Fort Insley facts for kids

Fort Insley was a small fort built during the American Civil War in 1864. It was one of three blockhouses, along with Fort Blair and Fort Henning, constructed to protect the town and military post of Fort Scott, Kansas. These forts were built to defend against soldiers from the Southern states, known as Confederate forces.

Fort Insley was named after Captain Martain H. Insley. It was located just northeast of Fort Scott, near a stream called Buck Run Creek.

Building a Civil War Fort

The forts built around Fort Scott were called blockhouses. A blockhouse is a strong, small fort, usually made of wood. Each blockhouse was built from thick wooden slabs or boards. These were covered with rougher boards to make them even stronger.

How Forts Were Built

Each blockhouse had a wooden shingle roof. They also had special openings, called ports, where soldiers could aim their rifles and small cannons. These buildings were two stories tall.

To make them even safer, each blockhouse was surrounded by tall fences made of logs, called palisades. Outside these log fences, there were piles of earth, known as earthworks. These earthworks helped protect the fort from enemy fire. Finally, wide and deep ditches surrounded everything, making it harder for enemies to get close.

Fort Insley's Special Role

Fort Insley was the largest of the three blockhouses. It measured about 20 feet by 30 feet. A group of soldiers from the 6th Kansas regiment was stationed there. This means they lived and worked at the fort.

Fort Insley also served as a place to store ammunition. Ammunition includes bullets and cannonballs, which were very important for fighting during the war.

Protecting Fort Scott

In October 1864, the three blockhouses played an important role. A Confederate general named Sterling Price was leading his troops south after a failed attempt to invade Missouri. He hoped to capture Fort Scott. However, because of the strong defenses, including Fort Insley, General Price decided to retreat without a fight. The forts helped keep Fort Scott safe.

After the War

After the Civil War ended, Forts Henning and Insley were taken down. The main military post of Fort Scott itself closed in October 1865.