Fort Harker, located in Kanopolis, Kansas, was an active military installation of the United States Army from November 17, 1866 to October 5, 1872. The fortification was named after General Charles Garrison Harker, who was killed in action at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in the American Civil War. Fort Harker replaced Fort Ellsworth, which had been located from the location of Fort Harker and was abandoned after the new fortifications at Fort Harker were constructed. Fort Harker was a major distribution point for all military points farther west and was one of the most important military stations west of the Missouri River. History Fort Ellsworth (see Fort Ellsworth (Kansas))was established in August, 1864 at the junction of the Fort Riley-Fort Larned Road and the Smoky Hill Trail, near the Smoky Hill River. Fort Ellsworth was established as the command headquarters for the District of the Upper Arkansas. Soldiers at the fort patrolled the overland trails to protect wagon trains from any resistance from the Native American tribes in the area. The fort also served an important role in distributing supplies to other United States Army outposts further west. Fort Ellsworth connected supply lines from Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley to the east with Fort Zarah, Fort Larned, Fort Dodge (see Fort Dodge (US Army Post)), Fort Hays, and Fort Wallace to the west. After two years of rapid growth, the fort was badly in need of better facilities and more space. Construction Military orders for the construction of a new fort to replace Fort Ellsworth were issued by General Winfield S. Hancock, commander of the Division of the Missouri, on November 17, 1866. The new fort would be located approximately northeast of Fort Ellsworth. Construction may have begun before the official order, as Fort Ellsworth had a master carpenter, a master mason, five carpenters, and fourteen masons on staff as early as September, 1866. Based on the number of civilian contractors on the fort's payroll, major construction of the facility was likely completed by the summer of 1867. In June 1867, the remainder of the buildings at old Fort Ellsworth were ordered torn down. Fort Ellsworth was sold to land developers and became the town of Ellsworth, Kansas. Soon after the completion of major construction, the railroad arrived at Fort Harker. The Union Pacific Eastern Division completed a line to Fort Harker in July 1867. The rail line ran