In 1842 , Fort Scott was named after Winfield Scott , was established on the American frontier on the military road in eastern Kansas between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Gibson . It was established to provide protection to the rapidly increasing number of settlers , who were migrating from the Eastern United States . Fort Scott became one of a chain of forts intended to protect the new settlers from the Plains Indians , as well as to protect the Indians from the settlers ' encroachment .