Battle of Fort Titus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Fort Titus
Part of Bleeding Kansas
Date August 16, 1856 Location Lecompton, Kansas Territory Result Free-State victory Fort Titus destroyed
Belligerents
Free-State settlers	Pro-slavery settlers
Commanders and leaders
Samuel Walker	Henry T. Titus
Strength
ca. 400	More than 21
Casualties and losses
1 killed, 8 wounded	2 killed, 5 seriously wounded, 17 captured

The Battle of Fort Titus was a fight that happened during a tough time in the Kansas Territory. This was before the American Civil War. People in Kansas were arguing about whether slavery should be allowed there. This period is often called Bleeding Kansas because of all the violence.

What Caused the Battle of Fort Titus?

Fort Titus: A Stronghold

Fort Titus was a special log cabin built around April 1856. It was the home of Henry T. Titus. He was a colonel in the militia that supported slavery in the Kansas Territory. Some people said Titus built his home on land that belonged to a Free-State settler. This settler was away at the time.

The fort was a strong log cabin. It had small openings in its walls. These were called gun loopholes. They let people inside shoot out to defend the fort. It also had at least one window and a small kitchen built onto its side.

Nearby Army Camp

In August 1856, a U.S. Army post called Camp Sacket was about a mile from Fort Titus. This camp was there to help the pro-slavery government of the Kansas Territory. This government was in Lecompton. It wanted slavery to spread into Kansas.

In January 1856, people who opposed slavery held their own election. They chose Charles L. Robinson as their governor. This was under the Topeka Constitution. The U.S. government did not recognize Robinson's government.

From spring to September 1856, Robinson and other Free-State leaders were held at Camp Sackett. One of them was the son of abolitionist John Brown. The soldiers at Camp Sacket tried to stay neutral. But both sides often accused the Army of favoring the other side.

A Fight for Revenge

South of Fort Titus was another pro-slavery stronghold. It was called Fort Saunders. On August 15, 1856, Free-State fighters attacked and destroyed Fort Saunders. The pro-slavery fighters wanted revenge.

They knew that Free-State men sometimes stayed at Judge Wakefield's house. This house was also a fortified home nearby. So, at 2 AM on August 16, pro-slavery fighters attacked Wakefield's house. Henry T. Titus was among them. But they could not take the house. Later that day, Free-State men fought back against Titus. They attacked and destroyed his fort.

The Battle of Fort Titus

First Attack

About 400 Free-Staters attacked Fort Titus. They were led by Samuel Walker. Titus had at least 21 men with him. This included 13 German stonemasons from nearby Lecompton, Kansas.

The Free-Staters launched their attack before a large cannon arrived. This first try was not successful. The leader of this first attack was killed. Some of the attackers then positioned themselves between Lecompton and the Army troops. This stopped messages from being sent between the governor, Wilson Shannon, and the soldiers.

Cannon Arrives

Once the cannon arrived, the battle ended quickly. The fort's walls were not strong enough for the cannonballs. The cannonballs went right through the fort. This cannon was named Old Sacramento. It had been captured and recaptured three times before this battle. The cannonballs were made from melted metal type from a Lawrence newspaper.

The battle probably lasted less than 30 minutes. Maj. John Sedgwick, the commander at Camp Sacket, moved his troops toward Fort Titus. He wanted to stop the fight. But the battle was over before his soldiers arrived.

After the Fight

As soon as the battle ended, the Free-Staters took prisoners to Lawrence. Fort Titus was then burned down. It was never rebuilt.

What Happened Next?

A reporter for The New York Times wrote about the battle. This report was dated August 17, 1856. It described how the Free-State forces arrived at Judge Wakefield's house. Colonel Titus and his men fired on them. The Free-Staters fired back. Titus and his men retreated, leaving one dead.

The report said Colonel Titus's cabin was fortified. Free-State cavalry charged some tents near the cabin. The people in the tents ran into the cabin. The horsemen followed too close and were fired upon. Four were wounded, one seriously.

Then the cannon was brought up. Seven cannonballs were fired into the fort. Colonel Titus then showed a white flag and surrendered. Seventeen prisoners were taken. They also took 25 guns and food. The cabin was then burned.

During the attack, U.S. troops from Camp Sacket took a position between the Free-State forces and Lecompton. The Free-State men did not want to fight the troops. So, instead of attacking Lecompton, they marched to Lawrence with their prisoners.

Colonel Titus was wounded in the head and shoulder. Another of his men was wounded, and two others were killed. Six Free-State men were wounded.

The report mentioned that Colonel Titus had been part of an earlier event in Lawrence. He had said he would kill every abolitionist there. Some of the prisoners with him had also helped destroy newspaper presses in Lawrence. They threw the metal type into the river. The cannonballs used against Titus's cabin were made from this melted type. The reporter wrote that the cannonballs seemed to shout, "Surrender to Freedom!"

Colonel Titus, who had threatened abolitionists, ended up asking them to save his life. He was given a comfortable place to stay and a doctor. The other prisoners were held in the building where the newspaper presses had been destroyed.

The pro-slavery fighters wanted revenge for their losses in August. Fort Titus, New Georgia's fort, Franklin's Fort, and Fort Saunders had all been taken by Free-State fighters. So, on the night of September 1, 1856, the Southerners burned six houses and another building. This included Judge Wakefield's house. The Wakefield family lost everything they owned.