Camp Pliley - Home of Co. A, Second Battalion, Kansas State Militia

Camp Pliley was the home of Co. A, Second Frontier Battalion, Kansas Militia. The Second was formed to patrol the area from the Republican to the Smoky. COL W. S. Moorhouse, the adjutant general, directed the formation of a legislatively-approved organization of four companies to provide a military presence in the rather remote region. The Adjutant General's Report of the time is packed with incidents that no doubt served as potent catalysts for the formation of the unit. Although they contained many variations, the stories were all somewhat similar. "On the 30th day of May the Indians made a raid on the Saline river, in which they killed and wounded thirteen persons, men, women and children, and carried into captivity two women and one child, Mrs. Alderdice and babe and Mrs. Weiser. Mrs. Weiser was afterwards recaptured by General Carr, in a fight with Indians near the headwaters of the Republican, Mrs. Alderdice and babe being killed by the Indians during the fight. At the time of the raid Mr. Alderdice was at Salina, and upon his return found two of his children, aged respectively seven and nine years, killed; one little boy, aged four years, with two arrows through him, and his wife and babe carried into a captivity to which death would be mercy in comparison."

Although the units did not have any major battles, Indian activity in the area greatly reduced upon their arrival. The unit was the last Kansas Militia formed in response to Indian attacks.

Company A was of the four companies of the Second Frontier Battalion and was under command of CPT A. J. Pliley, a veteran of the Civil War, and hero of the Battle of Prairie Dog Creek, Battle of Beecher's Island and former commander of Co. A, 19th Kansas Cavalry. Company A occupied a camp orginally built by the federal government, but who later vacated it.

Located at Spillman Creek, in Lincoln County, Company A had 82 men and 90 horses. Upon arriving in mid-July to take command of the camp, Pliley had a second story built on the 24 foot square blockhouse. The second story was off-set 45 degrees, so that when viewed from the top, the blockhouse had the appearance of an octogon. Camp Pliley was composed of the blockhouse, a stockade, kitchen, and several "officer's quarters."

The soldiers had to provide their own horses, clothing and rations, except the state provided the firearms and ammunition. Enlisted soldiers were paid $46.50 a month. Officers were paid $92.50 a month. Upon their muster out of service, the soldiers were directed to give their firearms to the settlers in the area.

An updated Lincoln County newspaper article described the layout of as camp as, "The block-house was located on the northeast quarter of Section 8, Grant Township, on the north side of Spillman creek. It was a square two-story log house, with the second story set upon the first.... There were portholes in both stories, and the shape of the structure gave its occupants a chance to cover attacker from every angle... There were also seven or eight officers’ quarters and a mess house inside the stockade, which was located in a grove, with spring water at hand." The article also mentions that after Pliley’s company left the area, the blockhouse was used as a regional voting place and was burned down during a prairie fire in 1872.