This western outpost, named for General Winfield Scott, was established by U.S. Dragoons in 1842. The fort was located on the military road that marked the "permanent Indian frontier" stretching from Minnesota to Louisiana and stood midway between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Gibson. By 1853 the Indian frontier had moved west and troops were withdrawn. Two years later the buildings were sold at auction, and they became the town of Fort Scott.
From 1855 to 1860 this area stood at the heart of the territorial struggle over slavery,and in 1858 the town was raided by Jayhawkers attempting to free one of their members from jail. One local resident was killed. With the onset of the Civil War, Fort Scott was reactivated to serve as the Union headquarters and supply depot for southeast Kansas. The town was threatened by Confederate guerrillas from Missouri until 1865. After the War ended, the post was abandoned.
In 1869 the army returned, headquartering troops in Fort Scott to protect railroad construction in southeast Kansas. In 1873, the post was abandoned. The restored fort is now a National Historic Site administered by the National Park Service.
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The Blood That Flows in Kansas Before & During the Civil War Nourished the Twin Trees of Liberty & Union
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In 1842, Fort Scott was named after Winfield Scott, was established on the American frontier on the military road in eastern Kansas between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Gibson. It was established to provide protection to the rapidly increasing number of settlers, who were migrating from the Eastern United States. Fort Scott became one of a chain of forts intended to protect the new settlers from the Plains Indians, as well as to protect the Indians from the settlers' encroachment.
The United States government intention to reserve permanent Indian lands west of the Missouri River gave way to the competition of settlers continuing to encroach on the Indian settlements. Fort Scott's most active days were between 1842 and 1853, although it was also used during the Civil War.
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President Lincoln's Project Proclamation
In 1861 when President Lincoln issued his first proclamation for troops for three months service, a battalion was raised in Fort Scott & ordered to report at Wyandotte, Kansas. But before their enlistment had expired & they were mustered out of service & returned home. Immediately after the second call of President Lincoln for troops, recruiting officers were detailed & the sixth Kansas Cavalry was mustered into service in Fort Scott with a full complement of officers and men.
This regiment with other troops remained on duty at Fort Scott. They were needed to guard large quantities of quartermaster supplies, ordinance, & hospitals stores which were placed at Fort Scott by the government for supplying the Union troops south to the Red River. These supplies could play an important part in the winning the war.
The Block House
In 1863, in order to guard this large quantity of supplies, fortifications consisting of breastworks, stockades & three Block Houses (lunettes) were ordered to be erected at Fort Scott under the supervision of Captain William Holeke, U.S. Army Engineer. This was done under the direction of the Secretary of War. One was Fort Insley, which was located on the point of the mound east of the fort. This was the largest of the three & was used for the purpose of storing ammunition. Fort Henning, another of the Block Houses, was located on the corner of Second Street & National Avenue. The Block Houses were constructed of thick slabs of hewed & sawed logs from local native walnut timber. They were thoroughly spiked together, covered with shingled & weatherboarded with rough sawed native white oak lumber.
Pursuant to an order of General Blunt Moonlight, dated March 6, 1863, Lieutenant Haines assisted in the erection of these fortifications. The order was as follows:
Headquarters, District of Kansas
Fort Leavenworth
March 11, 1863
Special Order No. 47
First Lieutenant C. H. Haines, 6th Reg Reg KS, Vol. is hereby detailed to Engineer duty & will report to Capt. W. Holeke A. D. C. superintending erection of the fortification at Fort Scott, Kansas.
By Order of General Blunt Moonlight
Lieutenant C.H. Haines, Company K. Sixth Kansas Cavalry, is hereby ordered to assume command of fortifications now being erected at Fort Scott, Kansas, under plans & specifications furnished him with the order consisting of Fort Insley, Fort Henning, & Fort Blair.
Large Cannon Added
Also, at the outset two large twenty-four pound siege cannons were placed near Fort Blair. However, the government failed to furnish any fixed ammunition for these size cannons, so Peter Riley, a member of the Sixth Kansas City Cavalry, who was the clerk of the ordinance department at the fort, made & filled flannel sacks with powder, with which the cannons were charged.
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