Dragoon Soldier Overview

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Setting the scene

Imagine yourself a dragoon at Fort Scott in the 1840s. Your mission is to keep Indians and white settlers off of each other's territory and to keep peace between the various Indian tribes. For your services, you get to sleep in a crowded barracks, eat army food, and earn eight dollars a month.

This section contains information on recruiting of soldiers, training, command structure, the life of a soldier, and the missions that they participated in during the 1840s. Was it an exciting life? You decide.

 

Soldiers slept two to a bunk in the barracks

NPS

Getting started

You will be doing your program in the squad room of the dragoon barracks. The dragoon barracks was constructed in 1843 and was occupied in May of 1844 by 1st Dragoons, Company A. The barracks contained a company office, kitchen, mess hall, laundress quarters and quarters for married noncommissioned officers on the first floor. On the second floor were the squad rooms or sleeping quarters for the privates and corporals as well as a room for the sergeants.

The dragoon soldier started and ended his day in the squad room. The squad rooom served as the sleeping quarters as well as a recreation room for the soldiers. The squad room was crowded and uncomfortable. Soldiers were issued no pillows, so they slept on rolled up-overcoats. Soldiers slept two to a bed, sleeping head to toe. Regulations required that soldiers bathe once a week and wash their feet twice a week.

 

Multimedia

The following bugle calls may be relevant to your station. Visit our page on daily bugle calls to find a full day's schedule.

 

• 10:00 AM Drill

  
  

  Signaled soldiers to assemble for drill
  Audio Transcript

  Bugle music signaling for soldiers to assemble for drill.

 

• 1:00 PM Fatigue

  
  

  Indicated designated soldiers to arrive for fatigue duty. Sometimes used as a form of punishment, fatigue duty included performing physical tasks such as cleaning, ditch digging, etc.
  Audio Transcript

  Bugle music indicating when designated soldiers were to arrive for fatigue duty. Sometimes used as a form of punishment, fatigue duty included performing physical tasks such as cleaning, ditch digging, etc.

 

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Dragoon Soldier Pages

Overview | Program Outline | Tools of the Trade | Regulations | Historical Background | Recruitment | Training | Command Structure | Daily Life | Expeditions