Do you have ancestors who served in the Civil War? If so, were any of them called to defend their own state from invasion? When we think of Confederate troops crossing state lines, Pennsylvania often comes to mind. Yet on the western frontier, Kansans faced that same threat in October 1864. Major General Sterling Price led a raid across Missouri, pushing toward Kansas and forcing the Kansas militia into service.
Among those called up were my ancestor Alexander Briles, his son John Briles, nephew Branson Briles, and sons-in-law Japhet Mentzer and Thomas Ruggles. All served under Captain John Douglas in Company I of the 16th Regiment of the Kansas State Militia. This regiment fought at Byram’s Ford on the Big Blue River near present-day Westport in Kansas City, Missouri, where Price’s advance was ultimately stopped.
Although my Briles relatives took part in this campaign, their names do not appear in Ancestry’s Kansas Civil War Soldiers database. Fortunately, the Kansas State Historical Society preserved the Kansas State Militia muster rolls on microfilm [LM817], which provide the documentation needed to confirm their service.
The muster rolls of the Kansas State Militia serve as a tangible reminder of the everyday men who rose to defend their homes during the Civil War. For my Briles relatives, these records provide the missing proof of their service at a time when Kansas itself stood at risk. While they may not appear in widely used online databases, the preservation of these rolls by the Kansas State Historical Society ensures their sacrifice is not forgotten. By pairing the original documents with family stories, we can honor the men who answered the call and preserve their place in both state and family history.