The southwest corner of the original stockade stood near this point. The militia included many young men with no families, so they spent most of their time scouting while guarding more than 100 miles of state line. A scout’s outfit and rations consisted of a carbine rifle, 100 cartridges, bacon, sugar, coffee, and a grain sack holding five days’ rations, including army crackers, all tied to the saddle with a frying pan and coffee bucket. By the end of a trip the food often had become stale. The militia’s duty was to guard the territory from Caldwell to Dodge City and then south to the Cimarron River, keeping it clear of marauding bands of Indians.