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The
commissary or military store, housed provisions for the soldiers. Clothing items, non-perishable foods,
coffee and even armaments could be found in the inventory.
A commissary sergeant ensured that the
government gear reached the appropriate hands. Yet, soldiers paid for replacement articles if it was between their reissuing
period. Woe to the men who misplaced items of great value. In the document holdings, one infantryman assigned
to guard duty fell asleep and had his musket stolen. Not only did he receive a courts-martial for sleeping
on guard duty – an offense that brought stiff penalty – death in some cases - but he paid for a new
musket.
Though no penalties will be incurred on visitors,
they will find a store of sources and tools to help interpret the Fort's history as it operated on a daily basis
from 1853-1867. An exhibit details the lives of the soldiers and inhabitants in the river valley and their roles before,
during and after the conflict.
Powder
and munitions were kept in two powder magazines originally constructed 200 yards from the northwest corner of the commissary
to distance these structures for the sake of safety. Additional small arms were stored within these buildings as well. Note
the lightning rod that grounded strikes in the case of electrical storms. Lightning also ignited the prairie grasses that
could have turned these log shelters into bombs.
After the fort became
abandoned, this magazine saw use as a chicken coop on a local farm. In the 1930's it was returned to the fort and one will
still note its original logs. The new shingles and a few hewn logs complete a recent preservation.
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