In 1842 a large log fort was built at Trading Post by the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

, upon the order of Gen.

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...

. This fort was on the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Gibson Military Road. The completed fort was fairly elaborate. It included space to house a company of dragoons and their horses. Also, it contained a hospital and store houses. Gaps along the outside walls of buildings were filled in with stockade walls. The buildings were built around a large interior open area. In spite of the considerable work going into the fort's construction, it was used for only a short time, possibly only weeks. The troops there abandoned the fort and moved further south to build Fort Scott. Private individuals made use of the fort and troops did not use it until 1861, when 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 state ...

erupted. The first time the use of Trading Post's fort was mentioned during the Civil War was when troops were stationed there in September 1861, although it appears they soon left. Between early 1862 and June 1864 Trading Post was almost continuously occupied by troops. In 1862 Col.

Charles R. Jennison Charles Rainsford Jennison also known as "Doc" Jennison (June 6, 1834 – June 21, 1884) was a member of the anti-slavery faction during Bleeding Kansas, a famous Jayhawker, and a member of the Kansas State Senate in the 1870s. He later serve ...

led troops stationed there, but the settlers complained about their unruliness. Jennison's men were then removed. In October 1864 the troops at Trading Post were removed and sent to

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

to meet Confederate forces under Maj. Gen.

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

. After Price was defeated October 23 in the

Battle of Westport The Battle of Westport, sometimes referred to as the "Gettysburg of the West", was fought on October 23, 1864, in modern Kansas City, Missouri, during the American Civil War. Union Army, Union forces under Major General (United States), Major G ...

, his forces moved south along the Kansas-Missouri border. The next day some of his men occupied Trading Post and two imposing hills north of town. Price himself was with them. Union forces arrived in the evening and at 3 AM October 25 the

Battle of Marais des Cygnes The Battle of Marais des Cygnes () took place on October 25, 1864, in Linn County, Kansas, during Price's Missouri Raid in the American Civil War. It is also known as the Battle of Trading Post. In late 1864, Confederate Major General Sterling ...

began. The Union forces dislodged the Confederates from the hills and then about daylight charged into Trading Post, capturing 100 Confederates. All Confederate forces retreated south and later that day the

Battle of Mine Creek The Battle of Mine Creek, also known as the Battle of the Osage, was fought on October 25, 1864, in Linn County, Kansas, as part of Price's Missouri Expedition during the American Civil War. Major General Sterling Price of the Confederate ...

forced the Confederates to continue their southward march toward Arkansas. Soon after Price left the area troops were sent to garrison Trading Post again. A stable and some living quarters were built in February 1865. Troops remained until at least early June 1865. After troops left for good, the old fort was occupied for a time by two families. Later it was demolished, as a road was built through the fort.Col. U. B. Pearsall, report, ''The War of the Rebellion'' (1896), Series I, Vol. XLVIII, Part II, pp. 785-6.

References

{{reflist Buildings and structures in Linn County, Kansas Forts in Kansas United States Army posts 1842 establishments in the United States