to a brazen Kiowa attack that nearly ended in massacre but turned into the perfect heist instead.

The visitor center’s museum exhibits and film about the Indian Wars era help tell the full story of this remarkable frontier outpost.

But it was the events of July 17, 1864, that truly shaped Fort Larned’s destiny and led to the unique defensive structure that still stands today.

Here’s how a group of Kiowa warriors planned to wipe out an entire garrison but walked away with something even better.

Tensions boiled over at Fort Larned during the brutal winter of 1864

Winter 1864 hit Fort Larned with freezing cold. Traders and Indians fought more along the Santa Fe Trail as traffic grew.

The Civil War took away regular soldiers, leaving only volunteers from Kansas, Colorado, and Wisconsin at the fort. Lieutenant George Eayre used the fort while hunting Cheyennes nearby.

Many saw his attacks as unprovoked. The fort kept many valuable horses and mules that helped move supplies along the trail, making them targets for anyone wanting to hit back at soldiers.

Eayre’s deadly mistake sparked a thirst for revenge

Eayre came back to Fort Larned after killing Lean Bear, a respected Dog Soldier leader who had visited Washington. When Lean Bear saw soldiers, he rode forward peacefully wearing the medal President Lincoln gave him.

Eayre’s men shot him anyway. Eayre boasted about killing 28 Indians while losing just four men, though witness George Bent said only three Indians died.

Killing Lean Bear, who tried to keep peace, turned many neutral tribes against the fort. The Kiowas watched for their chance to strike back.

Captain Parmeter ignored clear warnings while drinking on duty

Captain Parmeter ran Fort Larned with a bottle always nearby.

A group of Kiowas told him they planned to steal Lieutenant Eayre’s horses, but he ignored the warning. Soldiers later saw the captain stumbling around drunk while Indians visited.

The garrison kept normal routines, not knowing a simple horse theft wasn’t what the Kiowas really planned. Guards stayed at their usual posts without extra safety measures, despite the clear threat.

Kiowas plotted a full-scale massacre during a friendly visit

Kiowa warriors made a deadly plan to wipe out the entire fort. They would enter during a ceremony, mix with the soldiers, then attack at a secret signal.

The post doctor later wrote that Kiowas completely surrounded the fort planning to kill every soldier inside. Their plan aimed to remove Fort Larned as a threat forever.

Warriors took spots around the fort, some inside entertaining troops, others hidden nearby, waiting for the right moment to strike. The soldiers enjoyed the shows, unaware of the danger.

Rumors saved the garrison just hours before the planned attack

About three hours before the planned massacre, talk of an Indian attack spread through the fort. Someone learned of the plan and raised the alarm.

Guards doubled at the gates and watchmen grew more alert. The careful timing of the Kiowa attack fell apart as soldiers grabbed weapons and checked defenses.

The surprise factor slipped away with each minute. Fort staff moved quickly to secure weak areas, mostly the horse pens and bullet storage.

A gunshot at the sutler’s store triggered chaos

A Kiowa chief walked up to the fort’s store and tried to enter. The guard stopped him, following the new safety rules.

The chief argued, getting more upset as his plan fell apart. Suddenly, he pulled his gun and shot the guard, then ran.

The shot echoed across the fort, telling everyone the attack had started too early. Soldiers ran to defense spots as the chief fled toward his waiting warriors.

The carefully planned massacre failed with a single early shot.

Indian dancers kept soldiers distracted while raiders struck

While some Kiowas performed dances to entertain soldiers, others snuck toward the horse pens. The shows weren’t just sharing culture but a clever trick.

As soldiers watched the dancers, raiders quietly cut fences and gathered animals. When the gunshot rang out, the dancers ran off, their job done.

The soldiers realized too late they’d been fooled by a simple trick. The entertainment kept eyes away from the real target all along, the valuable horses and mules.

Raiders vanished with every horse and mule in the fort

The Kiowa raiders escaped with 172 horses and mules, every animal at the post. Some reports count even more, up to 240 animals.

The theft crippled Fort Larned right away. Without horses, cavalry couldn’t chase raiders.

Without mules, supply wagons couldn’t move. The Kiowas pulled off the perfect theft with just one shot fired.

They drove the huge herd away fast, knowing the fort couldn’t follow. The soldiers watched helplessly as their transportation disappeared in a dust cloud.

Soldiers chased the thieves but created more enemies instead

Fort Larned rushed to chase the thieves using borrowed horses from nearby settlers. The raiders had too much of a head start and knew the land better.

When a group of Arapahoes offered to help get back the stolen animals, nervous soldiers shot at them by mistake. This error turned possible friends into new enemies.

The search party came back empty-handed and tired.

The Kiowas split into smaller groups, taking different paths across the Kansas plains, making tracking impossible.

Army brass brought reinforcements and fired the drunken captain

Colonel J. M. Chivington came to Fort Larned with fresh troops and quickly removed Captain Parmeter from command. Parmeter’s military career ended soon after when the Army kicked him out for “always being drunk.

” Major General Samuel Curtis showed up on July 28th with four companies of the First Colorado Cavalry to strengthen the fort.

The raid showed how weak frontier forts had become with regular troops away fighting the Civil War. Army leaders knew they needed to rethink frontier defense before more posts faced similar attacks.

Fort Larned built a stone fortress that still stands today

General Field Order No. 2 came down hard on Fort Larned, demanding proper stockades for troops and animals at all frontier posts.

The orders specifically blasted the fort for not having stone defenses or proper corrals. By February 1865, Colonel James H.

Ford reported that construction of new stone fortifications was well underway.

Workers completed a massive hexagonal stone blockhouse with two levels of rifle slits, an underground passage, and its own well.

The impressive structure, built in direct response to the raid, stands today as part of the Fort Larned National Historic Site, a reminder of the Kiowa raid that changed frontier defense forever.

Visiting Fort Larned National Historic Site

Fort Larned National Historic Site brings the Great Horse Raid of 1864 to life through nine original sandstone buildings from the 1860s-70s. You can visit this Kansas landmark for free daily from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The site is just six miles west of Larned on KS Highway 156. Take a free one-hour guided tour or explore the buildings on your own.

Just ask about tours when you arrive at the visitor center. Call 620-285-6911 if you need more info before your trip.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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