Bourbon County Fort Scott Old Fort Boulevard in Front of Visitor S Center for Fort Scott

BourbonCounty – FortScott – Old Fort Boulevard in front of Visitor’s Center for Fort Scott National Historic Site

National Park Service style

Civil WarTown

FortScott National Historic Site

National Park Service

U. S. Department of the Interior

“If you have reinforcements … send them forward. The point to defend FortLeavenworth is in the neighborhood of FortScott.”

General Jim Lane to the commander of FortLeavenworth, 1861

[photo of early fort]

The army had vacated FortScott in 1853, but the Civil War brought it back in force. The Union used the FortScott area to recruit and train soldiers and supply forces in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

Union facilities encompassed a large area in and around FortScott, and included warehouses, a hospital, military prison, and cemetery. FortScott gave vital support to Union victories that prevented Confederate raids and campaigns elsewhere in the Western theater.

The original post hospital (building with large porch) and guardhouse (far right) appear in this 1860s photo, taken shortly after the Civil War. During the war the Union leased these buildings and many others from the “old” fort.

The magnitude of the army’s presence at FortScott during the Civil War is illustrated by this 1862 ad (right), which the army used to procure feed for its animals.

[reproduction of advertisement]

Office of Ass’t Qr. Master,

FortScott Depot, February, 14th, 1862.

SEALED PROPOSALS will be received at the office of the undersigned until 12 o’Clock, M. on Thursday, Feb. 20 1862, for the supply of this Depot with forage in the following quantities:

30,000 Bushels of Corn

400 Tons of Hay

Good and sufficient sureties will be required for the fulfilment of the Contract. Each bid must be accompanied by the guarantee of two responsible persons that the bidder will (if his bid be accepted) sign the contract.

[map of area]

In 1863 Union officers mapped their positions around FortScott (above). Lieutenant Charles Porter indicated the extent of Union positions in his October 1863 report: “This morning I was detailed as Office of the Picket. My duty was to ride out to each station and learn the condition and reports from them. … At dark I had made the circuit of 40 miles and was then 7 miles from the Fort.”

[September 23, 2002]