Lot
1048 
(Unorganized Missouri Territory) "Fort Scott Mo., March 30 -", manuscript postmark ties 3¢ dull red (11A), pre-use tear, on blue 1853 folded letter to New York City, the letter is from a sergeant at the fort and he is asking that newspapers be sent to him there, he is obviously unaware that the garrison will be moved within a month; fold mends, Fine, ex-Alexander. Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED USES FROM FORT SCOTT DURING THE UNORGANIZED TERRITORY TIME PERIOD, THIS BEING THE ONLY STAMPED USE.
Fort Scott was established on May 30, 1842, and built along the Military Road four miles west of the Missouri state line in what is now Kansas. This was considered the Permanent Indian Frontier at the time. It served as an intermediate post on the military road that connected the frontier forts from Fort Snelling in the North to Fort Jessup (Louisiana) in the South. The main duty was enforcing peace between the Osage Indians and settlers on their way west. The post was abandoned on April 22, 1853, but was re-occupied by troops during the Civil War in March 1862.
As was the case with Fort Leavenworth that was also in unorganized territory west of the Missouri state line, Fort Scott used a town mark (manuscript) incorporating the term "Mo." The Post Office Department attached these forts to Missouri on their records for administrative purposes.