'Call to Arms' tour scheduled at FSNHS

"Southeast Kansas is in imminent and immediate peril. Gen. Rains states that Kansas must be wiped out. Let us have protection at once." -- Fort Scott Democrat, July 13, 1861.

This quote, a week after the Battle of Carthage, Mo., shows the anxiety of a town going to war. The staff of Fort Scott National Historic Site on Saturday, Sept. 24, will explore the early days of the Civil War at Fort Scott 150 years ago.

There is no charge for the tour, but those who plan to attend are requested to sign up in advance by calling (620) 223-0310. The ranger-led tour will begin at 6:30 p.m.

It will consist of various stops providing an educational experience about Fort Scott from July-September 1861. Those attending will learn about the plight of Missouri Unionists, witness a recruiting sergeant in action, understand the special connection between soldiers and the local community in which they were raised.

Participants will also hear about a mule-heist and learn why Sen. James Lane orders the town of Fort Scott to be torched.

Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, is open daily from 8 a.m.--5 p.m. Entrance to the site is free of charge.