James Montgomery Raids Fort Scott

Thursday, December 16, 1858

An illustration of the Western Hotel, Fort Scott, KS. Courtesy of the Internet Archive.

In retaliation for the Marais des Cygnes Massacre of Free-State Kansans, James Montgomery leads a raid on Fort Scott, Kansas. They set fire to the Western Hotel near the fort, where the massacre was purportedly planned. The territorial legislature eventually issues a general amnesty for political violence in southern Kansas, and Montgomery agrees to cease hostilities.