Wow, thanks for the information. I think it makes more sense that my relative probably wanted to enlist and found that he could in Kansas. Somehow that makes more sense. I did find that many of the men in the 5th Cavalry were from Modina, MO, almost half of them. (Searching for information on Modina, MO, it seems that maybe it's really Modena instead of Modina). I've been able to find that my relative's (Christopher Columbus Brown) had a pension request made by his widow and father/guardian in Missouri. I expect this was because his living relatives were in Missouri. I've also found that this relative died in 1862, unceremoniously by falling out of a tree while on post duty. To add to the mystery on old Christopher, his genealogy shows that he died and was buried in Illinois. Could it be that the 5th was in Illinois during hostilities?