Fort Hartsuff Guardhouse and Jail

Fort Hartsuff’s guardhouse served as a work location for soldiers performing guard duty and as a jail. It contained four rooms: one for storing rifles and ammunition, another for confining soldiers with minor infractions, a room for civilian prisoners or military deserters, and a room with cramped wooden cells for soldiers with serious offenses like gambling or being drunk and disorderly. Behind the guardhouse was a small exercise pen with a latrine. Prisoners had about 30 minutes for exercise each morning and evening. Guard duty was seen as a prestigious assignment, allowing soldiers to avoid more strenuous or tedious jobs. Selection was competitive, based on skills like drill standards and uniform neatness. Guards also helped local law enforcement in various operations to include the capture of local horse their Doc Middleton and serving on a task force in an attempt to capture railroad robbers.

The team at Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park is working on new research about eight soldiers who were court-martialed at the fort from 1875 to 1880. This research helps us understand military justice and what daily life was like for the soldiers. By studying these court-martials, we gain important insights into the discipline and justice that were part of a soldier's life, aspects that are often overlooked in broader histories. It also shows us the challenges these soldiers faced beyond their regular duties and the occasional hostile encounter with Native Americans, horse thieves, or train robbers, allowing visitors to connect more deeply with the fort’s history. The park encourages visitors to come and discover the unique stories and situations surrounding these court-martials.

1875^[1]

• Name: John L. Hodgkins
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 6 October 1875; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 9 September 1875, Private Hodgkins failed to appear for duty as directed by his company commander. He also repeatedly refused to report to the company commander's office when ordered to do so by Sergeant Joste -- eventually pulling a knife on the sergeant, stating, "If you come near me, I will kill you."
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Forfeiture of all pay and allowances, a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Army, and two years of hard labor at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

April 1876^[2]

• Name: Albert Dewgan
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 11 April 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 12 March 1876, Private Dewgan was drunk and disorderly while on duty. When Corporal William Jackson arrested him and tried to take him to the guardhouse, the private punched the corporal in the face. When First Sergeant Benjamin A. Hey ordered Private Dewgan to the guardhouse, he called the first sergeant vulgar names and stated, "You can't take me to the guard house." 
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Four months of hard labor and forfeiture of $5 per month for the period of his confinement.
• Name: John Howard
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 11 April 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 23 January 1876, Private Howard was drunk and damaged the parade ground fence with a club. Additionally, when ordered to the guardhouse by Second Lieutenant Charles Heyl, Private Howard disobeyed the order using obscene language (noted as too obscene to be included in the official court martial records) and used threatening language while swinging the club as if to hit Lieutenant Heyl.
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Dishonorable discharge; forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and six months of hard labor.
• Name: Charles Loch
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 11 April 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: Private Loch was drunk on duty causing him to repeatedly leave the posts he was responsible for guarding.  
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Only fined $25 because various officers under whom he served testified to his previous good character.
• Name: William A. Martkley
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 11 April 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: In addition to deserting the fort, Private Martkley stole two horses, a double harness, a wagon, and a sack of feed for the horses from Mr. Lee Heron of Valley County, Nebraska; two horse collars and a neck yolk from Mr. Oscar Babcock of Valley County; and a shovel from the fort. 
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Forfeiture of all pay and allowances, a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Army, and three years of hard labor at a military prison.
• Name: Saul J. Steele (also known as Samuel J. Steele)
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 11 April 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 19 October 1875, Private Steele’s weapon was taken from him when he fell asleep on guard duty.
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Forfeiture of $25. 

September 1876^[3]

• Name: John Dolan
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “K”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 5 September 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 12 August 1876, Private Dolan of Company “K” verbally challenged Corporal A.B. Van Buren of Company “A,” who, while under the post commander’s orders, was confining a fellow member of Company “K,” Private William Fitzpatrick for drunkenness. Private Dolan told Corporal Van Buren, "You are the last man who ought to confine a man out of this company” and made verbal threats using vulgar language.
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Three months of hard labor and forfeiture of $30 from his pay period.
• Name: Samuel J. Steele (also known as Saul J. Steele who was previously court martialed on 11 April 1876 at Fort Hartsuff)
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 23rd Infantry Regiment, Company “A”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 5 September 1876; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: Private Steele deserted twice – once from the fort on 14 July 1876, and then from confinement on 26 August 1876. 
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Forfeiture of pay and allowances, a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Army, and three years of hard labor at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

April 1880^[4]

• Name: John Moriarty
• Rank: Private
• Unit: 9th Infantry Regiment, Company “C”
• Date/Location of Court Martial: 24 April 1880; Fort Hartsuff
• Offense: On 20 February 1880, Private Moriarity was drunk and unable to perform his duties. On 15 April 1880, the private conducted himself in a vulgar manner in the presence of the Garrison while drunk. It was noted that the private’s drinking made him an unreliable soldier and that he had been court martialed for drunkenness on duty twice before – 18 June 1879 and 12 January 1880.
• Verdict: Guilty
• Sentence: Dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Army.

Primary Source Footnotes:

^[1] George D. Ruggles, Headquarters Department of the Platte, Summary of Cases Tried Under General Order #40, (Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of the Platte; National Archives, Washington DC, 1875).

^[2] Robert Williams, Headquarters Department of the Platte, Summary of Cases Tried Under General Order #34, (Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of the Platte (National Archives, Washington DC, 1876).

^[3]Robert Williams, Headquarters Department of the Platte, Summary of Cases Tried Under General Order #52, (Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of the Platte; National Archives, Washington DC, 1876).

^[4]Robert Williams, Headquarters Department of the Platte, Summary of Cases Tried Under General Order #32, (Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of the Platte (National Archives, Washington DC, 1876, 1880).

Primary Sources Documents:

H. B. Burnham, Headquarters, Department of the Platte to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General: Report of Hodgkins Court Martial, (Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska: National Archives, Washington DC, 1875).

H. B. Burnham, Headquarters, Department of the Platte to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General: Report of Five Courts Martial, (Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska: National Archives, Washington DC, 1876).

H. B. Burnham, Headquarters, Department of the Platte to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General: Report of Dolan & Steele Courts Martial, (Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska: National Archives, Washington DC, 1876).

H. B. Burnham, Headquarters, Department of the Platte to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General: Report of Moriarty Court Martial,, (Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska: National Archives, Washington DC, 1880).

Secondary Source Material:

Domeier, Jim:.The Guide to Fort Hartsuff (1874-1881).