Fort Henning
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
Fort Blair (Fort Scott)
In spring and possibly through summer 1864, three blockhouses were constructed to help defend the town and post of Fort Scott. These were Fort Blair, Fort Henning and Fort Insley. Fort Blair was enclosed by a rectangular wall of log palisades covered on the outside by earthworks, which in turn were...
and Fort Insley
Fort Insley
In spring and summer 1864 Fort Blair, Fort Henning and Fort Insley were constructed to help protect the town and post of Fort Scott from Confederate forces. Fort Insley was named for Capt. Martain H. Insley. It was located just northeast of town, about 1½ blocks northeast of the main part of the...
, was built to help protect the city and post of Fort Scott
Fort Scott
General Winfield Scott, former General-in-Chief of the U.S. Army, was the namesake for five places named Fort Scott:*Fort Scott, Kansas, a city that grew up around a military fort of the same name**Fort Scott National Historic Site...
. 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.
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.
All three blockhouses helped guard Fort Scott when Confederates under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
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.