Notable Events:

• Established (May 1863)
• Quantrill Attacks Fort Blair (October 6, 1863)
• Abandoned (October 20, 1863)

Fort Blair was located in what is now the town of Baxter Springs in the southeast corner of Kansas. It was established by General James G. Blunt in May 1863 to strengthen the Union position in an area of the state that had not been secured by either side in the war. On October 6, 1863, William Clarke Quantrill's Raiders attacked the fort and killed more than 100 Union soldiers. After a short period of reinforcement, the Union troops withdrew to Fort Scott, burning Fort Blair to the ground in their wake. Nothing significant remains at the site.