Fort Henning Explained

In spring and probably into summer 1864 Fort Henning was constructed. It, along with Fort Blair (Fort Scott) and Fort Insley, was built to help protect the city and post of Fort Scott. Fort Henning, located at the intersection of Second and National Streets, was almost in the center of town. Fort Henning was an octagonal structure and measured fourteen feet across. It was the smallest of the three blockhouse forts.^[1]

Fort Henning, as well as Forts Blair and Insley, was surrounded by log palisades covered on the outside by earthworks, which were surrounded by wide, deep ditches. The blockhouse itself was constructed of rough wood planks and had a shingle roof. It stood two stories tall and had ports on both floors to allow cannon or rifles to be shot at anyone who dared attack it or Fort Scott.^[2]

All three blockhouses helped guard Fort Scott when Confederates under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price passed through the area in October 1864 near the end of their failed raid into Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas (see Price's Missouri Raid). After the Civil War ended Forts Henning and Insley were torn down. Fort Scott itself closed in October 1865.^[3]

Notes and References

1. William C. Pollard, Jr., "Forts and Military Posts in Kansas: 1854-1865" (Ph.D. dissertation, Faith Baptist College and Seminary, 1997), pp. 36-7, 128; Leo O. Oliva, Fort Scott on the Indian Frontier (Topeka: Kansas State Historical Society, 1984), p. 65; W. R. Biddle, compiler, Full Proceedings at the Flag Raising on Dr. W. S. McDonald's Lawn, Fort Scott, Kansas, December 3, 1904 (Fort Scott, Kans.: Monitor Binding and Printing Co., 1906), pp. 24-5; http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/history/1894/ T. F. Robley, History of Bourbon County (Fort Scott: Press of the Monitor Book & Print. Co., 1894), p. 183; "The Defences," The Daily Monitor (Fort Scott), June 8, 1864, p. 3; untitled story, The Daily Monitor, August 8, 1864, p. 3; "Our Fortifications," The Daily Monitor, September 6, 1864, p. 3; C. W. Goodlander, Memoirs and Recollections of C. W. Goodlander (Fort Scott: Monitor Print. Co., 1900), p. 52; C. E. Cory, "Old Block House," biographical scrapbook, p. 204 (from the KSHS, Topeka); Cory, "The Old Blockhouse," The Bourbon News (Fort Scott), March 27, 1924, p. 3;www.vlib.us/old_west/forts1865.html, Pollard, "Kansas Forts During the Civil War".
2. Robley, p. 182; "The Defences,", p. 3; untitled story, p. 3; "Our Fortifications," p. 3; Goodlander, p. 52; Lewis Barrington, Historical Restorations of the Daughters of the American Revolution (New York: Richard R. Smith, 1941), p. 191; Biddle, p. 59; Leo E. Oliva, Fort Scott on the Indian Frontier (Topeka, Kans.: KSHS, 1984), p. 65.
3. "The Defences," p. 3; untitled story, p. 3; "Our Fortifications," p. 3; Goodlander, p. 52; Biddle, pp. 2, 24-5; Oliva, p. 65; Cory, "The Old Blockhouse," p. 3; Barrington, p. 191.