Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-08-14

board was also 10 select q site for
fort nearly midway Between these
two points. Finally 1872 a site or
the aarmaton river was selected. II
was named Fort Scott in honor Of
General Winfield Scott
In 1913 and 1874 quarters for
officers and men were built. A saw
mill was erected about mile up Mill
creek to be run by water power. The
mil gave the creek its name. A
brick yard was made near the mill
Then a detail of men from the infan.
try command stationed at the fort
made brick and sawed lumber, which
went INTO the construction of the
buildings At the fort. A square called
the parade ground, now called the
plaza, containing about two acres.
was laid out
Around the northeast side OF the
plaza the buildings for officers quar-.
tiers were erected. These consisted of
four large double houses, two and a
half stories high, with frame tsmbers
OF oak twelve inches square, walnut
siding and oak Doors. The doors,
door frames. Ifntels, manf5epieces
etc, were of two-inch walpat. II Is
hardly necessary to say th;lt she build
dngs are still standing in gOJd state
of repair They are occupied now as
homes. They were built ii The ami
form style Of architecture which pre-
vailed az all military posts at that
time. The most striking feature is
the broad porch extending along the
entire front and aIonP the 'rsar of
each house, reached by broad flights
of stairs at either end. The roof is
supported by seven large dUric col
umns fourteen feet in height, made
of solid walnut logs. On the other
sides of the plaza ether buildings
were erected
Fort Scott was garrisonsd until
April, 1855, when the most was prac~
tically abandoned. Tie fort was &C
cupied again in 1862. and was the
center Of some exciting incidents
during the civil war
When President Lincoln, in 1861.
issued his first proclamation for
troops for three months zervice, a
battalion was raised in Fort Scott ana
oraerBd to report tet Wyandotte, Aas..
but before camp and garrison equip
age could ba furnished the time for
their enlistmenfs had expired, ana
they were mustered cuf of service
and returned home. The 9Th cavs1ray
was recruited after the second can
for troops. This regiment remained
OF duty at Fort Scot, fol- the purpose
of guarding the government supplies
there
Qualifications were ordered TO be
erected, consisting OF breastworEs.
stucaaes and three lighthouses. They
were built under government super
vision. One was named Fort Ins1ey
ard was located gn the mound ON Tf e
plaza This was the largest and was
the storehouse for ammunition Fort
Henlting was bufft on the corngr Of
Tst and Scott avenues Tot Blair was
located on the c0rnero6f I'd street and
National avenue. Two large twenty
four pound siege guns were planted
near Fort Blair All r,f these bgack-
houses have BEEN destroyed or dis
appeared except Port 'Tfenning. A few
years ago DR.. w. S. Mcdonald pur-
chased Fort Henning, moved IT to
his lawn and proposes 10 preserve it.
In recognition OF this thoughtful ser
vice the people of Fort Scott pre-
scented -Dr. Mcdonald with flagstaff
and ffag
The LIGHTHOUSE is stTd in a good
state OF preservation 1t was built of
sawed sf&bs or thick boarIs. thorough
ly spiksu, with rough isoards sawed
from native lumber The sbuilding has
openings for rifles and small cannon
The pee pie of Fora Scott will tell
you themselves, if y0s ask sihem, that
the reason that the town was not
destroyed eSuring the civil war was
because of the strong defegses main
tanned by the government and the
people of tile town