Camp Sacket, sometimes spelled Camp Sackett, was a field post southeast of

Lecompton, Kansas Lecompton (pronounced ) is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 588. Lecompton was the ''de jure'' territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861, and the Douglas County seat f ...

, that moved a number of times for various reasons. It was established probably in May 1856 or possibly a bit earlier. It was named for Capt.

Delos B. Sackett Delos Bennett Sackett (April 14, 1822 – March 8, 1885) was a career officer in the United States Army, and served in the American Civil War as a colonel in the Union Army. Later he became the Inspector General of the U.S. Army. Early life an ...

(or Sacket), who was stationed there during part of the post's existence. Sacket served in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

and was with the U.S. Army until 1881, when he retired as a brigadier general. During much of its existence, Camp Sacket was near a high hill that was used as a lookout post. At least five officers stationed at the camp became well known in the upcoming Civil War. They were Maj. John Sedgwick, Lieut.

J.E.B. Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...

, Lieut. Col. Joseph E. Johnston, Col.

Edwin V. Sumner Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War. His nicknames "Bull" or "Bul ...

and Lieut. Col.

Philip St. George Cooke Philip St. George Cooke (June 13, 1809 – March 20, 1895) was a career United States Army cavalry officer who served as a Union General in the American Civil War. He is noted for his authorship of an Army cavalry manual, and is sometimes called ...

. Camp Sacket was established to provide some aid to the government of

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

, in Lecompton. This government was the legal government, but was sympathetic to the southern cause in Kansas.

Charles L. Robinson Charles Lawrence Robinson (July 21, 1818 – August 17, 1894) was an American politician who served in the California State Assembly from 1851-52, and later as the first Governor of Kansas from 1861 until 1863. He was also the first governor of ...

was the governor of the government loyal to the northern (free-state) cause. Robinson's government was not recognized by the Federal government. The troops at Camp Sacket were supplied by

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

and did their best to maintain a neutral stance between the two sides. Both sides accused the Army of favoring the opposing side. From May to September 1856, Charles Robinson and six other prisoners from the free-state cause were held prisoner at Camp Sacket. While the prisoners were there, the troops at Camp Sacket did their duty to prevent battles and strife between the northern and southern sides from becoming an all-out war. In August Lieut. Col. Cooke arrived at the camp with 500 men to take charge and supplement the 100 men who had been stationed there prior to then. Camp Sacket's troops were continually being deployed to various locations to prevent trouble. Troops were sent to

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

, Topeka, Lecompton and various more rural locations while the camp existed. At the end of March 1857 all the troops at the camp were ordered back to Fort Leavenworth. An appeal from Acting Governor

Daniel Woodson Daniel Woodson (May 24, 1824 – October 5, 1894) was secretary of Kansas Territory (1854–1857) and a five-time acting governor of the territory. Early life Woodson was born on a farm in Albemarle County, Virginia and orphaned at age 7. He ...

failed to persuade the Army to reoccupy Camp Sacket.John H. Gihon, M.D., ''Geary and Kansas'' (Philadelphia: Charles C. Rhodes, 1857), chapters XXVIII, XXX and XLII, at http://www.kancoll.org/books/gihon/g_intro.htm .

References

{{reflist Closed installations of the United States Army Forts in Kansas Buildings and structures in Douglas County, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 1856 establishments in Kansas Territory