Kansas History

[archeobabe]

Where is Fort Montgomery located in Kansas?

[W. Gray]

    Fort Montgomery was built in or near Eureka, in central Greenwood County, in 1860 or 1861.  It was named for James Montgomery, a free-state leader.  It was built by the local citizens to protect themselves from attacks by Osage Indians and proslavery forces.

[W. Gray]

Above from http://www.vlib.us/old_west/forts.html#other

I had never heard of iit.

Marcia, if you are aware of it, do you know where it was specifically located?

[W. Gray]

More info from http://www.vlib.us/old_west/forts1865.html

Some settler forts provided additional types of services. Fort Drinkwater served as a post office and Fort Montgomery served as a schoolhouse.

Some of the settler forts were substantially built. They were almost always log forts. In some of these, such as Fort Montgomery, the builders incorporated breastworks and small gun ports that could be covered when not used.

Fort Montgomery was built in or near Eureka, in central Greenwood County, in 1860 or 1861. It was named for James Montgomery, a free-state leader. It was built by the local citizens to protect themselves from attacks by Osage Indians and proslavery forces. [I have always read that the Osage were blanket Indians, ie, peaceable, but they would fight back if the land they legally owned was intruded upon.]

Fort Montgomery was solidly built. It was a large rectangular building with a thatch roof. Inside was a wooden floor constructed of rough planks. Gunholes were built into the fort's walls. These holes were normally covered, but could be uncovered in the event of an attack. Around the sides were layered green logs covered with dirt. These were layered up to the level of the gunholes.

Outside was a small cannon mounted on a swivel. The cannon could be swiveled to fire a four-pound ball or grape shot in any direction. The cannon was surrounded by either a stockade or a breastwork.

Leander Bemis, a local farmer, commanded the fort until 1868. It was manned by local militia and government scouts. Its main duty was Indian scouting. It also served for a time as the local school. In 1861 Eureka's school burned and teacher Annie Clutter taught at the fort.

Late in the Civil War Fort Montgomery was readied for a guerrilla attack that never came. In 1868 regular troops occupied the fort for a short time. After they left the fort's log breastworks were dismantled and used for firewood. Apparently the fort's use ceased at that time.

Archeobabe, where did you hear about this fort?

[archeobabe]

Fort Montgomery is or was located in Eureka and the only thing that is still standing is a wall.  It was abandoned in 1867. It also play a role in the civil war when a group of native americans escape from Oklahoma (Indian Territory) when they wanted to stay out of the civil war.  Another group of native american who were on the conferderate side gave chase and caught them in Kansas.  They were trying to reach Ft. Montgomery for safety.  Only 16 survived to reach the fort out of 120 or 150 people.  I have two books on the forts that were built in the southwest.  There is several forts that were built and used in Kansas.