I saw your posting to the mailing list concerning your ancestor in Fort Leavenworth Prison in 1880. I also have an ancestor in that same prison and that same year. I used "The Source" book a guidebook of American Genealogy, this book recommended that I write to the Fort Leavenworth Prison to request records. The book provided the address to write to them. I wrote to them. I received a very prompt response and they were very nice about it. They do not have archives and records. They recommended that I get retired military records. They said that you could only be a prisoner at Fort Leavenworth if you were in the military. They also said that being so long ago, 1880, there may not be any records. I tend to disagree with this because Civil War records are available so why wouldn't records from 1880 be available. Let me search out the information as to where they recommend I send to for these records. I will post later to the list. Sharon