On January 14 , 1870 , the Army returned with the formation of the Post of Southeast Kansas . The Post was based at Fort Scott , but the soldiers camped along the rail tracks , and seldom used the original fort . They were sent to protect the railroads and workers from settlers . Some of the latter feared that the railroad , which had been awarded land for development by the US Government in rights @-@ of @-@ way , would evict them from their squatter homes . The settlers considered the troops lackeys to the railroads , and lumped both as enemies .