Fort Scott National Historic Site

Buckeye Bill

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The United States Army originally established Fort Scott in the 1840s to serve as a defensive post in the frontier of southeast Kansas. During the American Civil War, Fort Scott became a district headquarters for the Federal Army and housed a quartermaster, training, and recruitment center. During the "Bleeding Kansas era," the Free-Stater James Montgomery raided the town, and during the war the Battle of Dry Wood Creek, fought to the east, was won by Confederate Major General Sterling Price and the Missouri State Guard. Instead of capturing Fort Scott, Price moved north toward Kansas City. Coincidently, Fort Scott and Kansas City, among other cities, entered into a postwar competition to become the region's preeminent rail hub -- a contest that Kansas City decisively won. Today, tourists can visit the old fort, which has been restored to resemble its appearance in the American Civil War era.

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Ive never been there myself, but Fort Scott has been the location for many living history events in the past by and for reenactors who specialize in Mexican War-era infantry and dragoon impressions like my old friend Steve Abolt; I wonder if anything like that still goes on?
 
The number one question to NPS Rangers by visitors is this question :

1. Was there ever a wall or stockade around the fort?

No, there was not. Fort Scott was a peacekeeping fort, there was no real enemy on the frontier at this time, therefore, no need to have a wall or stockade surrounding the buildings. On the treeless prairie the army could see quite a distance, so it would be a mistake to attack a fort on the frontier. Unlike what is seen in the movies, Indians would rarely attack a well-fortified post. The soldiers were here to keep peace between both Indians, settlers and various Indian tribes. Fur trading forts, which housed civilian personnel, were stockaded, but not military forts like Fort Scott, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, Fort Laramie, and Fort Hays.

* NPS Site : Fort Scott National Historic Site

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