Fort Scott National Historic Site is a historical area under the control of the United States National Park Service in Bourbon County , Kansas , United States . Named after General Winfield Scott , who achieved renown during the Mexican @-@ American War , during the middle of the 19th century the fort served as a military base for US Army action in what was the edge of settlement in 1850 . For the next quarter century , it was used as a supply base and to provide security in turbulent areas during the opening of the West to settlement , a period which included Bleeding Kansas and the American Civil War .