Many a boy and young lady felt the allure of high adventure on the plains of the old west. It was the adventure of fighting wild Indians, looking for gold or discovering new places, the thought of crossing the high plains in a covered wagon or on horse back was very romantic. The old west was full of danger and adventure, but the truth was it was more dangers to roam the towns and cities of the west then the high plains. In the 1800, hundreds the new frontier of Kansas was full of adventure. The lure of Kansas brought many a young man looking for adventure and what could be more adventurous then being a frontier scout. Many other States had their frontier scout and some would become famous.
Kansas had many frontier scouts and some would become famous and have stories told and written about them. There were the likes of Sharp Grover, Bill Comstock, Charles Reynolds, Billy Dixon, Jack Stillwell, Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill Cody, William Mathewson, Kit Carson. These men help make Kansas safe for those looking for a new way of life.
Note. The information for this page came from a article written by Paul I. Wellman called ( Some Famous Kansas Frontiers Scouts ), published in August of 1932, in the State Historical Quarterly.
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Sharp Grover, who’s real name was Abner T. Grover is said to have been a “squaw man,” having lived as a member of the Sioux tribe and been married to a Sioux wife. When the expedition to the Beecher Island came along Colonel Forsyth took Grover as his head scout. Colonel Forsyth chose him because of his ability to speak Sioux and was an expert in sign talk the universal language of the plains and was moreover a finished plainsman.
With Grover’s guidance Forsyth was able to over take the Cheyennes and the Sioux, who were under the leadership of Roman Nose, and fought the almost disastrous battle on Beecher’s Island. During the battle Grover pointed out Roman Nose. Grover is reputed to have killed him. Although I was denied it was Roman Nose who was killed. It wa stated by the Cheyennes that Roman Nose was killed on the evening of the first day, instead of early in the fight as reported by Colonel Forsyth, but none the less Roman Nose was died.
At the time Sharp Grover was scouting for Colonel Forsyth, he was suffering from a still unhealed wound in the back which he had received by the Sioux Indians in August of 1868, on the Solomon river. This happened a month before the expedition. The wound would not prevent him from riding and fighting and scouting as daringly and as intelligently as at any period in his life.
Grover was killed in a shooting affray at Pond Creek, Kansas, the year following the expedition. He was shoot by a man named Moody in a saloon brawl. Grover was unarmed having giving his guns to the barkeeper. Moody was later set free as he claimed he had shot Grover in self-defense, thinking Grover was armed and when Grover who was drunk came towards him with a flow of abusive epithets, he shot him.
Billy ( William ) Comstock was Kansas scout, he was born in Wisconsin and came to Kansas at a early age, living on the frontier by preference. He was one of the original pony express riders, at the same time when Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody were similarly employed. In 1867, he got into rrouble in a fight with a cheating wood contractor who had agreed to pay him a certain sum of money if he would show him where a good supply of wood for the post at Fort Wallace could be found. Comstock lived up to his part of the agreement but the contractor failed to pay.
This man posed as a bad man and boasted of having been a member of the Quantrill raiders, but this made no difference to Comstock. He met the defaulter on the porch of the post trader and shot him dead. His arrest followed and he was taken to Fort Hays for trial. Arraigned before a judge there, he was asked how he would plead. “Guilty, sir,” Comstock replied. The astonished judge asked him if he wish to alter his plea. “No, sir,” said Comstock, who did not know what it was to lie. “In that case I discharge you for want of evidence,” said the judge, who seems to have known Comstock’s adversary. Ir seems that the judge thought that Comstock’s friends were intending to help him make his escape and decided that to dismiss the case was rhe easiest way out of the affair.
In 1868, he was employed by Gen. Phil Sheridan as chief of scouts. It was during this service that he met Custer. He was his chief scout during the campain which resulted in the massacre of Lieutenant Kidder and his men, and also in the fight of Colonel Cook with the hostiles between Fort Wallace and Fort McPherson. With Sharp Grover He was our on a scouting expedition to see if he could discover any traces of hostiles. About fifty miles from Fort Wallace they found the friendly village of Sioux under Turkey Leg, on the banks of the Solomon river. Grover knew these Indians well, as his wife was a member of the band.
He was informed by Turkey Leg, that Roman Nose and his Cheyenne dog soldiers was in the vicinity. Comstock and Grover took the warning and headed back towards For Wallace. It was known that Comstock had a beautiful ivory handled six-shooter. A young Indian had tried to trade him out of it, but he refused. On the way back to the fort they fell in with several young braves and were talking when suddenly two or three whipped out their rifles and starting firing killing Comstock instantly and wounding Grover in the back. Grover was finely able to drive them off with rifle. Badly wounded he was able to make his way to the nearest railroad station, where he was brought back to the post. General Bankhead sent out an expedition which brought in Comstock’s body and give him a Christian burial.
Another Kansas scout was Charles Alexander Reynolds, was born in 1842, in Kentucky, came to Kansas as a small boy of sixteen. While on a wagon train bond for California it was attacked by Indians on the Platte and most of the emigrants were killed. But Reynolds made his escaped, he became a Nemesis to the race which had done the deed. He later made his way to Atchison county, and at the opening of the war enlisted in a Kansas regiment for three years, chiefly as a scout. When the war ended he went on a trading expedition and again ran afoul of the Indians, his party was attacked on the Smoky Hill. A fellow trader of Reynolds was killed. Reynolds once again made his escape and took refuge in a wolfer’s dugout and stood them off till nightfall, when he made a run for it, and finally reached Santa Fe in safety.
In the summer of 1868, He hunted buffalo in western Kansas and eastern Colorado, where he made such a reputation as a plainsman that he was appointed an army scout. He was Custer’s chief of scouts in the 1874 Black Hills expedition. Reynolds was the one who discovered that Rain-in-the-Face, a Sioux chief was guilty of the murder of Doctor Hon zinger a veterinarian, and Balleran a sutler, during the Black Hills expedition. The chief later stated That; “ Charles Reynolds know me ( he was seen after the killings ) and told long yellow hair who did this brave deed.” However the chief was mistaken. Reynolds got the information much later, while the chief was undergoing the Sun Dance tortures. The chief had boasted of his exploits to keep his courage during the dance. Reynolds who was at the dance had heard him tell of his exploits and reported it.
Reynolds was chief of scouts in the ill-fated expedition to the Little Big Horn. He died trying to stave off the rush of the Sioux warriors who were shooting down the soldiers of Major Reno as they tried to retreat across the Little Big Horn river. He is buried and a tablet shows where he died bravely fighting on the field of the Little Big Horn.
Jack ( Charles ) Stillwell had been a member of the Forsyth expedition, and later became a famous scout. He was only nineteen when he enlisted at Fort Hays to go on Forsyth expedition, by this time he was known as a experienced hunter and plainsman. He took part in the Beecher Island fight. He and Pierre Trudeau where the first to volunteer to get through the Indian cordon, when night fell they left for help. They only managed to get a short distance when daylight over took them, they spent the next day hiding out in a washout, in full view of the Cheyenne camp. When might fell again they started out, and once again when daylight came they found themselves out in the open with no where to hiding but a buffalo wallow. Now the following may be true, no one knows for sure, but it makes a good tell and is worth retelling again.
Soon after they took refuge in the wallow a band of Cheyennes came up and discoursed about fifty yards away. At almost the same moment a rattlesnake made his appearance; crawling down into the wallow toward the two men. They were in a fearful silemma, If they killed the snake the noise would be heard by the Indians who were almost on top of them. If they did not kill it, it would be almost sure to bite one or both of them. Stillwell solved the problem in as unexpected way. He was chewing tobacco and as the reptile approached he expectorated a mouthful of tobacco juice all over it’s head and eyes. That routed the unwelcome visitor, which turned tail and crawled dejectedly away. Soon after the Indians also left and the men were free to continue, eventually reaching Fort Wallace with news of the fight. Because of his fearful exertions during this journey Pierre Trudeau would died the next spring. He was buried at Fort Sill.
After that, Stillwell’s reputation as a scout was made. He served under Custer and was guide for the Nineteenth Kansas during it’s winter campaign of 1868. He also served during the campaign of 1874, were he made a daring ride from the Darlington agency to Fort Sill, seventy-five miles alone through hostile county, to bring news of the outbreak and get help. Later he was scout for General “Black Jack” Davidson.
At the close of the war he acted for a time as a deputy United States marshal, and later was a United States commissioner at Anadarko. He spent his last days at Buffalo Bill Cody’s ranch in Wyoming.
Billy ( William ) Dixon was born in West Virginia, but came west to Missouri to live with his uncle at the time he was twelve years old. Two year later he went out “On his own.” To the plains of Kansas. In Leavenworth he took a job as a Bullwhacker for a wagon train operating between Leavenworth and Fort Scott. He would later freight between Leavenworth and Fort Collins Colo. He also drove a wagon for the peace commission to the treaty of Medicine Lodge in 1867.
He went from Bullwhacking to wolf hunting and later into buffalo hunting, which he did from 1870 to 1874, he first hunted buffalo in western Kansas then moved towards the south into Indian territory, and on to the Texas panhandle. All the while he was becoming proficient rifle shot. He became so proficient he was thought to be the best in the whole southwest.
In the summer of 1874, Dixon was hunting in the vicinity of the old Adobe Walls near Bent and St. Vrain, when without warning the Indians went on the warpath. They killed a number of hunters and made a attack on the stockade where Dixon was at the time. Dixon wasn’t a lone there were twenty-five other men and a women, she was the wife of one of the hunters. Most were Kansas men from Dodge City, which was the buffalo capital of the world. The records shows that the A. T. & S. F. railroad shipped 459,453 buffalo robes in the years of 1872 to 74, from Doge City.
While they waited for help from Dodge City, they held of the attack with heavy losses. During the attack Dixon would make a shot that would make him even more famous. It was near a mile from the stockade that there was a steep bluff, where Dixon saw some Indians watching from it, he deiced to see if he could hit one. Dixon took his “50” buffalo gun and took careful aim and fired. Well as incredible as it seems he hit his target and a Indian fell from his horse and was carried away by his friends. Year later a surveyor measured the distance from the hill to the fort and found it to be 1,538 yards. Dixon years later call it his “Scratch shot.”
Some months later after the arrack at Adobe Wells, he was traving with a party with dispatches from General Nelson A. Miles who was then camped on McClellan creek, to Fort Supply. They found themselves surrounded by a war party of about 100 Kiowas. They were in a fight for there lives, Dixon fight from a buffalo wallow. There was other scout there one was Amos Chapman, and four soldiers. One soldier was killed and every man was for the most part seriously wounded, but were able to hold off the attack till help came. Dixon was able to save his friend life under the heavy fire of the Indians.
Every man of the party received a congressional medal of honor for there bravery. Dixon later took up ranching near the spot where he fright for his life many year before at Adobe Walls. Dixon would pass away in 1913.
His wife Olive K. Dixon who lived in Amarillo, was the author of Dixon's biography. She too would become will know in her own right, Being gifted in her writings of the history of the southwest and her activities in promoting the recognition and the marking of historical spots.
James Butler ( Wild Bill ) Hickok, was born in Illinois, and like many other men came to looking for adventure. He would serve as a attendant at a stage station during the time when the much publicized “McCanles gang” fight is said to have taken place. It is said that Wild Bill in a hand to hand fight he had killed ten desperadoes who made up the McCanles or McCandless gang, this was denied by Edwin L. Sabin. His version was that there was only three in the gang and that Hicok shot the leader Dave McCanles from behind a curtain with his rifle and finished his row friends with his revolver.
After the Civil war he came back to Kansas, where he would spend most of his remaining life, he scouted for Hancock and Custer, and later he was to go on to be marshal of a number of Kansas towns the likes of Abilene, Fort Hays and Dodge City. He would met his end in Deadwood, S. Dak., in 1876.
William F. Cody “Buffalo Bill.” is so famous that there is little to add, he too was a Kansas scout, and scouted for Carr, Sheridan and Miles, which says he was very efficient and able in that line of work. Cody was reared near Leavenworth, he rode the pony express before his scouting and buffalo hunting days. He would be come world famous because of his wild west show and will always be a character of the frontier plains.
William Mathewson was a friend of Kit Carson and did much scouting for the government, but little is known about him. Mathewson was of Scotch descent, he was trapping all over the Rockies in the days before any thought of settlement. He traded with the Indians in western Kansas for years. In 1853, he established a post Known as Cow Creek ranch, which was station on the great bend of the Arkansas river. There Mathewson earned the Kiowa name Sillpah Sinpah, meaning “Long Bearded Dangerous Man” this came about from his treatment of the celebrated chief, Satanta, it seem the chief attempted to help himself to some of Mathewson stock without paying for it. Mathewson give the chief terrific beating with his fist and ended it by kicking him and his friends out of the store room. Later Mathewson and the great chief became life-long friends. Satanta was so much of a friend that he would ride hundreds of miles to warn Mathewson when the Kiowas went on the warpath in 1864.
In June of 1864, Mathewson and five of his employees in the Cow Creek ranch fought a three day battle with an overwhelming force of Kiowas, who had surrounded them. Finding they could not finish off the fort They turn their attention to a wagon train which came into the vicinity, it was bound for New Mexico, the wagons loaded with government arms and ammunition and guns. Mathewson know of the trains coming for several days before the attack. But for some reason the 150 men and the boys in the train had no idea what they were carrying. When the Indians attacked the train the men could scarcely defend themselves for they only had a few arms. Mathewson seeing their danger, leaped upon his horse, and rode right through the Indians lines and into the wagon inclosure. Mathewson had some of the boxes of arms and ammunition open. Soon the hostiles thought it better to retreat.
Mathewson rode as scout for General Blunt’s expedition in 1864, He did much to bring together the Indians for the Little Arkansas treaty which preceded the Medicine Lodge peace council. When Kansas was trying to remove the Indians into the Indian territory the called on Mathewson who went out and risked his live and went to all the bands and talked then into attending the council. Mathewson son William Mathewson Jr., told that his father chief danger in this perilous work was that he would be shot before he could identify himself to the Indians. Once he was known to them he was alright because of his reputation among them as a honest and generous trader and was universally accepted.
Mathewson made a practice of creeping up on a village, so that when he suddenly revealed himself he was close enough to be recognized, his son says. Largely through his efforts the tribes where gathered at Medicine Lodge, which history has recorded.
Mathewson was in fact the first to be called “Buffalo Bill,” due to his prowess in killing buffalo for starving settlers in the 1860’s. The title of “Buffalo Bill” given to Cody by a dime-novel writer by the name Ned Buntline, In a interview printed in a newspaper, Cody acknowledged that Mathewson was the “Original,” “Buffalo Bill.”
Mathewson exploits were many, one of the best known was the rescue of the Kirk-Pattick girls, Helen and Louisa, from captivity among the Indians. Through his influence with the savages he is said to have made for the release of no less then fifty-four women and children during his life on the frontier. Mathewson, modesty was such that he never give a newspaper interviews of his deeds but on rare occasions. He is deserving of a greater place in history than he has received.
Kit Carson got much of his experience in Kansas, his first Indian fight was in Kansas. Pawnee Rock is said to have been named by him in honor of a fight he had with that tribe which took place there. Carson would spend much of his time Kansas-Colorado border. He made many trips into Kansas, One occasion with two other trappers and three Delaware Indians, he was surrounded by Comanches in the southwestern corner of the state, and fought one of his most spectacular battles.
There has been many famous frontier scouts that call Kansas their home and Kansas is the better for it, these men help make our frontier safe not only for the white but for the red man as well.
The following men learned most if not all their will in Kansas.
Ben Clark, Amos Chapman, California Joe, Billy Peacock, John Cook and William Bent.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Rowdy Joe Lowe & Edward T. Beard.
Joseph Thomas Lowe, also known as Rowdy Joe Lowe, born 1846 in Illinois.
Joe Lowe and his wife Kate wandered into Kansas from Illinois where they set up a combination saloon-brothel in West Wichita, Kansas. Following the boom railroad towns they opened similar establishments in Ellsworth and Newton, Kansas.
Joe shot and killed a man in Newton named A. M. Sweet after Sweet threatened to kill Joe. The Topeka Kansas Daily Commonwealth reported Joe immediately surrendered to the Sheriff. In Wichita, Joe fled custody after killing Edward Beard. Delano, Kansas- Gunman Edward T. Beard, AKA Red Beard, died two weeks after being shot by gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe. Beard was at odds with the dreaded gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe, who had built a saloon next to Beard's (winning in a race to see who could build a dance hall first). On October 27, Beard, drinking heavily, accused one of his prostitutes, Jo DeMerritt, of stealing from him. DeMerritt threw a bottle at him and fled next door to Lowe's saloon.
The drunken Beard followed her, staggered into Lowe's, and in the smoke-filled place mistook another prostitute, Annie Franklin, for DeMerritt. He fired a shot which struck the woman in the stomach. Lowe then grabbed a shotgun and exchanged shots with Beard. Lowe's shot missed but Beard's bullet grazed Lowe's neck. A stray bullet struck and wounded bystander Bill Anderson who was standing at the bar. Beard fled and Lowe, as drunk as his quarry, went after him. Both men, mounted on horses and racing out of town, had a running gunfight. Lowe caught up with Beard near the river bridge and emptied his shotgun into him, then rode back to town where he turned himself in to the sheriff . Beard was found critically wounded in the arm and thigh, loaded with buckshot. He clung to life for two weeks, but through loss of blood died
He wandered through Texas and finally 'settled' in Denver, Colorado. While drunk and belligerent Lowe insulted a local Denver Colorado police officer. As tempers flared both men went for their guns and Joe was shot dead.
Joe Lowe is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.
There are many accounts of this gun fight here is another version.
The characters in this scandalous scene were two dance hall owners by the names of Joe Lowe and Edward Beard; Rowdy Joe and Red Beard, as they would later be known.
Standing about five feet seven inches and heavy set, Joe may have appeared less menacing than the red-haired, six foot Red. Sworn enemies, their establishments were similar in appearance and simple functionality, but the characters of these two men were different as they could be. The trouble between the two arose, allegedly, because of Red’s dislike of Joe’s frontier reputation and success in the saloon business, which Red deeply resented. Red’s dream was to get Joe out of the way, thus crowning himself “King of Delano”.
While Joe ran his own business with his wife, Rowdy Kate, Red relied upon his mistress, Josephine DeMerritt, and Walter and Carrie Beebe to manage his saloon. Like most establishments in Delano, the “facilities” were crude and placed in the rear, next to rooms for customers who wanted more than a drink or a dance. The two dance halls carried on in a relatively peaceful manner until a showdown occurred between Joe Lowe and Red Beard on the night of October 27, 1873.
Many tried to retell the events, but the full story has never been told. Indeed, it does seem as Red was jealous of Joe’s reputation for his ownership of the “swiftest place in Kansas” and no cowboy could say he had lived until he had visited Joe’s. This, then, was the gnawing at Red. On that fateful night, while tragically drunk and temperamental, Red went to his room and returned with a shotgun and a pistol. He went to the window of Joe’s and shot at him, creasing his neck but not fatally wounding him. A sniper exercise ensued between the two until a wounded Red retreated across the river. While Joe later turned himself in, Red lingered in agony in his home for three weeks until he passed away on Tuesday, November 11 at the age of 28.
The Wichita Eagle reported that Red had been well educated. and raised Christian. His family knew nothing of his western life. Though divorced, his former wife Deborah, an intelligent and refined lady, came to Wichita to take charge of his affairs. Jo DeMerritt continued to run the saloon and there had been no diminution in attendance as a consequence of his death. Joe escaped jail and fled west. Once safe in the knowledge that Joe was long gone, Mayor Hope claimed he once marched down to the rivers edge and told Rowdy Joe and his crew to get lost. It is highly doubtful. Joe Lowe died in a Denver Saloon in 1899 at the age of 72 after insulting the Denver Police Department and was shot by a former policeman. Seven years after Joe left town, the prostitutes, gamblers and pimps were shipped out and Delano was incorporated into Wichita.
Edward T. Beard ("Red")
The son of the man who founded Beardstown, Illinois, Beard was well educated and married to a cultured woman from Virginia. Although he was a member of a prominent family and the father of three children, Beard abruptly pulled up stakes in 1861 and went West. He became a footloose and somewhat notorious character in California, Oregon, and Arizona before being attracted to Kansas by the cattle boom. In Wichita he established a disreputable dance hall, and in 1873 he engaged in a series of wild shootouts, the last of which caused his death at the hands of Rowdy Joe Lowe.
Today Lowe drove into the city and left his team hitched on the street without blankets, the mercury registering below zero. The team was taken to a stable by a policeman. Lowe went to police headquarters and made a vigorous protest. Later, meeting Kimmell, whom he had known as a policeman, in Watrous’ saloon, he began cursing the police department. Kimmell resented and a quarrel ensued during which Kimmell drew a pistol and shot Lowe several times, from the effects of which he died in an hour. Kimmell gave himself up to the authorities.
Lowe is thought to have been unarmed at the time, as no weapon was found on his person after death.
Fro the past seven years Lowe has conducted a so-called road house, abut five miles south of this city, which was a popular resort for the sporting fraternity.
Joe Lowe has been a familiar character in the South and West for the last fifty years. He was born in Texas and early in life went into the government service as a scout. In 1878 he went to Leadville, where, for a short time, he ran a variety show, and in 1882 removed to Denver, in which place he has since lived. He enjoyed the reputation of being a tough man, but his friends held him in the highest esteem. He had a family and was devotedly attached to his children."
Joe Lowe and his wife Kate wandered into Kansas from Illinois where they set up a combination saloon-brothel in West Wichita, Kansas. Following the boom railroad towns they opened similar establishments in Ellsworth and Newton, Kansas.
Joe shot and killed a man in Newton named A. M. Sweet after Sweet threatened to kill Joe. The Topeka Kansas Daily Commonwealth reported Joe immediately surrendered to the Sheriff. In Wichita, Joe fled custody after killing Edward Beard. Delano, Kansas- Gunman Edward T. Beard, AKA Red Beard, died two weeks after being shot by gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe. Beard was at odds with the dreaded gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe, who had built a saloon next to Beard's (winning in a race to see who could build a dance hall first). On October 27, Beard, drinking heavily, accused one of his prostitutes, Jo DeMerritt, of stealing from him. DeMerritt threw a bottle at him and fled next door to Lowe's saloon.
The drunken Beard followed her, staggered into Lowe's, and in the smoke-filled place mistook another prostitute, Annie Franklin, for DeMerritt. He fired a shot which struck the woman in the stomach. Lowe then grabbed a shotgun and exchanged shots with Beard. Lowe's shot missed but Beard's bullet grazed Lowe's neck. A stray bullet struck and wounded bystander Bill Anderson who was standing at the bar. Beard fled and Lowe, as drunk as his quarry, went after him. Both men, mounted on horses and racing out of town, had a running gunfight. Lowe caught up with Beard near the river bridge and emptied his shotgun into him, then rode back to town where he turned himself in to the sheriff . Beard was found critically wounded in the arm and thigh, loaded with buckshot. He clung to life for two weeks, but through loss of blood died
He wandered through Texas and finally 'settled' in Denver, Colorado. While drunk and belligerent Lowe insulted a local Denver Colorado police officer. As tempers flared both men went for their guns and Joe was shot dead.
Joe Lowe is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.
There are many accounts of this gun fight here is another version.
The characters in this scandalous scene were two dance hall owners by the names of Joe Lowe and Edward Beard; Rowdy Joe and Red Beard, as they would later be known.
Standing about five feet seven inches and heavy set, Joe may have appeared less menacing than the red-haired, six foot Red. Sworn enemies, their establishments were similar in appearance and simple functionality, but the characters of these two men were different as they could be. The trouble between the two arose, allegedly, because of Red’s dislike of Joe’s frontier reputation and success in the saloon business, which Red deeply resented. Red’s dream was to get Joe out of the way, thus crowning himself “King of Delano”.
While Joe ran his own business with his wife, Rowdy Kate, Red relied upon his mistress, Josephine DeMerritt, and Walter and Carrie Beebe to manage his saloon. Like most establishments in Delano, the “facilities” were crude and placed in the rear, next to rooms for customers who wanted more than a drink or a dance. The two dance halls carried on in a relatively peaceful manner until a showdown occurred between Joe Lowe and Red Beard on the night of October 27, 1873.
Many tried to retell the events, but the full story has never been told. Indeed, it does seem as Red was jealous of Joe’s reputation for his ownership of the “swiftest place in Kansas” and no cowboy could say he had lived until he had visited Joe’s. This, then, was the gnawing at Red. On that fateful night, while tragically drunk and temperamental, Red went to his room and returned with a shotgun and a pistol. He went to the window of Joe’s and shot at him, creasing his neck but not fatally wounding him. A sniper exercise ensued between the two until a wounded Red retreated across the river. While Joe later turned himself in, Red lingered in agony in his home for three weeks until he passed away on Tuesday, November 11 at the age of 28.
The Wichita Eagle reported that Red had been well educated. and raised Christian. His family knew nothing of his western life. Though divorced, his former wife Deborah, an intelligent and refined lady, came to Wichita to take charge of his affairs. Jo DeMerritt continued to run the saloon and there had been no diminution in attendance as a consequence of his death. Joe escaped jail and fled west. Once safe in the knowledge that Joe was long gone, Mayor Hope claimed he once marched down to the rivers edge and told Rowdy Joe and his crew to get lost. It is highly doubtful. Joe Lowe died in a Denver Saloon in 1899 at the age of 72 after insulting the Denver Police Department and was shot by a former policeman. Seven years after Joe left town, the prostitutes, gamblers and pimps were shipped out and Delano was incorporated into Wichita.
Edward T. Beard ("Red")
The son of the man who founded Beardstown, Illinois, Beard was well educated and married to a cultured woman from Virginia. Although he was a member of a prominent family and the father of three children, Beard abruptly pulled up stakes in 1861 and went West. He became a footloose and somewhat notorious character in California, Oregon, and Arizona before being attracted to Kansas by the cattle boom. In Wichita he established a disreputable dance hall, and in 1873 he engaged in a series of wild shootouts, the last of which caused his death at the hands of Rowdy Joe Lowe.
Update 8-19-2013.
The following information was given by Daniel K. Kehoe.
I found some information to add to your Rowdy Joe
Lowe memorial on Findagrave.comhttp://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12876804
It appears his date of death (the shooting, assuming he died at the scene) was 11 Feb 1899. See attached image of a newspaper article. I may be a distant relative of the former policeman who shot him, Emanuel A. Kimmel (still researching this). If it is a match, Emanuel Kimmel would have been the brother of my great grandmother. Kimmel was reportedly a policeman, but I am wondering if he was actually or at first a "cinder dick" - a railroad detective for the Frisco railroad who he used to work for.
Also this text from
http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/teller/newspapers/deathnot13gnw.txt
"Feb 12, 1899:
Denver, Feb. 11. – About midnight tonight Joe Lowe, a sporting man well known in the West, and particularly in Colorado, was shot and killed in Watrous’ saloon on Curtis street by Charles Kimmell, an ex-policeman, as a result of a quarrel.
"Feb 12, 1899:
Denver, Feb. 11. – About midnight tonight Joe Lowe, a sporting man well known in the West, and particularly in Colorado, was shot and killed in Watrous’ saloon on Curtis street by Charles Kimmell, an ex-policeman, as a result of a quarrel.
Today Lowe drove into the city and left his team hitched on the street without blankets, the mercury registering below zero. The team was taken to a stable by a policeman. Lowe went to police headquarters and made a vigorous protest. Later, meeting Kimmell, whom he had known as a policeman, in Watrous’ saloon, he began cursing the police department. Kimmell resented and a quarrel ensued during which Kimmell drew a pistol and shot Lowe several times, from the effects of which he died in an hour. Kimmell gave himself up to the authorities.
Lowe is thought to have been unarmed at the time, as no weapon was found on his person after death.
Fro the past seven years Lowe has conducted a so-called road house, abut five miles south of this city, which was a popular resort for the sporting fraternity.
Joe Lowe has been a familiar character in the South and West for the last fifty years. He was born in Texas and early in life went into the government service as a scout. In 1878 he went to Leadville, where, for a short time, he ran a variety show, and in 1882 removed to Denver, in which place he has since lived. He enjoyed the reputation of being a tough man, but his friends held him in the highest esteem. He had a family and was devotedly attached to his children."
Update November 31, 2013.
The following information was given by Daniel K. Kehoe.
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Thanks for adding me to your
blog. Note that the link
http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/teller/newspapers/deathnot13gnw.txt appears correctly in the blog but does not actually hyperlink there. You may want to paste the link into Notepad to sanitize it then paste it back in the blog And the "Charles Kimmel" in the story text of the usgwarchives site is actually "Emanual A. Kimmel." I have once seen him referred to as the nickname "Charlie" but everywhere else it is always Emanuel A. Kimmel, who is my great grand uncle. Not sure how true that "Charlie" label really is. | ||
Kansas Shorts from the national newspapers.
Here are some interesting shorts about Kansas taken from Kansas newspapers and other national papers. These stories are grouped into each month of the year, but they will follow no given year. By reading some of this shorts you may find one you would like to research more, I know I have.
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Dodge City, Kansas.
Front street 1874.
January.
1883- Caldwell, Kansas- the mayor presents Marshal Henry Brown with an engraved Winchester.
1889- Kansas- the towns of Cimarron and Ingalls fight over which will be the seat of Gray County. Ingalls hires Dodge City gunfighters, including Jim Masterson and Bill Tilghman to raid the Cimarron courthouse for the county records. Residents of Cimarron open fire and some of Ingalls's hired gunfighters escape, but 4, including Jim Masterson are left stranded on the second floor of the courthouse. Bat Masterson sends a telegram asking Cimarron to free his brother or else he will “hire a train and come in with enough men to blow Cimarron off the face of Kansas.” The four are freed, and later tried and acquitted for the death of J.W. English.
1869- Texas outlaw Cullen Baker was killed by a schoolteacher named Orr who had married Bakers ex-wife. Baker had once hung Orr but cut him down too soon in order to save his rope. Orr, with three others, followed Baker and an accomplice to a hideout in southeastern Arkansas, coming upon the two men just as they were squatting next to a fire, having lunch. Orr and the others did not call out to the outlaws to surrender, knowing what their answer would be. The teacher and his companions rode down on Baker and his henchman with their six-guns blazing, shooting both men dead on the spot. Orr found that his old adversary was a walking arsenal. Strapped to his side was a double-barreled shotgun. Baker was also wearing four six -guns, three derringers, and six knives. Also found on Baker's corpse was a carefully kept packet of newspaper clippings that described him as "the Arkansas brigand," and the most feared gunman in the Lone Star State who had spread "a reign of terror in Texas."
1876-Wichita, Kansas- the Customs House Saloon is cleared when Wyatt Earp's pistol slips out of its holster and discharges when hitting the floor. The bullet passes through the fabric of his coat before going through the ceiling.
1868- Leavenworth, Kansas- The Leavenworth Daily Conservative reports that Bill Cody and his horse Brigham started on a hunt Saturday afternoon and came in Tuesday. Cody brought in 19 buffalo with 4,000 pounds of meat that sold at .07 a pound, netting him $100 a day for his effort.
1886- Kansas- The Dodge City Globe report: “The water holes are frozen over, the grass is snowed under and the weather is cold, with every prospect of more snow…A gentleman from a ranch south of here reports seeing cattle … that were still standing on their feet, frozen to death.
1886- Wichita, Kansas- Indians appear on doorsteps of many homes, begging to be let in from the cold.
1882- Caldwell, Kansas- Marshal George Brown is murdered. He is replaced with Ben “Bat” Carr and his assistant Henry Brown.
1907 -Kansas- Charles Curtis, part Kaw Indian, takes office as a Republican senator from Kansas. Born near Topeka, Kansas, in 1860, Curtis spent three years on a Kaw Indian reservation during his youth, before moving back to Topeka. Claiming to be one-eighth Indian, Curtis was the first congressman of Native-American ancestry. In Congress, he championed Native-American rights and introduced the Curtis Act of 1898 in defense of self-government on Indian reservations. In 1915, after a two-year break, he returned to the Senate where he held his seat until 1929, at which point he resigned to become vice president of the United States. The year before, Curtis had made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination and resolved instead to become Herbert Hoover's running mate.
1870- A thousand mile journey on the Kansas Pacific costs $45.
1878- Kansas- Dave Rudabaugh and his gang were arrested by posse led by Sheriff Bat Masterson of Ford County, for robbing a pay train near Kinsley the day before, netting $10,000. Rudabaugh and his gang had been trying to stay one jump ahead of Wyatt Earp who had been hired by the railroad to track him down for robbing a pay train in November of 1877.
February.
1886- Kansas- some people resort to burning corn due to coal shortage.
1879- Manhattan, Kansas- P.W. Peak is shot dead by S.W. Baits in church.
1887-Leavenworth, Kansas- has 200 saloons, one for every 30 families.
1886- Topeka, Kansas- William F. Cody and Buck Taylor appear in the Prairie Wolf at the Grand Opera Hotel.
1869- Tennessee- 15 year old Nat Love heads west after giving his mother $50 of $100 that he won in a raffle. Outside of present day Dodge City, Kansas, he hitched on with the Duval cattle outfit from Texas, after riding a mean bronco named “Good Eye”.
1904- Kansas- the "Missouri Kid" is captured.
1878- Kansas- Roving bands of Cheyenne's attack cattle camps near Fort Dodge, killing many civilians. Fort Supply sends troops.
1861- Kansas- the Treaty of Fort Wise is signed. Cheyenne and Arapaho gave up much of present Colorado between the North Platte and Arkansas Rivers. The tribes relocate to a reservation between the Arkansas River and Sand Creek.
1871- Fort Dodge, Kansas- Indians attack a government train near the fort, killing three.
1864- Kansas- William F. Cody enlists in the 7th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
March.
1862- Aubrey, Kansas - William Quantrill along with 40 men raided the village.
1885- Kansas- to stop an epidemic of hoof-and-mouth disease the state legislature makes it illegal to drive Texas cattle between March 1 and December 1.
1893- Former lawman & later member of the Dalton Gang, Emmett Dalton entered prison on this sate after he was wounded at the failed double bank robbery in Coffeeville Kansas. He was pardoned in 1907 and moved to California where he wrote for the movie industry in Hollywood.
1878- Abilene, Kansas- fire destroys part of the cow town.
1886- Dodge City, Kansas- saloons are closed by order of Bat Masterson.
1858- Monticello Township, Johnson County, Kansas- James Butler Hickok, age 20, is elected village constable.
1886- Abilene, Kansas- the town gets electric lights. A local paper reported "time will tell whether it will be to the interest of the city to use the same to any extent."
1855- Manhattan Kansas founded as New Boston Kansas.
1879- Fort Scott, Kansas- miners pull Bill Howard, convicted of rape, from his cell, hang him from a lamp post, and set him on fire.
1868- Kansas- Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill supervise prisoners being relocated from Fort Hayes to Topeka.
April.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas- Wyatt Earp resigns as police officer to prospect for gold in the Black Hills.
1868- Topeka, Kansas- local paper reports that “…government detective W.F. Cody and “Wm. Haycock”- Wild Bill Hickok- deputy U.S. Marshall, brought eleven prisoners and lodged them in our calaboose on Monday last.”
1876- Wichita, Kansas- police officer Wyatt Earp gets into a fistfight with William Smith, a candidate for city marshal, and is fined $30 and released from the force.
1879- Dodge City, Kansas- in the Long Branch Saloon Frank Loving, onetime cowhand and faro dealer, shoots it out with a hide-hunter and gunman named Levi Richardson. Levi fired off 5 rounds, before Frank got one off, and missed all 5 times. When the smoke cleared Frank began squeezing the trigger of his gun with cool deliberation hitting Levi 3 times. A coroner's jury ruled a self defense verdict. Frank was shot dead about a year later in Trinidad, Colorado.
1886- Newton, Kansas- an “anti-dude” club is formed its members set fines for various infractions: $5 for carrying a cane, $10 for wearing kid gloves and a plug hat, and $20 for parting one's hair down the middle.
1867- Fort Larned, Kansas- Major General Winfield Scott Hancock arrives for a conference local Indian chiefs. He is currently organizing a 1,400-soldier campaign against the southern plains tribes. Hancock's chief field commander is Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- Marshal Edward Masterson was killed by a drunken cowhand named Jack Wagner as he went to investigate a disturbance at the Lady Gay Dance Hall. His brother Bat was only a little distance away and shot both Jack Wagner and his partner Alf Walker. Wagner and Walker staggered into the Peacock Saloon. Wagoner died the next day while Alf took a month to die.
1883-Hunnewell, Kansas- Cash Hollister moved to Caldwell, Kansas, from Cleveland in 1877. Two years later, he was elected mayor after the sudden death of the incumbent. He exhibited a tempestuous temperament, frequently got involved in fights. In 1880, Hollister chose not to run for reelection, but three years later was appointed a deputy U.S. marshal. On Apr. 11, 1883, he became embroiled in a shootout in Hunnewell, while trying to arrest a family of horse thieves. One brother was killed and another wounded before the remaining Ross family members surrendered.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok replaced Tom Smith as Marshal. His salary was $150 a month.
1881- Dodge City, Kansas- the “Battle of the Plaza” takes place as Bat Masterson returns from Tombstone to help his brother Jim in business dealings. As Bat steps off the train he sees two men who are believed to be causing problems for Jim and begins to fire. Al Updegraffe is killed. After paying an $8 fine Bat and Jim leave for Colorado.
1867- Fort Dodge, Kansas- the 7th Cavalry reports six Indians killed in a fight near the fort.
1876- Wichita, Kansas- the city council votes 2 to 6 against reinstating Wyatt Earp to the police force.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- Wyatt Earp hired on with to the Wichita Police Force at $60-a-month.
1856- Westport, Kansas -Free Stater J.N. Mace shoots pro-slavery sheriff Samuel Jones in the back.
1874- Kansas City- after being engaged for nine years, Jesse James & Miss Zee Mimms were married at the house of a friend.
1875- Kansas- in northwestern Kansas Little Bull and his seventy-five Cheyennes, on their way back to home in the Black Hills, are nearly wiped out by buffalo hunters and a cavalry company out of Fort Wallace.
1883- Dodge City, Kansas- Luke Short, a co-owner of the Long Branch Saloon, is angered when three female entertainers are arrested. Luke fires at L.C. Hartman who falls to the ground unhurt. Luke believing he has killed Hartman leaves the scene.
1884- at Medicine Lodge, Kansas- Henry Newton Brown died while attempting to rob the bank (he was Marshal of Caldwell KS at the time). The robbery was a failure and many citizens died. He and others were captured and that night as they were being drug out of their cells he died from a shotgun blast while trying to escape (the others were hanged). He was a cowboy, buffalo hunter and involved in the Lincoln County War.
May.
1873- Labette County, Kansas- the remains of Dr. William York and other murder victims are found on the Bender family farm.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- Wyatt Earp makes his first arrest, bringing in W.W. Compton, a horse-thief.
1827-Fort Leavenworth, first known as Cantonment Leavenworth, was established by Col. Henry Leavenworth on the Missouri River's right bank of Salt Creek as an army post to protect the western frontier and travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. 1829 Sublette's pack-train, en route West by way of Independence, Missouri for the first time traveled out the Santa Fe Trail some distance before turning northwest toward the Kansas river. This became the established Oregon-California trail route.
1868- Fort Leavenworth, Kansas- the horse Comanche arrives from St. Louis and receives a “US” brand. Shortly later the horse is bought from the government by Captain Myles Keogh for $90. Comanche is later the only survivor at Custer's Massacre.
1885- Ashland, Kansas- a gunfight erupts in the Junction Saloon during a card game, pitting “Mysterious Dave” Mather, and his brother and bartender Josiah, against David Barnes. David Barnes is killed and two bystanders are wounded. The Mather brothers are arrested and leave town after posting a $3,000 bond.
1853-Fort Riley, Kansas Territory- the fort was established by Captain Charles S. Lovell, 6th U.S. Infantry, on a site recommended by Colonel Thomas T. Flauntleroy, 1st U. S. Dragoons.
1858- Pleasanton , Kansas- the Marais Des Cygnes River at in Linn County is the site of a confrontation between pro slavery ("Border Ruffians") and abolition (free-state) forces. The five victims of the massacre were immortalized as martyrs in the cause for freedom. This massacre was the last significant display of mob rule in Kansas.
1869- Jewell County, Kansas- six settlers are killed by Indians.
1888- Topeka, Kansas- recently discharged doorman of the U.S. House of Representatives and the man who shot John Wilkes Booth, Boston Corbett, escapes from the insane asylum where he has resided for the last 15 months.
1893- Kansas- Bill Doolin and his gang rob train, near Cimarron.
1886- Forts Larned and Dodge, Kansas- their military cemeteries are abandoned.
1842-Fort Scott (in present day Kansas), named in honor of General Winfield Scott, was established at Marmaton crossing of the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Gibson military road.
1886- Leavenworth, Kansas- ceremonies dedicating the National Military Cemetery draws 6,000.
1893- Cimarron, Kansas- Doolin and three of his gang robbed a train. As they were fleeing, a large posse led by Chris Madsen cut off the band and a wild gunfight ensued in which Doolin was shot in the right foot. The outlaws escaped under the cover of darkness.
1900- Kiowa, Kansas- Carry Nation went on her first saloon wrecking rampage.
June.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- a group of cowboys, including John Wesley Hardin arrives in town. Ben Thompson tries to get Hardin to gun down the town's marshal, Wild Bill Hickok.
1873-Delano, Kansas- gunman Edward T. Beard, aka Red Beard, opened a notorious dance hall in nearby Delano, a hangout for soldiers stationed nearby. On this date, a drunken soldier argued with a prostitute named Emma Stanley over her price for the night, and fired a bullet into her leg. Beard leaped over the bar and ran toward the group of soldiers, blindly firing his six-gun. He shot one soldier in the throat and another in the leg, neither being the culprit who escaped out a back door and deserted the army that night. Two nights later, thirty troopers sought revenge by invading Beard's dance hall and shooting up the place, wounding a gambler named Charles Leshhart, shooting Emma Stanley in the other leg, and wounding another dance hall girl. Before retreating, the soldiers torched the dance hall and then watched from the street, cheering as it burned to the ground.
1867- Kansas- the first recorded Indian attack at Henshaw Station, when the Indians killed four men and stampeded the horses. At the time the station was guarded by only ten soldiers and two stock traders, so pursuit of the Indians was out of the question. By the time a force arrived from Fort Wallace, the Indians had dispersed.
1863- Highland, Kansas- the citizens hanged two outlaws- James Melvine and William Cannon.
1867- Fort Hayes, Kansas- due to torrential rains causing Big Creek to overflow its banks, flooding the fort, the commander, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer, moved the residents, including his wife, to higher ground before leaving on a mission. Despite moving seven men still drowned within earshot of the residents.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- (could be 1879) the Dodge City Times runs advertisement: “DENTISTRY. J.H. Holliday, Dentist, very respectfully offers his professional services to the citizens of Dodge City and surrounding county for the summer. Office at room No. 24, Dodge House. Where satisfaction is not given money weill be refunded.”
1872- Newton, Kansas- marshal William Brooks is wounded three times while trying to arrest Texas cowboys.
1911- Leavenworth, Kansas- Carry Nation died at age 64 on the eve of national prohibition.
1867- Big Timbers, Kansas- Indians kill member of a detachment of the 7th Cavalry escorting the mail.
1880- Caldwell, Kansas- J. Frank Hunt was the deputy marshal of this frontier boomtown. On this date, George Flatt, a drunken former lawman was shot to death as he neared a Caldwell restaurant. A man identified as Hunt was seen fleeing the murder scene. Flatt's death was avenged on Oct. 11, 1880, when an unidentified gunman fatally wounded Hunt as he sat near a window at the Red Light saloon and dance hall.
1867- Kansas- Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer reports a fight between Indians and five companies of the 7th Cavalry on the north fork of the Republican River.
1857- Kansas- at Solomon's Fork on the Kansas River Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart is wounded in a fight with Cheyenne Indians.
July.
1863- Cabin Creek, Kansas- a victorious Colonel Williams leads 800 members of the 1st Kansas Colored along with 500 Indians against a force of Texas Confederates lead by Cherokee chief and Confederate general Stand Watie.
1871- Kansas- Mexican-born Juan Bideno worked as a cowboy but was known as a fast-gun and hired out for killings, one report has it. In June 1871, Bideno signed on to a cattle drive from Texas to the railhead at Abilene, Kansas. The trail boss was 22-year-old Billy Cohron, who noticed Bideno's slack work and called him on it several times, leading to hard words between the pair. As the herd crossed the Cottonwood River on this date, Cohron and Bideno again fell to arguing and then went for their guns. Bideno shot the youthful trail boss dead and fled, riding south toward Texas. Bideno was later killed by John Wesley Hardin.
1879- Caldwell, Kansas- George Flatt was a lawman in Caldwell and also operated an elegant saloon with William Horseman. On this date Flatt was involved in a shootout after two men, George Wood and Jake Adams, who began firing pistols while drinking at the Occidental Saloon. Constable W.C. Kelly and Deputy John Wilson, accompanied by Flatt and W.H. Kiser, entered the saloon. During the ensuing shootout Flatt killed the two outlaws, while Kiser was grazed in the temple and Wilson was wounded in the wrist.
1867- Kansas- George Custer leaves his command without permission in order to search for his wife among the forts in Kansas.
1870- Hayes City, Kansas- Wild Bill Hickok was in a saloon when seven intoxicated cavalrymen from nearby Fort Hays jumped him and held him down. One of them held a six-gun to Wild Bill's ear and pulled the trigger but the gun misfired. Wild Bill managed to regain his feet and he pulled his pistols, shooting Private Jerry Lanihan through the wrist and knee and another trooper, John Kile, who was hit in the stomach. The rest of the troopers backed off as Hickok retreated from the saloon. Lanihan survived but Kile died the next day.
1884- Dodge City, Kansas- Tom Nixon, who recently took Mysterious Dave Mather's job as assistant marshal, shoots at Mathers, claiming he was drawn upon. Nixon was released on bond.
1884- Dodge City, Kansas- Mysterious Dave Mather shoots and kills Tom Nixon, who had fired at him a few days before.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas George Hoyt rode up to Wyatt Earp, who was standing outside the Comique Theater in Dodge City, and fired at Wyatt. Hoyt was trying to earn $1000 to be paid by cattleman Tobe Driskall to anyone who killed Wyatt. Three shots missed Earp and went into the theater, causing comedian Eddie Foy to throw himself on the stage in the middle of an act. Hoyt was shot and later buried in Boot Hill on 21 August.
1874- Caldwell, Kansas- a group of horse thieves is caught by a posse of 150 men under Sheriff John Davis, of the horse thieves that were arrested on the 28th, three were hanged by vigilantes.
1874-Kansas- start of Grasshopper plague (Rocky Mountain Locust). The grasshopper invasion devastated crops in Kansas and many people lost nearly everything. Aid was sent from the East to help the people get through the hard winter. Lasted until September.
August.
1868- Solomon River, Kansas- Captain Fredrick Benteen of the 7th Cavalry reports that Indians have killed seventeen civilians.
1868- Saline River, Kansas- Captain Fredrick Benteen of the 7th Cavalry reports three Indians killed and ten wounded.
1868- Kansas- Indian raids along the Republican and Saline Rivers kill ten settlers.
1873- Ellsworth, Kansas- the Thompson brothers operated a gambling operation in the back of Brennan's Saloon. On this day Bill Thompson killed Sheriff C.B. Whitney and high-tailed it out of town as his brother, Ben Thompson, held off a mob of would be pursuers with a shotgun. Ben was later fined $25 for aiding and abetting his brother.
1871- Newton, Kansas- lawman Mike McCluskie returns to town and gets drunk at Tuttle's Saloon. He had left town on the 11th after killing his partner, William Wilson, after an argument over who would buy the drinks after an election.
1873- Linn County, Kansas- citizens near Twin Springs hang a man for killing his own wife and her two children and setting the house with the bodies inside on fire.
1873- Ellsworth, Kansas- Ed Crawford was discharged from the Ellsworth police department along with the rest of the officers on the day Sheriff C.B. Whitney was killed in a card game by a group of carousing Texans. Crawford was soon reappointed to the force, and while lounging in front of a local store on Aug. 20, 1873, saw the same Texans appear, led by Cad Pierce and Neil Cain. "Hello Hogue!" Pierce called to city marshal Ed Hogue. "I understand you have a white affidavit for me. Is that so?" The marshal tried to calm Pierce down, but there were angry words and then shots. Crawford, who was sitting with Hogue, wounded Pierce in the arm and then beat him to death with the butt of a rifle. Crawford was suspended from the police force for his action, and the Texans warned him to leave town, which he did, only to return early in November. Crawford burst in on Pierce's brother-in-law, Putnam, who was with a prostitute. The drunken ex-lawman fired at Putnam, who drew his six-shooter and killed Crawford. Putnam's friends from Texas burst into the room and fired thirteen slugs into the dead man.
1863- Lawrence Kansas- William Clark Quantrill lead a force of some 450 mounted confederate guerrillas in the famous raid the town of 2,000. Around 150-200 inhabitants were killed, 182 buildings burned and 2 banks looted and about $1.5 million worth of property was destroyed. Frank James and Cole Younger may have participated in the raid.
1877- Kansas- gunfighter George Hoyt dies of a gunshot wounds he received on July 26 in Dodge City. Wyatt Earp was one of the men firing on Hoyt and is credited with killing his first man.
1869- Hays City, Kansas- Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok shot a local tough, Bill Mulvey (or Melvin or Mulrey) started to shoot up the town. Hickok confronted the drunken ex-cavalryman, ordering him to surrender his guns and submit to arrest. Mulvey, who was with a number of equally drunken friends, shouted that he would never be arrested. He fumbled for his six-gun and Hickok shot him once. Mulvey was taken to a doctor's office where he died the next morning.
September.
1868- Little Coon Creek, Kansas- Indians attack a mail escort. Three soldiers are wounded and three Indians are killed.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Bill Tilghman and Clay Allison, four of the West's most famous gunmen meet.
1864 - Kansas- Fort Zarah was established on the banks of Walnut Creek near the crossroads of the Santa Fe Trail, the army supply route from Fort Riley, and the main Indian trail. In 1867 Fort Zarah was relocated in stone buildings two miles downstream near the Arkansas River. Fort Zarah was abandoned December 4, 1869 as the Indian problem moved southwestward.
1873- Hays City, Kansas- David Roberts shoots and kills Peter Welsh and George Summer in front of Cy Goddard's saloon.
1879- Dodge City, Kansas- A.H. Webb settles an argument with B. Martin by delivering a killing blow to Martin's head with a Winchester.
1869- Wichita, Kansas- Billy the Kid's mother, Catherine McCarty, buys a town lot.
1884- Lawrence, Kansas- the Haskell Institute, which provided vocational training for Indians, is dedicated. Twenty-two Pawnee children are enrolled the first day. Within three days eight Cheyenne chiefs will enroll another 80 children.
1874- Kansas- grasshoppers are reported covering the ground, two inches deep in places.
1877- Kansas- Bill Heffridge and Joel Collins, members of Sam Bass's gang, are killed by soldiers in Grove County.
1877- Kansas- Joel Collins, co-leader of the Bass-Collins gang, was shot dead by posse men & soldiers at Buffalo Station, Kansas a week after the Big Spring train robbery. He had $10,000 on him.
1869- Hayes City, Kansas- was a wild town freight and cattle center, and it attracted some of the worst gunmen of the day. One of these was a brutish teamster named Samuel Strawhim who arrived with a half dozen teamsters on this date. He and his friends stormed into John Bitters' Beer Saloon that night and began to wreck the place. A few minutes later Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok, accompanied by Deputy Peter Lanihan, arrived at the saloon and ordered Strawhim to surrender his guns. Strawhim laughed and drew his guns. Wild Bill drew both his 1851 Navy Colts, blasting Strawhim to death. A coroner's jury later stated that the Strawhim shooting was justifiable homicide.
1877- Kansas. Six soldiers are wounded in an Indian fight at Famished Woman's Creek.
1878-Kansas- Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf of the Northern Cheyenne led their people in a rebellion and flight from confinement and starvation on the reservation in Oklahoma (Indian Territory) to their home lands in Yellowstone. The trek climaxed on 27 Sep 1878, when 284 braves, women and children made their final stand on the bluffs of Ladder Creek, now Beaver Creek, just south of Scott County State Park. This encounter with the U.S. Cavalry was the last Indian battle in Kansas. The site--Squaws Den Battleground--drew its name from the pit in which the women and children were placed after helping to dig rifle pits for the warriors. The breastworks the Indians dug to withstand the attack by soldiers are still visible.
1883- Coolidge, Kansas- Lon Chambers, carried a badge and enforced the law in the Texas Panhandle throughout the late 1870s. In 1881 he helped Pat Garrett try to track down Billy the Kid and his gang. He later quit law enforcement and formed his own holdup gang. They pulled their biggest job at Coolidge on this date. Three masked men boarded a westbound train that had made a brief stop at Coolidge, one of them believed to be Chambers. They ordered engineer John Hilton to take the train out of the station, and when he was slow to comply one of the gunmen shot him through the heart. The express messenger returned the fire, which drove the robbers from the train. Chambers was eventually arrested, but was released for lack of evidence.
October.
1871- Abilene Kansas Phil Coe was mortally wounded (and died 3 days later) outside the Alamo Saloon when he fired at Marshal Hickok and missed. Wild Bill didn't miss. He also didn't miss Deputy Marshal Mike Williams (due to poor eye-sight) who accidentally got in the line of fire.
1892- Coffeyville, Kansas - trying to out do their cousins from the James Gang, the Dalton Gang try to rob two banks at the same time, the Condon Bank and the First National Bank, the gang is decimated in the process. A shootout followed which claimed the lives of eight men: Bill Powers, Bob & Gratton Dalton & Dick Broadwell died in the attempt. Only Emmett Dalton survived and spent 15 years in prison.
1878- Dodge City Kansas- Dora Hand, a saloon singer, was shot and killed as a result of a feud, possibly over Dora between Dodge City mayor James Kelly and a cowboy named James Kennedy. At 4 a.m. a juiced up Kennedy rode up and fired two .45 slugs in the direction of where he thought Kelly was sleeping. The mayor was actually in the post hospital at Ft. Dodge while Dora and friend Fannie Garretson were sleeping in the mayors bed. A posse made up of Sheriff Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Charlie Bassett, Neal Brown, and Bill Tilghman caught Kennedy who was later acquitted, partly due to his remorse. Dora had one of the grandest funerals Dodge ever saw.
1868- Kansas- 10th Cavalry kills 10 Indians in skirmish at Beaver Creek.
1859- Kansas- "Camp on Pawnee Fork" and Camp Alert, as Fort Larned was first known, was established as a military post to protect travelers and commerce and mail on the Santa Fe Trail from Indians. It also provided a more centralized point for the distribution.
1888- Kansas- White Chief enrolls at the University of Kansas and becomes the first Indian to attend college in Kansas.
1864-- Mine Creek, Kansas- Battle at Mine Creek: Although Kansas soldiers saw action in many important engagements of the Civil War, the only major battle fought in Kansas occurred at Mine Creek in Linn County. This battle involved some 25,000 men. The Union Army under Generals Curtis, Blunt, and Pleasanton defeated the Confederate Army under Generals Sterling Price and Marmaduke, ending the threat of a Confederate invasion in Kansas.
1873- Wichita, Kansas- after rebuilding his dance hall that drunken soldiers had torched a few months before, Gunman Edward T. Beard was immediately at odds with the dreaded gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe, who had built a saloon next to Beard's (winning in a race to see who could build a dance hall first). On this day, Beard, drinking heavily, accused one of his prostitutes, Jo DeMerritt, of stealing from him. DeMerritt threw a bottle at him and fled next door to Lowe's saloon. The drunken Beard followed her, staggered into Lowe's, and in the smoke-filled place mistook another prostitute, Annie Franklin, as being DeMerritt. He fired a shot which struck the woman in the stomach. Lowe then grabbed a shotgun and exchanged shots with Beard. Lowe's shot missed but Beard's bullet grazed Lowe's neck. A stray bullet struck and wounded bystander Bill Anderson who was standing at the bar. Beard fled and Lowe, as drunk as his quarry, went after him. Both men, mounted on horses and racing out of town, had a running gunfight. Lowe caught up with Beard near the river bridge and emptied his shotgun into him, then rode back to town where he turned himself in to the sheriff. Beard was found critically wounded in the arm and thigh, loaded with buckshot. He clung to life for two weeks, but through loss of blood died on Nov. 11, 1873.
November.
1870- Kansas- Bear River Bart is shot and killed near Abilene.
1891- Fort Riley, Kansas- Comanche, the only horse of Custer's 7th Cavalry to survive the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn, dies. You can see him on display at the University of Kansas. They must have fed him well, because he's stuffed!
1886- Jetmore, Kansas- Sam Purple murders his wife and two children. He is lynched by a mob.
1866- Kansas- Fort Fletcher is renamed Fort Hayes in honor of General Alexander Hayes who died in the Battle of the Wilderness.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- a local paper praises lawman Wyatt Earp who found a drunken stranger asleep under a bridge with $500 in his pocket and as a result kept the man from being robbed.
1873- Grasshopper Falls, Kansas- citizens shoot and kill two men, Stitzel and Blair, for alleged horse thieving.
1883- Kansas- Cash Hollister moved to Caldwell, Kansas from his native Cleveland as a thirty-one year old in 1877. Two years later, he was elected mayor after the sudden death of the incumbent In 1880, Hollister chose not to run for reelection, but three years later was appointed a deputy U.S. marshal. On Nov. 21, 1883, Hollister and Ben Wheeler tried to arrest Chet Van Meter, who was accused of beating his family and threatening others. Van Meter fired at the lawmen as they approached, but was killed by five shots in the chest.
1884- Caldwell, Kansas- Cash Hollister a deputy U.S. marshal attempted his final arrest. Bob Cross, the son of a minister, was accused of adultery after he abandoned his wife for the daughter of a local farmer. Hollister and three other lawmen went to the Cross farm in Hunnewell, Kansas. Cross' wife and sister denied he was there, but as the posse searched the house, two shots fatally wounded Hollister.
December.
1874- Muncie, Kansas- the Kansas Pacific Railroad Train was stopped west of Kansas City. The robbers leisurely took their time. It was reported that they liberated $30,000.00 in monies as well as the passengers personal items. Other reports estimated the monies were as high as $ 55,000.00. William "Bud" Mc Daniel (known friend of the James Boys) was arrested in Kansas City a short time after for the robbery. He escaped from jail and was killed shortly afterwards.
1883- Caldwell, Kansas- Marshal Henry Brown kills gambler Newt Boyce.
1872- Dodge City, Kansas- the former marshal of Newton, Bill Brooks, kills Mr. Brown of the Santa Fe Railroad in a shootout.
1900 - Wichita Kansas- Carrie Nation's 1st public smashing of a bar (Carey Hotel). She broke each and every one of the liquor bottles she could see, which means, about all of them behind the bar, for sure. Nation usually did her damage with a hatchet; calling her vandalism, hatchetation.
1872- Dodge City, Kansas- saloon keeper Matthew Sullivan is shot and killed by an unknown assailant who fired through the saloons window. Bully Brooks is a popular suspect.
1882- Caldwell, Kansas- Henry Brown, assistant marshal, is appointed city marshal.
1874- Kansas- James-Younger Gang rob train near Muncie of between $25,000 and $50,000.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- The City Council informs Wild Bill Hickok that it has no further need of his services.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas- The Dodge City Times reports that Sheriff Bassett has been appointed by Mayor Kelly to assist Marshall Ed Masterson in preserving order & decorum in the city”.
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Dodge City, Kansas.
Front street 1874.
January.
1883- Caldwell, Kansas- the mayor presents Marshal Henry Brown with an engraved Winchester.
1889- Kansas- the towns of Cimarron and Ingalls fight over which will be the seat of Gray County. Ingalls hires Dodge City gunfighters, including Jim Masterson and Bill Tilghman to raid the Cimarron courthouse for the county records. Residents of Cimarron open fire and some of Ingalls's hired gunfighters escape, but 4, including Jim Masterson are left stranded on the second floor of the courthouse. Bat Masterson sends a telegram asking Cimarron to free his brother or else he will “hire a train and come in with enough men to blow Cimarron off the face of Kansas.” The four are freed, and later tried and acquitted for the death of J.W. English.
1869- Texas outlaw Cullen Baker was killed by a schoolteacher named Orr who had married Bakers ex-wife. Baker had once hung Orr but cut him down too soon in order to save his rope. Orr, with three others, followed Baker and an accomplice to a hideout in southeastern Arkansas, coming upon the two men just as they were squatting next to a fire, having lunch. Orr and the others did not call out to the outlaws to surrender, knowing what their answer would be. The teacher and his companions rode down on Baker and his henchman with their six-guns blazing, shooting both men dead on the spot. Orr found that his old adversary was a walking arsenal. Strapped to his side was a double-barreled shotgun. Baker was also wearing four six -guns, three derringers, and six knives. Also found on Baker's corpse was a carefully kept packet of newspaper clippings that described him as "the Arkansas brigand," and the most feared gunman in the Lone Star State who had spread "a reign of terror in Texas."
1876-Wichita, Kansas- the Customs House Saloon is cleared when Wyatt Earp's pistol slips out of its holster and discharges when hitting the floor. The bullet passes through the fabric of his coat before going through the ceiling.
1868- Leavenworth, Kansas- The Leavenworth Daily Conservative reports that Bill Cody and his horse Brigham started on a hunt Saturday afternoon and came in Tuesday. Cody brought in 19 buffalo with 4,000 pounds of meat that sold at .07 a pound, netting him $100 a day for his effort.
1886- Kansas- The Dodge City Globe report: “The water holes are frozen over, the grass is snowed under and the weather is cold, with every prospect of more snow…A gentleman from a ranch south of here reports seeing cattle … that were still standing on their feet, frozen to death.
1886- Wichita, Kansas- Indians appear on doorsteps of many homes, begging to be let in from the cold.
1882- Caldwell, Kansas- Marshal George Brown is murdered. He is replaced with Ben “Bat” Carr and his assistant Henry Brown.
1907 -Kansas- Charles Curtis, part Kaw Indian, takes office as a Republican senator from Kansas. Born near Topeka, Kansas, in 1860, Curtis spent three years on a Kaw Indian reservation during his youth, before moving back to Topeka. Claiming to be one-eighth Indian, Curtis was the first congressman of Native-American ancestry. In Congress, he championed Native-American rights and introduced the Curtis Act of 1898 in defense of self-government on Indian reservations. In 1915, after a two-year break, he returned to the Senate where he held his seat until 1929, at which point he resigned to become vice president of the United States. The year before, Curtis had made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination and resolved instead to become Herbert Hoover's running mate.
1870- A thousand mile journey on the Kansas Pacific costs $45.
1878- Kansas- Dave Rudabaugh and his gang were arrested by posse led by Sheriff Bat Masterson of Ford County, for robbing a pay train near Kinsley the day before, netting $10,000. Rudabaugh and his gang had been trying to stay one jump ahead of Wyatt Earp who had been hired by the railroad to track him down for robbing a pay train in November of 1877.
February.
1886- Kansas- some people resort to burning corn due to coal shortage.
1879- Manhattan, Kansas- P.W. Peak is shot dead by S.W. Baits in church.
1887-Leavenworth, Kansas- has 200 saloons, one for every 30 families.
1886- Topeka, Kansas- William F. Cody and Buck Taylor appear in the Prairie Wolf at the Grand Opera Hotel.
1869- Tennessee- 15 year old Nat Love heads west after giving his mother $50 of $100 that he won in a raffle. Outside of present day Dodge City, Kansas, he hitched on with the Duval cattle outfit from Texas, after riding a mean bronco named “Good Eye”.
1904- Kansas- the "Missouri Kid" is captured.
1878- Kansas- Roving bands of Cheyenne's attack cattle camps near Fort Dodge, killing many civilians. Fort Supply sends troops.
1861- Kansas- the Treaty of Fort Wise is signed. Cheyenne and Arapaho gave up much of present Colorado between the North Platte and Arkansas Rivers. The tribes relocate to a reservation between the Arkansas River and Sand Creek.
1871- Fort Dodge, Kansas- Indians attack a government train near the fort, killing three.
1864- Kansas- William F. Cody enlists in the 7th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
March.
1862- Aubrey, Kansas - William Quantrill along with 40 men raided the village.
1885- Kansas- to stop an epidemic of hoof-and-mouth disease the state legislature makes it illegal to drive Texas cattle between March 1 and December 1.
1893- Former lawman & later member of the Dalton Gang, Emmett Dalton entered prison on this sate after he was wounded at the failed double bank robbery in Coffeeville Kansas. He was pardoned in 1907 and moved to California where he wrote for the movie industry in Hollywood.
1878- Abilene, Kansas- fire destroys part of the cow town.
1886- Dodge City, Kansas- saloons are closed by order of Bat Masterson.
1858- Monticello Township, Johnson County, Kansas- James Butler Hickok, age 20, is elected village constable.
1886- Abilene, Kansas- the town gets electric lights. A local paper reported "time will tell whether it will be to the interest of the city to use the same to any extent."
1855- Manhattan Kansas founded as New Boston Kansas.
1879- Fort Scott, Kansas- miners pull Bill Howard, convicted of rape, from his cell, hang him from a lamp post, and set him on fire.
1868- Kansas- Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill supervise prisoners being relocated from Fort Hayes to Topeka.
April.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas- Wyatt Earp resigns as police officer to prospect for gold in the Black Hills.
1868- Topeka, Kansas- local paper reports that “…government detective W.F. Cody and “Wm. Haycock”- Wild Bill Hickok- deputy U.S. Marshall, brought eleven prisoners and lodged them in our calaboose on Monday last.”
1876- Wichita, Kansas- police officer Wyatt Earp gets into a fistfight with William Smith, a candidate for city marshal, and is fined $30 and released from the force.
1879- Dodge City, Kansas- in the Long Branch Saloon Frank Loving, onetime cowhand and faro dealer, shoots it out with a hide-hunter and gunman named Levi Richardson. Levi fired off 5 rounds, before Frank got one off, and missed all 5 times. When the smoke cleared Frank began squeezing the trigger of his gun with cool deliberation hitting Levi 3 times. A coroner's jury ruled a self defense verdict. Frank was shot dead about a year later in Trinidad, Colorado.
1886- Newton, Kansas- an “anti-dude” club is formed its members set fines for various infractions: $5 for carrying a cane, $10 for wearing kid gloves and a plug hat, and $20 for parting one's hair down the middle.
1867- Fort Larned, Kansas- Major General Winfield Scott Hancock arrives for a conference local Indian chiefs. He is currently organizing a 1,400-soldier campaign against the southern plains tribes. Hancock's chief field commander is Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- Marshal Edward Masterson was killed by a drunken cowhand named Jack Wagner as he went to investigate a disturbance at the Lady Gay Dance Hall. His brother Bat was only a little distance away and shot both Jack Wagner and his partner Alf Walker. Wagner and Walker staggered into the Peacock Saloon. Wagoner died the next day while Alf took a month to die.
1883-Hunnewell, Kansas- Cash Hollister moved to Caldwell, Kansas, from Cleveland in 1877. Two years later, he was elected mayor after the sudden death of the incumbent. He exhibited a tempestuous temperament, frequently got involved in fights. In 1880, Hollister chose not to run for reelection, but three years later was appointed a deputy U.S. marshal. On Apr. 11, 1883, he became embroiled in a shootout in Hunnewell, while trying to arrest a family of horse thieves. One brother was killed and another wounded before the remaining Ross family members surrendered.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok replaced Tom Smith as Marshal. His salary was $150 a month.
1881- Dodge City, Kansas- the “Battle of the Plaza” takes place as Bat Masterson returns from Tombstone to help his brother Jim in business dealings. As Bat steps off the train he sees two men who are believed to be causing problems for Jim and begins to fire. Al Updegraffe is killed. After paying an $8 fine Bat and Jim leave for Colorado.
1867- Fort Dodge, Kansas- the 7th Cavalry reports six Indians killed in a fight near the fort.
1876- Wichita, Kansas- the city council votes 2 to 6 against reinstating Wyatt Earp to the police force.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- Wyatt Earp hired on with to the Wichita Police Force at $60-a-month.
1856- Westport, Kansas -Free Stater J.N. Mace shoots pro-slavery sheriff Samuel Jones in the back.
1874- Kansas City- after being engaged for nine years, Jesse James & Miss Zee Mimms were married at the house of a friend.
1875- Kansas- in northwestern Kansas Little Bull and his seventy-five Cheyennes, on their way back to home in the Black Hills, are nearly wiped out by buffalo hunters and a cavalry company out of Fort Wallace.
1883- Dodge City, Kansas- Luke Short, a co-owner of the Long Branch Saloon, is angered when three female entertainers are arrested. Luke fires at L.C. Hartman who falls to the ground unhurt. Luke believing he has killed Hartman leaves the scene.
1884- at Medicine Lodge, Kansas- Henry Newton Brown died while attempting to rob the bank (he was Marshal of Caldwell KS at the time). The robbery was a failure and many citizens died. He and others were captured and that night as they were being drug out of their cells he died from a shotgun blast while trying to escape (the others were hanged). He was a cowboy, buffalo hunter and involved in the Lincoln County War.
May.
1873- Labette County, Kansas- the remains of Dr. William York and other murder victims are found on the Bender family farm.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- Wyatt Earp makes his first arrest, bringing in W.W. Compton, a horse-thief.
1827-Fort Leavenworth, first known as Cantonment Leavenworth, was established by Col. Henry Leavenworth on the Missouri River's right bank of Salt Creek as an army post to protect the western frontier and travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. 1829 Sublette's pack-train, en route West by way of Independence, Missouri for the first time traveled out the Santa Fe Trail some distance before turning northwest toward the Kansas river. This became the established Oregon-California trail route.
1868- Fort Leavenworth, Kansas- the horse Comanche arrives from St. Louis and receives a “US” brand. Shortly later the horse is bought from the government by Captain Myles Keogh for $90. Comanche is later the only survivor at Custer's Massacre.
1885- Ashland, Kansas- a gunfight erupts in the Junction Saloon during a card game, pitting “Mysterious Dave” Mather, and his brother and bartender Josiah, against David Barnes. David Barnes is killed and two bystanders are wounded. The Mather brothers are arrested and leave town after posting a $3,000 bond.
1853-Fort Riley, Kansas Territory- the fort was established by Captain Charles S. Lovell, 6th U.S. Infantry, on a site recommended by Colonel Thomas T. Flauntleroy, 1st U. S. Dragoons.
1858- Pleasanton , Kansas- the Marais Des Cygnes River at in Linn County is the site of a confrontation between pro slavery ("Border Ruffians") and abolition (free-state) forces. The five victims of the massacre were immortalized as martyrs in the cause for freedom. This massacre was the last significant display of mob rule in Kansas.
1869- Jewell County, Kansas- six settlers are killed by Indians.
1888- Topeka, Kansas- recently discharged doorman of the U.S. House of Representatives and the man who shot John Wilkes Booth, Boston Corbett, escapes from the insane asylum where he has resided for the last 15 months.
1893- Kansas- Bill Doolin and his gang rob train, near Cimarron.
1886- Forts Larned and Dodge, Kansas- their military cemeteries are abandoned.
1842-Fort Scott (in present day Kansas), named in honor of General Winfield Scott, was established at Marmaton crossing of the Fort Leavenworth-Fort Gibson military road.
1886- Leavenworth, Kansas- ceremonies dedicating the National Military Cemetery draws 6,000.
1893- Cimarron, Kansas- Doolin and three of his gang robbed a train. As they were fleeing, a large posse led by Chris Madsen cut off the band and a wild gunfight ensued in which Doolin was shot in the right foot. The outlaws escaped under the cover of darkness.
1900- Kiowa, Kansas- Carry Nation went on her first saloon wrecking rampage.
June.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- a group of cowboys, including John Wesley Hardin arrives in town. Ben Thompson tries to get Hardin to gun down the town's marshal, Wild Bill Hickok.
1873-Delano, Kansas- gunman Edward T. Beard, aka Red Beard, opened a notorious dance hall in nearby Delano, a hangout for soldiers stationed nearby. On this date, a drunken soldier argued with a prostitute named Emma Stanley over her price for the night, and fired a bullet into her leg. Beard leaped over the bar and ran toward the group of soldiers, blindly firing his six-gun. He shot one soldier in the throat and another in the leg, neither being the culprit who escaped out a back door and deserted the army that night. Two nights later, thirty troopers sought revenge by invading Beard's dance hall and shooting up the place, wounding a gambler named Charles Leshhart, shooting Emma Stanley in the other leg, and wounding another dance hall girl. Before retreating, the soldiers torched the dance hall and then watched from the street, cheering as it burned to the ground.
1867- Kansas- the first recorded Indian attack at Henshaw Station, when the Indians killed four men and stampeded the horses. At the time the station was guarded by only ten soldiers and two stock traders, so pursuit of the Indians was out of the question. By the time a force arrived from Fort Wallace, the Indians had dispersed.
1863- Highland, Kansas- the citizens hanged two outlaws- James Melvine and William Cannon.
1867- Fort Hayes, Kansas- due to torrential rains causing Big Creek to overflow its banks, flooding the fort, the commander, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer, moved the residents, including his wife, to higher ground before leaving on a mission. Despite moving seven men still drowned within earshot of the residents.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- (could be 1879) the Dodge City Times runs advertisement: “DENTISTRY. J.H. Holliday, Dentist, very respectfully offers his professional services to the citizens of Dodge City and surrounding county for the summer. Office at room No. 24, Dodge House. Where satisfaction is not given money weill be refunded.”
1872- Newton, Kansas- marshal William Brooks is wounded three times while trying to arrest Texas cowboys.
1911- Leavenworth, Kansas- Carry Nation died at age 64 on the eve of national prohibition.
1867- Big Timbers, Kansas- Indians kill member of a detachment of the 7th Cavalry escorting the mail.
1880- Caldwell, Kansas- J. Frank Hunt was the deputy marshal of this frontier boomtown. On this date, George Flatt, a drunken former lawman was shot to death as he neared a Caldwell restaurant. A man identified as Hunt was seen fleeing the murder scene. Flatt's death was avenged on Oct. 11, 1880, when an unidentified gunman fatally wounded Hunt as he sat near a window at the Red Light saloon and dance hall.
1867- Kansas- Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer reports a fight between Indians and five companies of the 7th Cavalry on the north fork of the Republican River.
1857- Kansas- at Solomon's Fork on the Kansas River Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart is wounded in a fight with Cheyenne Indians.
July.
1863- Cabin Creek, Kansas- a victorious Colonel Williams leads 800 members of the 1st Kansas Colored along with 500 Indians against a force of Texas Confederates lead by Cherokee chief and Confederate general Stand Watie.
1871- Kansas- Mexican-born Juan Bideno worked as a cowboy but was known as a fast-gun and hired out for killings, one report has it. In June 1871, Bideno signed on to a cattle drive from Texas to the railhead at Abilene, Kansas. The trail boss was 22-year-old Billy Cohron, who noticed Bideno's slack work and called him on it several times, leading to hard words between the pair. As the herd crossed the Cottonwood River on this date, Cohron and Bideno again fell to arguing and then went for their guns. Bideno shot the youthful trail boss dead and fled, riding south toward Texas. Bideno was later killed by John Wesley Hardin.
1879- Caldwell, Kansas- George Flatt was a lawman in Caldwell and also operated an elegant saloon with William Horseman. On this date Flatt was involved in a shootout after two men, George Wood and Jake Adams, who began firing pistols while drinking at the Occidental Saloon. Constable W.C. Kelly and Deputy John Wilson, accompanied by Flatt and W.H. Kiser, entered the saloon. During the ensuing shootout Flatt killed the two outlaws, while Kiser was grazed in the temple and Wilson was wounded in the wrist.
1867- Kansas- George Custer leaves his command without permission in order to search for his wife among the forts in Kansas.
1870- Hayes City, Kansas- Wild Bill Hickok was in a saloon when seven intoxicated cavalrymen from nearby Fort Hays jumped him and held him down. One of them held a six-gun to Wild Bill's ear and pulled the trigger but the gun misfired. Wild Bill managed to regain his feet and he pulled his pistols, shooting Private Jerry Lanihan through the wrist and knee and another trooper, John Kile, who was hit in the stomach. The rest of the troopers backed off as Hickok retreated from the saloon. Lanihan survived but Kile died the next day.
1884- Dodge City, Kansas- Tom Nixon, who recently took Mysterious Dave Mather's job as assistant marshal, shoots at Mathers, claiming he was drawn upon. Nixon was released on bond.
1884- Dodge City, Kansas- Mysterious Dave Mather shoots and kills Tom Nixon, who had fired at him a few days before.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas George Hoyt rode up to Wyatt Earp, who was standing outside the Comique Theater in Dodge City, and fired at Wyatt. Hoyt was trying to earn $1000 to be paid by cattleman Tobe Driskall to anyone who killed Wyatt. Three shots missed Earp and went into the theater, causing comedian Eddie Foy to throw himself on the stage in the middle of an act. Hoyt was shot and later buried in Boot Hill on 21 August.
1874- Caldwell, Kansas- a group of horse thieves is caught by a posse of 150 men under Sheriff John Davis, of the horse thieves that were arrested on the 28th, three were hanged by vigilantes.
1874-Kansas- start of Grasshopper plague (Rocky Mountain Locust). The grasshopper invasion devastated crops in Kansas and many people lost nearly everything. Aid was sent from the East to help the people get through the hard winter. Lasted until September.
August.
1868- Solomon River, Kansas- Captain Fredrick Benteen of the 7th Cavalry reports that Indians have killed seventeen civilians.
1868- Saline River, Kansas- Captain Fredrick Benteen of the 7th Cavalry reports three Indians killed and ten wounded.
1868- Kansas- Indian raids along the Republican and Saline Rivers kill ten settlers.
1873- Ellsworth, Kansas- the Thompson brothers operated a gambling operation in the back of Brennan's Saloon. On this day Bill Thompson killed Sheriff C.B. Whitney and high-tailed it out of town as his brother, Ben Thompson, held off a mob of would be pursuers with a shotgun. Ben was later fined $25 for aiding and abetting his brother.
1871- Newton, Kansas- lawman Mike McCluskie returns to town and gets drunk at Tuttle's Saloon. He had left town on the 11th after killing his partner, William Wilson, after an argument over who would buy the drinks after an election.
1873- Linn County, Kansas- citizens near Twin Springs hang a man for killing his own wife and her two children and setting the house with the bodies inside on fire.
1873- Ellsworth, Kansas- Ed Crawford was discharged from the Ellsworth police department along with the rest of the officers on the day Sheriff C.B. Whitney was killed in a card game by a group of carousing Texans. Crawford was soon reappointed to the force, and while lounging in front of a local store on Aug. 20, 1873, saw the same Texans appear, led by Cad Pierce and Neil Cain. "Hello Hogue!" Pierce called to city marshal Ed Hogue. "I understand you have a white affidavit for me. Is that so?" The marshal tried to calm Pierce down, but there were angry words and then shots. Crawford, who was sitting with Hogue, wounded Pierce in the arm and then beat him to death with the butt of a rifle. Crawford was suspended from the police force for his action, and the Texans warned him to leave town, which he did, only to return early in November. Crawford burst in on Pierce's brother-in-law, Putnam, who was with a prostitute. The drunken ex-lawman fired at Putnam, who drew his six-shooter and killed Crawford. Putnam's friends from Texas burst into the room and fired thirteen slugs into the dead man.
1863- Lawrence Kansas- William Clark Quantrill lead a force of some 450 mounted confederate guerrillas in the famous raid the town of 2,000. Around 150-200 inhabitants were killed, 182 buildings burned and 2 banks looted and about $1.5 million worth of property was destroyed. Frank James and Cole Younger may have participated in the raid.
1877- Kansas- gunfighter George Hoyt dies of a gunshot wounds he received on July 26 in Dodge City. Wyatt Earp was one of the men firing on Hoyt and is credited with killing his first man.
1869- Hays City, Kansas- Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok shot a local tough, Bill Mulvey (or Melvin or Mulrey) started to shoot up the town. Hickok confronted the drunken ex-cavalryman, ordering him to surrender his guns and submit to arrest. Mulvey, who was with a number of equally drunken friends, shouted that he would never be arrested. He fumbled for his six-gun and Hickok shot him once. Mulvey was taken to a doctor's office where he died the next morning.
September.
1868- Little Coon Creek, Kansas- Indians attack a mail escort. Three soldiers are wounded and three Indians are killed.
1878- Dodge City, Kansas- Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Bill Tilghman and Clay Allison, four of the West's most famous gunmen meet.
1864 - Kansas- Fort Zarah was established on the banks of Walnut Creek near the crossroads of the Santa Fe Trail, the army supply route from Fort Riley, and the main Indian trail. In 1867 Fort Zarah was relocated in stone buildings two miles downstream near the Arkansas River. Fort Zarah was abandoned December 4, 1869 as the Indian problem moved southwestward.
1873- Hays City, Kansas- David Roberts shoots and kills Peter Welsh and George Summer in front of Cy Goddard's saloon.
1879- Dodge City, Kansas- A.H. Webb settles an argument with B. Martin by delivering a killing blow to Martin's head with a Winchester.
1869- Wichita, Kansas- Billy the Kid's mother, Catherine McCarty, buys a town lot.
1884- Lawrence, Kansas- the Haskell Institute, which provided vocational training for Indians, is dedicated. Twenty-two Pawnee children are enrolled the first day. Within three days eight Cheyenne chiefs will enroll another 80 children.
1874- Kansas- grasshoppers are reported covering the ground, two inches deep in places.
1877- Kansas- Bill Heffridge and Joel Collins, members of Sam Bass's gang, are killed by soldiers in Grove County.
1877- Kansas- Joel Collins, co-leader of the Bass-Collins gang, was shot dead by posse men & soldiers at Buffalo Station, Kansas a week after the Big Spring train robbery. He had $10,000 on him.
1869- Hayes City, Kansas- was a wild town freight and cattle center, and it attracted some of the worst gunmen of the day. One of these was a brutish teamster named Samuel Strawhim who arrived with a half dozen teamsters on this date. He and his friends stormed into John Bitters' Beer Saloon that night and began to wreck the place. A few minutes later Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok, accompanied by Deputy Peter Lanihan, arrived at the saloon and ordered Strawhim to surrender his guns. Strawhim laughed and drew his guns. Wild Bill drew both his 1851 Navy Colts, blasting Strawhim to death. A coroner's jury later stated that the Strawhim shooting was justifiable homicide.
1877- Kansas. Six soldiers are wounded in an Indian fight at Famished Woman's Creek.
1878-Kansas- Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf of the Northern Cheyenne led their people in a rebellion and flight from confinement and starvation on the reservation in Oklahoma (Indian Territory) to their home lands in Yellowstone. The trek climaxed on 27 Sep 1878, when 284 braves, women and children made their final stand on the bluffs of Ladder Creek, now Beaver Creek, just south of Scott County State Park. This encounter with the U.S. Cavalry was the last Indian battle in Kansas. The site--Squaws Den Battleground--drew its name from the pit in which the women and children were placed after helping to dig rifle pits for the warriors. The breastworks the Indians dug to withstand the attack by soldiers are still visible.
1883- Coolidge, Kansas- Lon Chambers, carried a badge and enforced the law in the Texas Panhandle throughout the late 1870s. In 1881 he helped Pat Garrett try to track down Billy the Kid and his gang. He later quit law enforcement and formed his own holdup gang. They pulled their biggest job at Coolidge on this date. Three masked men boarded a westbound train that had made a brief stop at Coolidge, one of them believed to be Chambers. They ordered engineer John Hilton to take the train out of the station, and when he was slow to comply one of the gunmen shot him through the heart. The express messenger returned the fire, which drove the robbers from the train. Chambers was eventually arrested, but was released for lack of evidence.
October.
1871- Abilene Kansas Phil Coe was mortally wounded (and died 3 days later) outside the Alamo Saloon when he fired at Marshal Hickok and missed. Wild Bill didn't miss. He also didn't miss Deputy Marshal Mike Williams (due to poor eye-sight) who accidentally got in the line of fire.
1892- Coffeyville, Kansas - trying to out do their cousins from the James Gang, the Dalton Gang try to rob two banks at the same time, the Condon Bank and the First National Bank, the gang is decimated in the process. A shootout followed which claimed the lives of eight men: Bill Powers, Bob & Gratton Dalton & Dick Broadwell died in the attempt. Only Emmett Dalton survived and spent 15 years in prison.
1878- Dodge City Kansas- Dora Hand, a saloon singer, was shot and killed as a result of a feud, possibly over Dora between Dodge City mayor James Kelly and a cowboy named James Kennedy. At 4 a.m. a juiced up Kennedy rode up and fired two .45 slugs in the direction of where he thought Kelly was sleeping. The mayor was actually in the post hospital at Ft. Dodge while Dora and friend Fannie Garretson were sleeping in the mayors bed. A posse made up of Sheriff Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Charlie Bassett, Neal Brown, and Bill Tilghman caught Kennedy who was later acquitted, partly due to his remorse. Dora had one of the grandest funerals Dodge ever saw.
1868- Kansas- 10th Cavalry kills 10 Indians in skirmish at Beaver Creek.
1859- Kansas- "Camp on Pawnee Fork" and Camp Alert, as Fort Larned was first known, was established as a military post to protect travelers and commerce and mail on the Santa Fe Trail from Indians. It also provided a more centralized point for the distribution.
1888- Kansas- White Chief enrolls at the University of Kansas and becomes the first Indian to attend college in Kansas.
1864-- Mine Creek, Kansas- Battle at Mine Creek: Although Kansas soldiers saw action in many important engagements of the Civil War, the only major battle fought in Kansas occurred at Mine Creek in Linn County. This battle involved some 25,000 men. The Union Army under Generals Curtis, Blunt, and Pleasanton defeated the Confederate Army under Generals Sterling Price and Marmaduke, ending the threat of a Confederate invasion in Kansas.
1873- Wichita, Kansas- after rebuilding his dance hall that drunken soldiers had torched a few months before, Gunman Edward T. Beard was immediately at odds with the dreaded gunman Rowdy Joe Lowe, who had built a saloon next to Beard's (winning in a race to see who could build a dance hall first). On this day, Beard, drinking heavily, accused one of his prostitutes, Jo DeMerritt, of stealing from him. DeMerritt threw a bottle at him and fled next door to Lowe's saloon. The drunken Beard followed her, staggered into Lowe's, and in the smoke-filled place mistook another prostitute, Annie Franklin, as being DeMerritt. He fired a shot which struck the woman in the stomach. Lowe then grabbed a shotgun and exchanged shots with Beard. Lowe's shot missed but Beard's bullet grazed Lowe's neck. A stray bullet struck and wounded bystander Bill Anderson who was standing at the bar. Beard fled and Lowe, as drunk as his quarry, went after him. Both men, mounted on horses and racing out of town, had a running gunfight. Lowe caught up with Beard near the river bridge and emptied his shotgun into him, then rode back to town where he turned himself in to the sheriff. Beard was found critically wounded in the arm and thigh, loaded with buckshot. He clung to life for two weeks, but through loss of blood died on Nov. 11, 1873.
November.
1870- Kansas- Bear River Bart is shot and killed near Abilene.
1891- Fort Riley, Kansas- Comanche, the only horse of Custer's 7th Cavalry to survive the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn, dies. You can see him on display at the University of Kansas. They must have fed him well, because he's stuffed!
1886- Jetmore, Kansas- Sam Purple murders his wife and two children. He is lynched by a mob.
1866- Kansas- Fort Fletcher is renamed Fort Hayes in honor of General Alexander Hayes who died in the Battle of the Wilderness.
1875- Wichita, Kansas- a local paper praises lawman Wyatt Earp who found a drunken stranger asleep under a bridge with $500 in his pocket and as a result kept the man from being robbed.
1873- Grasshopper Falls, Kansas- citizens shoot and kill two men, Stitzel and Blair, for alleged horse thieving.
1883- Kansas- Cash Hollister moved to Caldwell, Kansas from his native Cleveland as a thirty-one year old in 1877. Two years later, he was elected mayor after the sudden death of the incumbent In 1880, Hollister chose not to run for reelection, but three years later was appointed a deputy U.S. marshal. On Nov. 21, 1883, Hollister and Ben Wheeler tried to arrest Chet Van Meter, who was accused of beating his family and threatening others. Van Meter fired at the lawmen as they approached, but was killed by five shots in the chest.
1884- Caldwell, Kansas- Cash Hollister a deputy U.S. marshal attempted his final arrest. Bob Cross, the son of a minister, was accused of adultery after he abandoned his wife for the daughter of a local farmer. Hollister and three other lawmen went to the Cross farm in Hunnewell, Kansas. Cross' wife and sister denied he was there, but as the posse searched the house, two shots fatally wounded Hollister.
December.
1874- Muncie, Kansas- the Kansas Pacific Railroad Train was stopped west of Kansas City. The robbers leisurely took their time. It was reported that they liberated $30,000.00 in monies as well as the passengers personal items. Other reports estimated the monies were as high as $ 55,000.00. William "Bud" Mc Daniel (known friend of the James Boys) was arrested in Kansas City a short time after for the robbery. He escaped from jail and was killed shortly afterwards.
1883- Caldwell, Kansas- Marshal Henry Brown kills gambler Newt Boyce.
1872- Dodge City, Kansas- the former marshal of Newton, Bill Brooks, kills Mr. Brown of the Santa Fe Railroad in a shootout.
1900 - Wichita Kansas- Carrie Nation's 1st public smashing of a bar (Carey Hotel). She broke each and every one of the liquor bottles she could see, which means, about all of them behind the bar, for sure. Nation usually did her damage with a hatchet; calling her vandalism, hatchetation.
1872- Dodge City, Kansas- saloon keeper Matthew Sullivan is shot and killed by an unknown assailant who fired through the saloons window. Bully Brooks is a popular suspect.
1882- Caldwell, Kansas- Henry Brown, assistant marshal, is appointed city marshal.
1874- Kansas- James-Younger Gang rob train near Muncie of between $25,000 and $50,000.
1871- Abilene, Kansas- The City Council informs Wild Bill Hickok that it has no further need of his services.
1877- Dodge City, Kansas- The Dodge City Times reports that Sheriff Bassett has been appointed by Mayor Kelly to assist Marshall Ed Masterson in preserving order & decorum in the city”.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Kansas Soldiers.
On this page I have given you two battle reports and other useful information. I have highlighted the names of the men in the reports in red. Not all the names highlighted are from Kansas, I highlighted all the names so they can be easily found within the reports. Although this is a Kansas site, I felt it only right that I should highlight all the names, as there will be families outside of Kansas looking for a ancestor that fought in Kansas as well.
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IN CAMP ON PEA RIDGE, ARK., November 16, 1864.
Colonel C. R. JENNISON, Commanding Brigade:
SIR: The undersigned officers with this command respectfully protest against the indiscriminate pilfering and robbing of private citizens, and especially of defenseless women and children, that has marked the line of march of this division of the Army of the Border from the Arkansas River to this point. While we are all in favor of the complete destruction of the property of bushwhackers and of those who harbor them, we think that no property should be taken or destroyed without the express order of the officer commanding. If soldiers are permitted to rob and plunder without discrimination, the result must be demoralization of the men and disgrace to the officers and the service, in which we are unwilling to share.
Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
1. Alexander Montgomery, first lieutenant Company A, sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. His home was Leavenworth, mustered in February 13, 1864, mustered out December 6, 1865.
2. Silas Dexter, second lieutenant Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Junction City mustered in February 5, 1864, Dis. per S. O. 133, W. D., dat'd Agu. 11, '65, to take effect Jan. 10, '65.
3. Charles Ballance, second lieutenant Company C, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Ohio City mustered in March 15, 1864, Pro. 1st Lieut. Co. G, Oct. 7, '65
4. Charles Byer, second lieutenant Company I and quartermaster Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer. Home was Leavenworth enlisted November 2, 1863, mustered in January 7, 1864, Pro. 2d Lieut. Co. I, June 10, '64.
5. James Ketner, major, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in October 8, 1864, Mus. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65; pro. Brevet Col. Mar. 13, '65.
6. James P. Erickson, surgeon Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Mustered in July 1, 1864, Died of chronic dysentery, Ft. Conner, D. T., Sep. 21, '65
7. Nathan Ames, captain Company A, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Ottawa mustered in November 12, 1863, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
8. John Kendall, captain Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 4, 1864, Dismissed the service per S. O. No. 276, Dept. Missouri, series of '65.
9. J. W. Hall, captain Company G, Sixteenth Kansas. Home Baldwin City mustered in March 2, 1864, Res. June 28, '65.
10. Thomas J. Ferril, chaplain, company field, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Baldwin City mustered in October 8, 1864, Must. out Nov. 28, '65.
11. William. B. Halyard, first Lieutenant and quartermaster, Company field Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Mustered in November 24, 1863, Must out Nov. 28, '65.
12. James W. Hendrix, first lieutenant Company C, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
Cavalry. Home was Ohio City, mustered in December 22, 1863, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
13. Jeremiah Malcolm, second lieutenant Company F, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Grant, Davis Co. mustered in April 29, 1864, Dis. Jan. 27, '65, per S. O. No. 23, from Hdqrs. Dept. of Kan.
14. H. W. Stubblefield, captain Company H, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Elizabetht'n mustered in April 2, 1864, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
15. John K. Wright, captain Company B, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 2, 1864, Pro. Capt. Oct. 1, '64.
16. Nathaniel C. Credit, captain Company K, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home Prairie City mustered in October 1, 1864, Dis. Apr. 21, '65, per S. O. 178, W. D.
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These men took part in the battle of Prairie Grove, Washington County, Arkansas, on Sunday, December 7, 1862.
1. Major Henry H. Williams Tenth Kansas Regiment. Homer was Ossawatomie mustered in July 24, 1861, Mustered out with regiment August 20, 1864.
2. Lieutenant Marcus D. Tenney First Kansas Battery. Home Baldwin City mustered in August 27, 1863, Must. out July 17, '65, L'worth.
3. Colonel Thomas M. Bowen Thirteenth Kansas Regiment. Home was Marysville mustered in September 20, 1862, Bv't Brig. Gen. Jan. 13, '65' mustered out June 28, '65.
Note. There was a error in the name it was to be Thomas M. Brown and not “Bowen .”
4. Lieutenant-Colonel Owen A. Bassett Second Kansas. Home Lawrence mustered in August 1, 1861, Mustered out Jan. 19, '65, at Little Rock, Ark.
5. Captain Samuel J. Crawford Co. A., Second Kansas. Home Garnett mustered in June 20, 1861, Prom. Col. 2d Regt. Kan. Col'd. Vols. Dec. 6, '63.
7. Lieutenant Joseph K. Hudson, Co. C., Tenth Kansas. Home Salem, Ohio, enlisted in July 30, 1861, mustered in same day Private, Promoted 1st Sergeant, First Sergeant, Promoted 1st Lieutenant.
8. William Weer, Tenth Kansas Infantry. Home Wyandotte mustered in June 20, 1861. Dismissed the service by G. O. No. 123, dated Headq'rs Dept. of Mo., St. Louis, Aug. 20, 1864.
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HDQRS. COMPANY E, FIFTEENTH KANSAS VOL. CAVALRY,
Osage Catholic Mission, Kans., September 20, 1864.
The following is a list of the officers now at this post:
1. Captain Henry P. Ledger, Company L, Sixth Kansas. Home St. Louis, Mo. Mustered in June 18, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
2. Captain Thomas Stevenson, Company H, Fourteenth Kansas. There is no roster for the 14th.
3. Captain John W. Duff, Company M, Sixth Kansas. Home Kansas City, Mo. Mustered in July 30, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark..
4. Lieutenant William H. Kendall, Company E, Second Indian. Mustered in December 8th, 1862, From Company C, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, Private, home Emporia enlisted August 19, 1862, mustered in September 10, 1862, Prom. 2d Lieut. in 2d Indian reg't, Nov. 18, '62.
5. Lieutenant Benjamin H. Whitlow, Company H, Third Indian. Commission Lieutenant July 11th, 1862, From Company H, Tenth Kansas Infantry. First Sergeant enlisted October 7, 1861, mustered in March 4, 1862, Prom. 1st Lieutenant 3d I. H. G. July 11, 1862.
6. Lieutenant Alfred F. Bicking, Company A, First Indian. Commission 1st Lieutenant September 10th, 1862, From Company I, Second Kansas Cavalry. Sergeant, home Fort Scott, enlisted January 7, 1862, mustered in the same day, Prom. 1st Lt. Ind. Home Guards Aug. 5, 1862.
7. Lieutenant W. B. Clark, Company E, Fourteenth Kansas. There is no roster for the 14th.
8. Lieutenant William P. Phillips, Company B, Second Kansas. Home Topeka, mustered in January 11, 1864, Mustered out June 22, '65, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
9. Lieutenant Ebenezer W. Lucas, Company G, Sixth Kansas. Home Wyandotte. Mustered in March 15, 1865, Mustered out May 19, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
10. Lieutenant Levi F. Stewart, Company I, Sixth Kansas. Home Kansas City, Mo. Mustered in May 26, 1863, Resigned May 2, 1865.
11. Lieutenant James Brooks, Company M, Sixth Kansas. Home Clinton mustered in July 30, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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Numbers 6. Report of Major Henry Hopkins, Second Kansas Cavalry.
FORT GIBSON, C. N., September 22, 1864.
I would respectfully make and forward the following report:
The supply train under my command having been repaired and loaded at Fort Scott, Kans., I moved on the 12th of September with as much dispatch as the condition of the animals would permit for this place.
On leaving Fort Scott I sent orders to the commanding officers of stations on the road between that post and this to thoroughly scout the country in their vicinity and notify me if the enemy be there and their movements, and also to re- enforce me with as many troops as they could spare, being fully convinced that the enemy intended an attack on the train at some point on the route between Scott and Gibson. The escort under my command numbered 260 men, composed of the following troops: Fifty men mounted and thirty dismounted of the Second Kansas Cavalry; sixty mounted and seventy dismounted men of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Stevenson, and ten mounted men and forty dismounted of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Ledger.
The entire train numbered 300 wagons- 205 Government wagons, four Government ambulances, and ninety sutler wagons, &c. On arriving at Baxter Springs, this force was increased to 360 men by the arrival of 100 Cherokee Indians, under command of one white officer, First Lieutenant Waterhouse, Second Indian Regiment, and one Indian officer, Captain Ta- la- lah, Third Indian Regiment. At this place I received a dispatch from Colonel C. W. Blair, commanding at Fort Scott, to the effect that General Price had crossed the Arkansas River at Dardanelle and was moving north. I forwarded this to Colonel Wattles at Fort Gibson and urgently requested him to forward without delay all the troops he could spare to re- enforce men, as I anticipated an attack from a heavier force than my present force could contend with successfully.
Arriving at Hudson's Crossing of the Neosho River I ordered Lieutenant Waterhouse with his command to remain at that station, and moved with the rest of my command and train to Horse Creek, fifteen miles south. On the night of the 18th [17th], at 12 o'clock, while camped at this place, fifteen miles north of Cabin Creek, I received a dispatch from the commanding officer at Gibson stating that the enemy were in force, numbering 1,200 or 1,500, with infantry, and moving in the direction of Cabin Creek, and embodied in the dispatch was an order for me to move with all possible dispatch to Cabin Creek, and there await further orders to move the train.
I immediately moved the train in double column and arrived at Cabin Creek at 9 a. m. on the 18th instant. Lieutenant B. H. Whitlow, Third Indian, with 140 Cherokees, re- enforced me at this point, together with 170 Cherokees stationed at that point under command of Lieutenant Palmer, Second Indian Regiment. My entire force at this point numbered 120 mounted cavalry (white), 140 dismounted cavalry (white), and thirty mounted Cherokees and 330 dismounted; the entire force under my command numbering 610 whit men and Indians.
On arriving at Cabin Creek, in the afternoon of the same day, I moved out to the south of that point with twenty- five men of the Second Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Cosgrove, Second Kansas Cavalry,for the purpose of ascertaining the position and force of the enemy. Moving south from the station at Cabin Creek there miles, I found the enemy strongly posted in a hollow on the prairie. Pickets were re- enforced and the train formed in a quarter circle,preparatory to an attack. At 12 o'clock on the night of the 19th [18th] my pickets were driven in and the enemy reported advancing in force. My lines were formed and the train was ordered to be parked in close order in rear of the stockade. At 1 o'clock [19th] the enemy opened with artillery and small- arms and moved upon my lines with a yell. At that time information was received that the enemy numbered from 600 to 800 men, and was not informed that they had any artillery until it opened fire upon my lines.
The enemy's lines were formed in a quarter circle covering my right and left flank, and the nearest estimate I could form of their numbers was between 2,000 and 2,500 and four or six pieces of artillery. (They numbered not less than 2,000 at the very lowest estimate and four to six pieces of artillery, some of them rifled guns.) The enemy formed in two lines with mounted men in the first line and dismounted in the rear line, a few paces in rear of the first. Two pieces of their artillery were posted in our immediate front an two pieces opposite that right flank, making a cross- fire on my line and the train. At the first charge of the enemy the teamsters and wagon- masters, with but very few exceptions, stampeded, taking with them one or more mules out of each wagon, leaving their trains and going in the direction of Fort Scott.
This rendered it impossible to move any portion of the train. The enemy was held in check from 1 a. m. by about 400 of my men until 7.30 o'clock, when they advanced upon my line, planting their artillery within 100 yards of our position, and our forces were compelled to fall back in disorder,leaving the train, excepting a few wagons and an ambulance that immediately move back on the Fort Scott road across Cabin Creek. I encouraged the men to hold out until daylight, at which time I was in hopes Major Foreman, Third Indian Regiment, with six companies of Indians and two howitzers would arrive and attack the enemy in the rear. In order to move the train across the creek to a more remote position, I made every effort to rally the teamsters and wagon- masters, and while attempting to accomplish this the enemy swung around my right flank and took possession of the road in our rear, rendering all efforts to move the train useless.
On seeing this, I collected all the scattered troops possible together and moved in the direction east of Cabin Creek, on Grand River, where I was in hopes of joining Major Foreman, and if possible retake a portion of the train. At daylight I sent a messenger to the commanding officer at Hudson's Crossing of the Neosho River to immediately join me with his entire force,and in doing so he would protect any parties or part of the train that might have fallen back in that direction. Finding it impossible to join Major Foreman, I sent a messenger to the commanding officer at Gibson informing him that the train had been captured, and I immediately marched for that place and arrived there on the morning of the 21st at 7 a. m.
I expected Major Foreman to join me on the morning of the attack, but I find he was not within forty- five miles of my position at the time the enemy moved upon me. The force sent under Colonel J. M. Williams I knew nothing of until my arrival at Gibson. I sent four messengers to Gibson, calling for re- enforcements, two of whom were cut of and captured, and consequently were not received by the commanding officer at the post, but every effort was made on his part to hurry up to my assistance all the force he could possibly spare.
I was not apprised that the enemy had more than 1,200 to 1,500 men, and did not expect they had any artillery, until they opened it upon my line at 10 o'clock in the morning. The night previous to the attack it was my understanding that Major Foreman, with 300 Indians and two mountain howitzers, would camp within nine or ten miles of the post at Cabin Creek and move on to re- enforce me at daylight next morning. It is my opinion that the enemy did not get away with more than 75 or 100 wagons, including Government wagons, sutler wagons, and ambulances. The remainder were destroyed at Cabin Creek. Great credit is due the commanding officer at Gibson in forwarding re- enforcements, and also to all the officers and men under my command throughout the entire engagement for their bravery and gallant conduct.
Lieutenant G. W. Smith, adjutant Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, rendered throughout the entire engagement very efficient service and prompt action. It is at this time impossible to forward the number of killed, wounded,and prisoners, but will forward as soon as possible the result. Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Wheeler, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, was on the field with me at the opening of the engagement. Three men of the Second Kansas Cavalry, taken prisoners two days before they attacked me, have just escaped from them, but at different times, and report their forces at from 4,000 to 5,000 and six pieces of artillery, General Gano commanding.
Very respectfully,
HENRY HOPKINS,
Major Second Kansas Cavalry.
Note. The following names are the full names from the above report.
1.Captain Henry P. Ledger 6rh., Kansas cavalry. Private, home St. Louis, Mo. Enlisted December 18, 1861, mustered in same day. Promoted Sergeant. Promoted Sergeant Major October 8, 1862. Sergeant Major, Promoted 1st Lieutenant Co. L, May 14, 1863. Promoted Captain June 18, 1863.
2. Andrew J. Waterhouse, Second Indian enlisted March 8, 1862, mustered in same day. Prom. 1st Lt. Co. H, 3d Ind. H. G. May 20, 1863.
3. Captain Ta- la- lah, Third Indian Regiment. Not found on roster.
4. Lieutenant Benjamin H. Whitlow, Third Indian. Home Humboldt enlisted October 7, 1861, mustered in March 4, 1862. Prom. 1st Lieutenant 3d I. H. G. July 11, 1862
5. Lieutenant John C. Palmer, Second Indian Regiment. Home Topeka enlisted July 16, 1861, mustered in same day. Prom. 1st Lt. 2d Ind. Home Guards Oct. 15, 1862.
6. Captain Patrick Cosgrove, Second Kansas Cavalry. Home Olathe mustered in March 2, 1864, Mustered out June 22, 1865, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
7. Major John A. Foreman, Third Indian Regiment. Home Lawrence. Promoted Major 3d Indian Regt., July 11, 1862.
8. Lieutenant George W. Smith, adjutant Thirteenth Kansas Infantry. Home St. Louis, Mo. Mustered in October 13, 1863. Mus. out June 26, '65, Little Rock, Ark.
9. Colonel John. B. Wheeler, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry. Home Troy mustered in September 20, 1862. Mustered out with reg. June 26, 1865.
10. Major Henry Hopkins, Second Kansas Cavalry. Home Leavenworth mustered in November 13, 1863. Mustered out Jan. 13, 1865, at Leavenworth, Kan.
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The following men were at the battle of Westport and Newtonia.
1. Captain B. F. Simpson, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, acting assistant quartermaster. There is no roster for this company.
2. Captain Richard J. Hinton, Second Kansas (colored), aide-de-camp. Home Washington, D. C. Mustered in October 21, 1863. No evidence of mus. out on file
3. Captain George J. Clark, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, acting ordnance officer. There is no roster for this company.
4. Colonel John T. Burris, late of the Tenth Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Home Olathe
Mustered in July 24, 1861. Mustered out with regiment August 20, 1864; promoted Brevet Colonel March 13, 1865.
5. Major Richard G. Ward, of the First Kansas (colored). Home Richmond, Ind. Mustered in April 22, 1865. Mustered out with reg. Oct. 1, 1865.
6. Captain Thomas E. Milhoan, late of the Tenth Kansas Volunteers. First Lieutenant, home Olathe mustered in July 16, 1861. Promoted Captain June 23, 1862. Mustered out Aug. 18, 1864, Leavenworth, Kan.
7. Captain A. J. Shannon, provost-marshal, District of South Kansas. Not found on any roster.
8. Company E, of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant W. B. Clark. There is no roster for this company.
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HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., April 2, 1862.
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
Headquarters Department of the Mississippi, Saint Louis, Mo.:
SIR: I have the honor to report that I arrived at this post yesterday evening, and immediately assumed the command of the district. J. W. DENVER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
I have been unable at present to obtain accurate statistics of the numbers and stations of the troops within this district, but as near as I can ascertain they consist of the following regiments:
1. First Kansas (infantry), Colonel George W. Deitzler, stationed at Lawrence. Home Lawrence mustered in May 28, 1861. Wounded in action Aug. 10, 1861, at Wilson's Creek, Mo.; pro. Brig. Gen. Nov. 29, 1862.
2. : Second Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Robert B. Mitchell, stationed at Shawneetown. Home Mansfield mustered in June 20, 1861. Promoted Brig. Gen. U. S. Vols. April 8, 1862.
3. Third Kansas (infantry), Colonel Cloud, stationed at Mound City or Scott. No roster for this regiment.
4. Fourth Kansas (infantry), Colonel Cloud, stationed at Wyandotte. No roster for this regiment.
5. Fifth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Powell Clayton, at Fort Scott. Home Leavenworth
Mustered in December 28, 1861. Promoted Colonel March 7, 1862.
6. Sixth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel William R. Judson, at Fort Scott. Home Fort Scott. Mustered in July 27, 1861. Mustered out Mar. 11, 1865, Leavenworth, Kan.
7. Seventh Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Charles R. Jenison, at Lawrence. Home Leavenworth. Mustered in October 28, 1861. Resigned May 1, 1862.
8. Eighth Kansas (infantry), Colonel Robert H. Graham's, scattered, headquarters at Leavenworth City. Home Leavenworth, or it could have been Captain James M. Graham, Co. C., home Atchison mustered in November 7, 1861. Promoted Major December 21, 1863. Promoted Lientenant Colonel June 26, 1864. Resigned September 23, 1864, Atlanta, Ga.
9. Ninth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Edward Lynde (incomplete), at Iola, near Humboldt. Home Grasshopper. Mustered in March 24, 1862. Mustered out Nov. 25, '64, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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1865. Captain Nathan Ames, Company A, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteers Cavalry, will move to-morrow morning to Lawrence, Kans. Home was Ottawa mustered in November 12, 1863. Mustered out with reg. December 6, 1865.
1865. Captain John Kendall, Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteers Cavalry, will move to-morrow morning to Council Grove, Kans. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 4, 1864. Dismissed the service per S. O. No. 276, Dept. Missouri, series of 1865.
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These three officers were in on one of the attacks for Quantrill.
1863. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles S. Clark, Ninth Kansas Volunteers, with headquarters at Coldwater Grove, was in command of the troops on the border of Little Santa Fe, including the stations at Aubrey, Coldwater Grove (13 miles south at Aubrey), Rockville (13 miles south of Coldwater Grove), Choteau's Trading Post (15 miles south of Rockville), and Harrisonville.
Charles S. Clark home was Iola mustered in Jan. 2, 1862. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
1863. Captain Nick L. Benter company of the Twelfth Kansas Infantry, which had been garrisoning Paola, he prepared to attack Quantrill at the ford of Bull Creek, 3 miles south of Paola.
Nick L. Benter home was Osage mustered in Sep. 26, 1862. Assassinated Apr. 2, 1864, Hot Springs, Ark.
The death of Captain Nick L. Benter or Beuter.
He was A. A. A. G. on Col. Adams’ staff, who was commanding a Brigade, Captain had got his work done and came to the camp of the 12th Regiment (headquarters of the Brigade and our Regiment was about five hundred yards apart) after he had been around and saw the officers he came to our tent, and there we had a social chat and passed time off first rate, and at 9 o’clock Captain left for Brigade headquarters, when about half way we heard the report of a gun, three shots were fired, we thought nothing of that for Lt. Col. Hayes gave orders to kill hogs for rations was getting scarce, everything was quiet in camp after that, the next morning Isaac Ricketts of company C, Forage master for the out-fit, came to my tent before day and told me there was a dead man in the road and he thought it was Capt. Beuter, but could not tell for it was dark. I got up and started for the place, and I found it was Capt. Beuter. I had him taken to camp and put in the tent, and report to Col. Adams. He was robbed of his money and Revolvers, his pockets was turned inside out, his hat was also gone. He was shot through the heart. We put him in an ambulance and took him with us that day, we camped on the south fork of Saline Creek, and there we left the remains of poor Captain. He was buried on a hill in a very nice place, sloping each way, covered with pine trees. He was buried with military honors. Capt. Beuter was more than an ordinary man. He had a good and noble heart; was well
posted in military affairs, and the best officer in the 12th Regiment. We miss him very much.
By. W. O. HUBBELL.
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1863. Captain Thomas P. Killen Co. H. Ninth Kansas.
Home was Carlyle mustered in Jan. 2, 1862. Mustered out Jan. 16, '65, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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Numbers 24. Report of Colonel James M. Williams, First Kansas Colored Infantry, commanding detachment Frontier Division, of engagement at Poison Spring.
CAMDEN, ARK., April 24, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of foraging expedition under my command: In obedience to verbal orders received from Brigadier-General Thayer, I left Camden, Ark., on the 17th instant with the following force, viz: 500 of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, commanded by Major Ward; 50 of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Henderson; 75 of the Second Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Mitchell; 70 of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Utt; one section of the Second Indiana Battery, commanded by Lieutenant Haines; in all, 695 men and two guns, with a forage train of 198 wagons.
I proceeded westerly on the Washington road a distance of 18 miles, where I halted the train and dispatched parts of it in different directions to load, 100 wagons, with a large part of the command under Major Ward, being sent 6 miles beyond the camp. These wagons returned to camp at midnight, nearly all loaded with corn. At sunrise n the 18th, the command started ont the return, loading the balance of the train as it proceeded. There being but few wagon loads of corn to be found at any one place, I was obliged to detach portions of the command in different directions to load the wagons, until nearly my whole available force was so employed.
At a point known as Cross-Roads, 4 miles east from my camping-ground, I met a re-enforcement of the following force, viz: Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, 375 men, Captain Cuncan; Sixth Kansas Cavalry, 25 men, Lieutenant Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry, 45 men, Lieutenant Ross; Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, 20 men, Lieutenant Smith, and two mountain howitzers from the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, Lieutenant Walker; in all, 465 men and two howitzers, which, added to my former force, made my whole command consist of 875 infantry, 285 cavalry, and four guns. But the excessive fatigue of the preceding day, coming as it did at the close of a toilsome march of twenty-four days, without halting, had so worn upon the infantry that fully 100 of the First Kansas (colored) were rendered unfit for duty. Many of the cavalry had, in violation of orders, straggled from their commands, so that at this time my effective force did not exceed 1,000 men.
At a point 1 mile east of this my advance came upon a picket of the enemy, which was driven back for 1 mile, when a line of the enemy's skirmishers presented itself. Here I halted the train, formed a line of the small force I then had in advance, and ordered that portion of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers which had previously been guarding the rear of the train to the front, and gave orders for the train to be parked as closely as the nature of the ground would permit. I also opened a fire upon the enemy's line from the section of Second Indiana Battery, for the double purpose of ascertaining, if possible, if the enemy had any artillery in position in front, and also to draw in some foraging parties which had previously been dispatched upon either flank of the train.
No response was elicited save a brisk fire form the enemy's skirmishers. Meanwhile the remainder of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers had come to the front, as also those detachments of cavalry which formed part of the original escort, which I formed in line, facing to the front, with detachment Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry on my left, and detachments Second and Sixth Kansas Cavalry on the right flank. I also sent orders to Captain Duncan, commanding Eighteenth Iowa volunteers, to so dispose of his regiment and the cavalry and howitzers which came out with him as to protect the rear of the train, and to keep a sharp lookout for a movement upon his rear and right flank.
Meanwhile a movement of the enemy's infantry toward my right flank had been observed through the thick brush, which covered the surface of the country in that direction. Seeing this, I ordered forward the cavalry on my right, under Lieutenants Mithchell and Henderson, with orders to press the enemy's line, fore it if possible, and at all events to ascertain his position and strength, fearing, as I did, that the silence of the enemy in front was but for the purpose of drawing me on into the open ground which lay in my front. At this juncture a rebel soldier rode into my lines and inquired for Colonel De Morse. From him I learned that General Price was in command of the rebel force, and that Colonel De Morse was in command of a force on my right.
The cavalry had advanced but 400 yards, when a brisk fire of musketry was opened upon them from the brush, which they returned with true gallantry, but were forced to fall back. In this skirmish many of the cavalry were unhorsed, and Lieutenant Henderson fell, wounded in the abdomen, while gallantry urging his men forward. In the mean time I formed five companies of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers with one piece of artillery on my right flank, and ordered up to their assistance four companies of the Eighteenth Iowa. Soon my orderly returned from the rear with a message from Captain Duncan, stating that he was so closely pressed in the rear by the enemy's infantry and artillery that the men could not be spared.
At this moment the enemy opened upon me with two batteries, one of six pieces in front, and one of three pieces on my right flank, pouring in an incessant and well-directed cross-fire of shot and shell. At the same time he advanced his infantry both in front and on my right flank. From the force of the enemy, now for the first time made visible, I saw that I could not hope to defeat him; but still I resolved to defend the train to the last, hoping that re-enforcements would come up from Camden. I suffered them to approach within 100 yards of my lines, when I opened upon them with musketry charged with buck and ball, and after a contest of fifteen minutes' duration compelled them to fall back.
Two fresh regiments, however, coming up, they again rallied and advanced against my lines, this time with colors flying and continuous cheering, so loud as to drown even the roar of the musketry. Again I suffered them to approach even nearer than before, and opened upon them with buck and ball, their artillery still pouring in a cross-fire of shot and shell over the heads of their infantry, and mine replying with vigor and effect; and for another quarter of an hour the fight raged with desperate fury, and the noise and din of battle of this almost hand-to-hand conflict was the loudest and most terrific it has ever been my lot to listen to. Again were they forced to fall back, and twice during this contest were their colors brought to the ground, but as often raised.
During these contests fully one-half of my infantry engaged were either killed or wounded. Three companies were left without an officer, and seeing the enemy again re-enforced with fresh troops it became evident that I could hold my line but little longer. I directed Major Ward to hold that line until I could ride back and form the Eighteenth Iowa in proper form to support the retreat of this advanced line. Meanwhile, so many of the gunners having been shot from around their pieces as to leave too few men to serve the guns, I ordered them to retire to the rear of the train and report to the commanding officer there. Just as I was starting for the line of the Eighteenth Iowa my horse was shot, and caused a delay long enough to obtain an mount another one, which done, I rode to the rear and formed a line of battle facing the direction in which the enemy was advancing.
Again did the enemy hurl his columns against the remnant of men which formed my front and right flank, and again were they met as gallantly as before. But my decimated ranks were unable to resist the overpowering force hurled against my line, and after a check had been given their advance, seeing that our line was completely flanked on both sides, Major Ward gave the order to retire, which was done in good order, forming and checking the enemy twice before reaching the rear of the train. With the assistance of Major Ward and other officer I succeeded in forming a portion of First Colored Regiment in rear of the Eighteenth Iowa, and when the enemy approached this line they gallantly advanced to the line of the Eighteenth Iowa maintained their line manfully, and stoutly contested the ground until nearly surrounded, when they retired, and, forming again, checked the advancing foe, and still held their ground until again nearly surrounded, when they again retired across a ravine which was impassable for artillery, and I gave orders for the pieces to be spiked and abandoned.
After crossing this ravine I succeeded in forming a portion of the cavalry, which I kept in line in order to give the infantry time to reach the swamp which lay in our front, which they succeeded in doing, and by this means nearly all except the badly wounded were enabled to reach camp. Many wounded men belonging to the First Kansas Colored Volunteers fell into the hands of the enemy, and I have the most positive assurances from eye-witnesses that they were nurtured on the spot. The action was commenced at 10 a. m. and terminated at 2 p. m. I was forced to abandon everything to the enemy, and they thereby became possessed of this large train, two 6-pounder guns, and two 12-pounder mountain howitzers. With what force could be collected I made my way to this post, where I arrived at 11 p. m. of the same day.
At no time during the engagement, such was the nature of the ground and the size of the train, was I able to employ more than 500 men and two guns to repel the assaults of the enemy, whose force I estimate at 10,000 men and twelve guns, from the statements of prisoners. The columns of assault which were thrown against my front and right flank consisted of five regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, supported by a strong force which moved upon my left flank and rear. I have named this engagement the action of Poison Spring, from a spring of that name in the vicinity. My loss during the engagement is as follows: Killed, 92; wounded, 97; missing, 106. Many of those reported missing are supposed to be killed. Others are supposed to be wounded and prisoners. The loss of the enemy is not know, but in my opinion it will much exceed our own.
The conduct of all the troops under my command, officers and men, was characterized by true soldierly bearing, and in no case was a line broken except when assaulted by an overwhelming force, and then falling back only when so ordered. The gallant dead, officers and men, all evinced the most heroics spirit, and died the death of true soldiers.
Very respectfully,
J. M. WILLIAMS,
Colonel First Kansas Colored Vols., Commanding Escort.
The following names are from the above report.
1. Colonel James M. Williams, First Kansas Colored Infantry.
Mustered in May 2, 1863. Pro.Brev.Brig.Gen Feb.13,'65.
Mustered out Pine Bluff, Ark. Oct.1, 1865.
2. Major Richard G. Ward, First Kansas Colored Volunteers.
Home was Richmond, Ind. Mustered in Apr.22, 1865, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, mustered out with reg. Oct. 1, 1865.
3. Lieutenant Robert Henderson, Sixth Kansas Cavalry.
Private, home Junction City enlister October 4, 1861, mustered in same day, Promoted 1st Sergeant October 20, 1861, then promoted 2d Lieut. Co. G, September 15, 1862. Promoted 1st Lieutenant January 1, 1864. Promoted Captain December 9, 1864. Captain Robert Henderson, Mustered out May 19, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark; Wounded in action April 18, 1864, Poison Springs, Ark.
4. Lieutenant Mitchell, Second Kansas Cavalry.
To many Mitchell’s to decide on.
5. Lieutenant Utt, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry.
No roster for this regiment.
6. Lieutenant Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry.
7. Lieutenant William P. Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry.
Private, home Topeka enlisted November 21, 1861, mustered in same day. Prom. Sergeant; prom. 1st Lt. Co. B, Jan. 11, 1864, Sergeant Reduced to ranks March 21, 1862, First Lieutenant mustered out June 22, 1865, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
8. Lieutenant Smith, Kansas regiment unknown.
9. Lieutenant Walker, Kansas regiment unknown.
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IN CAMP ON PEA RIDGE, ARK., November 16, 1864.
Colonel C. R. JENNISON, Commanding Brigade:
SIR: The undersigned officers with this command respectfully protest against the indiscriminate pilfering and robbing of private citizens, and especially of defenseless women and children, that has marked the line of march of this division of the Army of the Border from the Arkansas River to this point. While we are all in favor of the complete destruction of the property of bushwhackers and of those who harbor them, we think that no property should be taken or destroyed without the express order of the officer commanding. If soldiers are permitted to rob and plunder without discrimination, the result must be demoralization of the men and disgrace to the officers and the service, in which we are unwilling to share.
Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
1. Alexander Montgomery, first lieutenant Company A, sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. His home was Leavenworth, mustered in February 13, 1864, mustered out December 6, 1865.
2. Silas Dexter, second lieutenant Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Junction City mustered in February 5, 1864, Dis. per S. O. 133, W. D., dat'd Agu. 11, '65, to take effect Jan. 10, '65.
3. Charles Ballance, second lieutenant Company C, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Ohio City mustered in March 15, 1864, Pro. 1st Lieut. Co. G, Oct. 7, '65
4. Charles Byer, second lieutenant Company I and quartermaster Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer. Home was Leavenworth enlisted November 2, 1863, mustered in January 7, 1864, Pro. 2d Lieut. Co. I, June 10, '64.
5. James Ketner, major, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in October 8, 1864, Mus. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65; pro. Brevet Col. Mar. 13, '65.
6. James P. Erickson, surgeon Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Mustered in July 1, 1864, Died of chronic dysentery, Ft. Conner, D. T., Sep. 21, '65
7. Nathan Ames, captain Company A, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Ottawa mustered in November 12, 1863, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
8. John Kendall, captain Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 4, 1864, Dismissed the service per S. O. No. 276, Dept. Missouri, series of '65.
9. J. W. Hall, captain Company G, Sixteenth Kansas. Home Baldwin City mustered in March 2, 1864, Res. June 28, '65.
10. Thomas J. Ferril, chaplain, company field, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Baldwin City mustered in October 8, 1864, Must. out Nov. 28, '65.
11. William. B. Halyard, first Lieutenant and quartermaster, Company field Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Mustered in November 24, 1863, Must out Nov. 28, '65.
12. James W. Hendrix, first lieutenant Company C, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
Cavalry. Home was Ohio City, mustered in December 22, 1863, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
13. Jeremiah Malcolm, second lieutenant Company F, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Grant, Davis Co. mustered in April 29, 1864, Dis. Jan. 27, '65, per S. O. No. 23, from Hdqrs. Dept. of Kan.
14. H. W. Stubblefield, captain Company H, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Elizabetht'n mustered in April 2, 1864, Must. out with reg. Dec. 6, '65.
15. John K. Wright, captain Company B, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 2, 1864, Pro. Capt. Oct. 1, '64.
16. Nathaniel C. Credit, captain Company K, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. Home Prairie City mustered in October 1, 1864, Dis. Apr. 21, '65, per S. O. 178, W. D.
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These men took part in the battle of Prairie Grove, Washington County, Arkansas, on Sunday, December 7, 1862.
1. Major Henry H. Williams Tenth Kansas Regiment. Homer was Ossawatomie mustered in July 24, 1861, Mustered out with regiment August 20, 1864.
2. Lieutenant Marcus D. Tenney First Kansas Battery. Home Baldwin City mustered in August 27, 1863, Must. out July 17, '65, L'worth.
3. Colonel Thomas M. Bowen Thirteenth Kansas Regiment. Home was Marysville mustered in September 20, 1862, Bv't Brig. Gen. Jan. 13, '65' mustered out June 28, '65.
Note. There was a error in the name it was to be Thomas M. Brown and not “Bowen .”
4. Lieutenant-Colonel Owen A. Bassett Second Kansas. Home Lawrence mustered in August 1, 1861, Mustered out Jan. 19, '65, at Little Rock, Ark.
5. Captain Samuel J. Crawford Co. A., Second Kansas. Home Garnett mustered in June 20, 1861, Prom. Col. 2d Regt. Kan. Col'd. Vols. Dec. 6, '63.
7. Lieutenant Joseph K. Hudson, Co. C., Tenth Kansas. Home Salem, Ohio, enlisted in July 30, 1861, mustered in same day Private, Promoted 1st Sergeant, First Sergeant, Promoted 1st Lieutenant.
8. William Weer, Tenth Kansas Infantry. Home Wyandotte mustered in June 20, 1861. Dismissed the service by G. O. No. 123, dated Headq'rs Dept. of Mo., St. Louis, Aug. 20, 1864.
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HDQRS. COMPANY E, FIFTEENTH KANSAS VOL. CAVALRY,
Osage Catholic Mission, Kans., September 20, 1864.
The following is a list of the officers now at this post:
1. Captain Henry P. Ledger, Company L, Sixth Kansas. Home St. Louis, Mo. Mustered in June 18, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
2. Captain Thomas Stevenson, Company H, Fourteenth Kansas. There is no roster for the 14th.
3. Captain John W. Duff, Company M, Sixth Kansas. Home Kansas City, Mo. Mustered in July 30, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark..
4. Lieutenant William H. Kendall, Company E, Second Indian. Mustered in December 8th, 1862, From Company C, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, Private, home Emporia enlisted August 19, 1862, mustered in September 10, 1862, Prom. 2d Lieut. in 2d Indian reg't, Nov. 18, '62.
5. Lieutenant Benjamin H. Whitlow, Company H, Third Indian. Commission Lieutenant July 11th, 1862, From Company H, Tenth Kansas Infantry. First Sergeant enlisted October 7, 1861, mustered in March 4, 1862, Prom. 1st Lieutenant 3d I. H. G. July 11, 1862.
6. Lieutenant Alfred F. Bicking, Company A, First Indian. Commission 1st Lieutenant September 10th, 1862, From Company I, Second Kansas Cavalry. Sergeant, home Fort Scott, enlisted January 7, 1862, mustered in the same day, Prom. 1st Lt. Ind. Home Guards Aug. 5, 1862.
7. Lieutenant W. B. Clark, Company E, Fourteenth Kansas. There is no roster for the 14th.
8. Lieutenant William P. Phillips, Company B, Second Kansas. Home Topeka, mustered in January 11, 1864, Mustered out June 22, '65, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
9. Lieutenant Ebenezer W. Lucas, Company G, Sixth Kansas. Home Wyandotte. Mustered in March 15, 1865, Mustered out May 19, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
10. Lieutenant Levi F. Stewart, Company I, Sixth Kansas. Home Kansas City, Mo. Mustered in May 26, 1863, Resigned May 2, 1865.
11. Lieutenant James Brooks, Company M, Sixth Kansas. Home Clinton mustered in July 30, 1863, Mustered out July 18, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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Numbers 6. Report of Major Henry Hopkins, Second Kansas Cavalry.
FORT GIBSON, C. N., September 22, 1864.
I would respectfully make and forward the following report:
The supply train under my command having been repaired and loaded at Fort Scott, Kans., I moved on the 12th of September with as much dispatch as the condition of the animals would permit for this place.
On leaving Fort Scott I sent orders to the commanding officers of stations on the road between that post and this to thoroughly scout the country in their vicinity and notify me if the enemy be there and their movements, and also to re- enforce me with as many troops as they could spare, being fully convinced that the enemy intended an attack on the train at some point on the route between Scott and Gibson. The escort under my command numbered 260 men, composed of the following troops: Fifty men mounted and thirty dismounted of the Second Kansas Cavalry; sixty mounted and seventy dismounted men of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Stevenson, and ten mounted men and forty dismounted of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Ledger.
The entire train numbered 300 wagons- 205 Government wagons, four Government ambulances, and ninety sutler wagons, &c. On arriving at Baxter Springs, this force was increased to 360 men by the arrival of 100 Cherokee Indians, under command of one white officer, First Lieutenant Waterhouse, Second Indian Regiment, and one Indian officer, Captain Ta- la- lah, Third Indian Regiment. At this place I received a dispatch from Colonel C. W. Blair, commanding at Fort Scott, to the effect that General Price had crossed the Arkansas River at Dardanelle and was moving north. I forwarded this to Colonel Wattles at Fort Gibson and urgently requested him to forward without delay all the troops he could spare to re- enforce men, as I anticipated an attack from a heavier force than my present force could contend with successfully.
Arriving at Hudson's Crossing of the Neosho River I ordered Lieutenant Waterhouse with his command to remain at that station, and moved with the rest of my command and train to Horse Creek, fifteen miles south. On the night of the 18th [17th], at 12 o'clock, while camped at this place, fifteen miles north of Cabin Creek, I received a dispatch from the commanding officer at Gibson stating that the enemy were in force, numbering 1,200 or 1,500, with infantry, and moving in the direction of Cabin Creek, and embodied in the dispatch was an order for me to move with all possible dispatch to Cabin Creek, and there await further orders to move the train.
I immediately moved the train in double column and arrived at Cabin Creek at 9 a. m. on the 18th instant. Lieutenant B. H. Whitlow, Third Indian, with 140 Cherokees, re- enforced me at this point, together with 170 Cherokees stationed at that point under command of Lieutenant Palmer, Second Indian Regiment. My entire force at this point numbered 120 mounted cavalry (white), 140 dismounted cavalry (white), and thirty mounted Cherokees and 330 dismounted; the entire force under my command numbering 610 whit men and Indians.
On arriving at Cabin Creek, in the afternoon of the same day, I moved out to the south of that point with twenty- five men of the Second Kansas Cavalry, under command of Captain Cosgrove, Second Kansas Cavalry,for the purpose of ascertaining the position and force of the enemy. Moving south from the station at Cabin Creek there miles, I found the enemy strongly posted in a hollow on the prairie. Pickets were re- enforced and the train formed in a quarter circle,preparatory to an attack. At 12 o'clock on the night of the 19th [18th] my pickets were driven in and the enemy reported advancing in force. My lines were formed and the train was ordered to be parked in close order in rear of the stockade. At 1 o'clock [19th] the enemy opened with artillery and small- arms and moved upon my lines with a yell. At that time information was received that the enemy numbered from 600 to 800 men, and was not informed that they had any artillery until it opened fire upon my lines.
The enemy's lines were formed in a quarter circle covering my right and left flank, and the nearest estimate I could form of their numbers was between 2,000 and 2,500 and four or six pieces of artillery. (They numbered not less than 2,000 at the very lowest estimate and four to six pieces of artillery, some of them rifled guns.) The enemy formed in two lines with mounted men in the first line and dismounted in the rear line, a few paces in rear of the first. Two pieces of their artillery were posted in our immediate front an two pieces opposite that right flank, making a cross- fire on my line and the train. At the first charge of the enemy the teamsters and wagon- masters, with but very few exceptions, stampeded, taking with them one or more mules out of each wagon, leaving their trains and going in the direction of Fort Scott.
This rendered it impossible to move any portion of the train. The enemy was held in check from 1 a. m. by about 400 of my men until 7.30 o'clock, when they advanced upon my line, planting their artillery within 100 yards of our position, and our forces were compelled to fall back in disorder,leaving the train, excepting a few wagons and an ambulance that immediately move back on the Fort Scott road across Cabin Creek. I encouraged the men to hold out until daylight, at which time I was in hopes Major Foreman, Third Indian Regiment, with six companies of Indians and two howitzers would arrive and attack the enemy in the rear. In order to move the train across the creek to a more remote position, I made every effort to rally the teamsters and wagon- masters, and while attempting to accomplish this the enemy swung around my right flank and took possession of the road in our rear, rendering all efforts to move the train useless.
On seeing this, I collected all the scattered troops possible together and moved in the direction east of Cabin Creek, on Grand River, where I was in hopes of joining Major Foreman, and if possible retake a portion of the train. At daylight I sent a messenger to the commanding officer at Hudson's Crossing of the Neosho River to immediately join me with his entire force,and in doing so he would protect any parties or part of the train that might have fallen back in that direction. Finding it impossible to join Major Foreman, I sent a messenger to the commanding officer at Gibson informing him that the train had been captured, and I immediately marched for that place and arrived there on the morning of the 21st at 7 a. m.
I expected Major Foreman to join me on the morning of the attack, but I find he was not within forty- five miles of my position at the time the enemy moved upon me. The force sent under Colonel J. M. Williams I knew nothing of until my arrival at Gibson. I sent four messengers to Gibson, calling for re- enforcements, two of whom were cut of and captured, and consequently were not received by the commanding officer at the post, but every effort was made on his part to hurry up to my assistance all the force he could possibly spare.
I was not apprised that the enemy had more than 1,200 to 1,500 men, and did not expect they had any artillery, until they opened it upon my line at 10 o'clock in the morning. The night previous to the attack it was my understanding that Major Foreman, with 300 Indians and two mountain howitzers, would camp within nine or ten miles of the post at Cabin Creek and move on to re- enforce me at daylight next morning. It is my opinion that the enemy did not get away with more than 75 or 100 wagons, including Government wagons, sutler wagons, and ambulances. The remainder were destroyed at Cabin Creek. Great credit is due the commanding officer at Gibson in forwarding re- enforcements, and also to all the officers and men under my command throughout the entire engagement for their bravery and gallant conduct.
Lieutenant G. W. Smith, adjutant Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, rendered throughout the entire engagement very efficient service and prompt action. It is at this time impossible to forward the number of killed, wounded,and prisoners, but will forward as soon as possible the result. Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Wheeler, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, was on the field with me at the opening of the engagement. Three men of the Second Kansas Cavalry, taken prisoners two days before they attacked me, have just escaped from them, but at different times, and report their forces at from 4,000 to 5,000 and six pieces of artillery, General Gano commanding.
Very respectfully,
HENRY HOPKINS,
Major Second Kansas Cavalry.
Note. The following names are the full names from the above report.
1.Captain Henry P. Ledger 6rh., Kansas cavalry. Private, home St. Louis, Mo. Enlisted December 18, 1861, mustered in same day. Promoted Sergeant. Promoted Sergeant Major October 8, 1862. Sergeant Major, Promoted 1st Lieutenant Co. L, May 14, 1863. Promoted Captain June 18, 1863.
2. Andrew J. Waterhouse, Second Indian enlisted March 8, 1862, mustered in same day. Prom. 1st Lt. Co. H, 3d Ind. H. G. May 20, 1863.
3. Captain Ta- la- lah, Third Indian Regiment. Not found on roster.
4. Lieutenant Benjamin H. Whitlow, Third Indian. Home Humboldt enlisted October 7, 1861, mustered in March 4, 1862. Prom. 1st Lieutenant 3d I. H. G. July 11, 1862
5. Lieutenant John C. Palmer, Second Indian Regiment. Home Topeka enlisted July 16, 1861, mustered in same day. Prom. 1st Lt. 2d Ind. Home Guards Oct. 15, 1862.
6. Captain Patrick Cosgrove, Second Kansas Cavalry. Home Olathe mustered in March 2, 1864, Mustered out June 22, 1865, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
7. Major John A. Foreman, Third Indian Regiment. Home Lawrence. Promoted Major 3d Indian Regt., July 11, 1862.
8. Lieutenant George W. Smith, adjutant Thirteenth Kansas Infantry. Home St. Louis, Mo. Mustered in October 13, 1863. Mus. out June 26, '65, Little Rock, Ark.
9. Colonel John. B. Wheeler, Thirteenth Kansas Infantry. Home Troy mustered in September 20, 1862. Mustered out with reg. June 26, 1865.
10. Major Henry Hopkins, Second Kansas Cavalry. Home Leavenworth mustered in November 13, 1863. Mustered out Jan. 13, 1865, at Leavenworth, Kan.
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The following men were at the battle of Westport and Newtonia.
1. Captain B. F. Simpson, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, acting assistant quartermaster. There is no roster for this company.
2. Captain Richard J. Hinton, Second Kansas (colored), aide-de-camp. Home Washington, D. C. Mustered in October 21, 1863. No evidence of mus. out on file
3. Captain George J. Clark, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, acting ordnance officer. There is no roster for this company.
4. Colonel John T. Burris, late of the Tenth Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Home Olathe
Mustered in July 24, 1861. Mustered out with regiment August 20, 1864; promoted Brevet Colonel March 13, 1865.
5. Major Richard G. Ward, of the First Kansas (colored). Home Richmond, Ind. Mustered in April 22, 1865. Mustered out with reg. Oct. 1, 1865.
6. Captain Thomas E. Milhoan, late of the Tenth Kansas Volunteers. First Lieutenant, home Olathe mustered in July 16, 1861. Promoted Captain June 23, 1862. Mustered out Aug. 18, 1864, Leavenworth, Kan.
7. Captain A. J. Shannon, provost-marshal, District of South Kansas. Not found on any roster.
8. Company E, of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant W. B. Clark. There is no roster for this company.
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HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., April 2, 1862.
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
Headquarters Department of the Mississippi, Saint Louis, Mo.:
SIR: I have the honor to report that I arrived at this post yesterday evening, and immediately assumed the command of the district. J. W. DENVER,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
I have been unable at present to obtain accurate statistics of the numbers and stations of the troops within this district, but as near as I can ascertain they consist of the following regiments:
1. First Kansas (infantry), Colonel George W. Deitzler, stationed at Lawrence. Home Lawrence mustered in May 28, 1861. Wounded in action Aug. 10, 1861, at Wilson's Creek, Mo.; pro. Brig. Gen. Nov. 29, 1862.
2. : Second Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Robert B. Mitchell, stationed at Shawneetown. Home Mansfield mustered in June 20, 1861. Promoted Brig. Gen. U. S. Vols. April 8, 1862.
3. Third Kansas (infantry), Colonel Cloud, stationed at Mound City or Scott. No roster for this regiment.
4. Fourth Kansas (infantry), Colonel Cloud, stationed at Wyandotte. No roster for this regiment.
5. Fifth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Powell Clayton, at Fort Scott. Home Leavenworth
Mustered in December 28, 1861. Promoted Colonel March 7, 1862.
6. Sixth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel William R. Judson, at Fort Scott. Home Fort Scott. Mustered in July 27, 1861. Mustered out Mar. 11, 1865, Leavenworth, Kan.
7. Seventh Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Charles R. Jenison, at Lawrence. Home Leavenworth. Mustered in October 28, 1861. Resigned May 1, 1862.
8. Eighth Kansas (infantry), Colonel Robert H. Graham's, scattered, headquarters at Leavenworth City. Home Leavenworth, or it could have been Captain James M. Graham, Co. C., home Atchison mustered in November 7, 1861. Promoted Major December 21, 1863. Promoted Lientenant Colonel June 26, 1864. Resigned September 23, 1864, Atlanta, Ga.
9. Ninth Kansas (cavalry), Colonel Edward Lynde (incomplete), at Iola, near Humboldt. Home Grasshopper. Mustered in March 24, 1862. Mustered out Nov. 25, '64, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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1865. Captain Nathan Ames, Company A, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteers Cavalry, will move to-morrow morning to Lawrence, Kans. Home was Ottawa mustered in November 12, 1863. Mustered out with reg. December 6, 1865.
1865. Captain John Kendall, Company D, Sixteenth Kansas Volunteers Cavalry, will move to-morrow morning to Council Grove, Kans. Home was Leavenworth mustered in February 4, 1864. Dismissed the service per S. O. No. 276, Dept. Missouri, series of 1865.
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These three officers were in on one of the attacks for Quantrill.
1863. Lieutenant-Colonel Charles S. Clark, Ninth Kansas Volunteers, with headquarters at Coldwater Grove, was in command of the troops on the border of Little Santa Fe, including the stations at Aubrey, Coldwater Grove (13 miles south at Aubrey), Rockville (13 miles south of Coldwater Grove), Choteau's Trading Post (15 miles south of Rockville), and Harrisonville.
Charles S. Clark home was Iola mustered in Jan. 2, 1862. Mustered out Jan. 16, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
1863. Captain Nick L. Benter company of the Twelfth Kansas Infantry, which had been garrisoning Paola, he prepared to attack Quantrill at the ford of Bull Creek, 3 miles south of Paola.
Nick L. Benter home was Osage mustered in Sep. 26, 1862. Assassinated Apr. 2, 1864, Hot Springs, Ark.
The death of Captain Nick L. Benter or Beuter.
He was A. A. A. G. on Col. Adams’ staff, who was commanding a Brigade, Captain had got his work done and came to the camp of the 12th Regiment (headquarters of the Brigade and our Regiment was about five hundred yards apart) after he had been around and saw the officers he came to our tent, and there we had a social chat and passed time off first rate, and at 9 o’clock Captain left for Brigade headquarters, when about half way we heard the report of a gun, three shots were fired, we thought nothing of that for Lt. Col. Hayes gave orders to kill hogs for rations was getting scarce, everything was quiet in camp after that, the next morning Isaac Ricketts of company C, Forage master for the out-fit, came to my tent before day and told me there was a dead man in the road and he thought it was Capt. Beuter, but could not tell for it was dark. I got up and started for the place, and I found it was Capt. Beuter. I had him taken to camp and put in the tent, and report to Col. Adams. He was robbed of his money and Revolvers, his pockets was turned inside out, his hat was also gone. He was shot through the heart. We put him in an ambulance and took him with us that day, we camped on the south fork of Saline Creek, and there we left the remains of poor Captain. He was buried on a hill in a very nice place, sloping each way, covered with pine trees. He was buried with military honors. Capt. Beuter was more than an ordinary man. He had a good and noble heart; was well
posted in military affairs, and the best officer in the 12th Regiment. We miss him very much.
By. W. O. HUBBELL.
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1863. Captain Thomas P. Killen Co. H. Ninth Kansas.
Home was Carlyle mustered in Jan. 2, 1862. Mustered out Jan. 16, '65, DeVall's Bluff, Ark.
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Numbers 24. Report of Colonel James M. Williams, First Kansas Colored Infantry, commanding detachment Frontier Division, of engagement at Poison Spring.
CAMDEN, ARK., April 24, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of foraging expedition under my command: In obedience to verbal orders received from Brigadier-General Thayer, I left Camden, Ark., on the 17th instant with the following force, viz: 500 of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, commanded by Major Ward; 50 of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Henderson; 75 of the Second Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Mitchell; 70 of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Utt; one section of the Second Indiana Battery, commanded by Lieutenant Haines; in all, 695 men and two guns, with a forage train of 198 wagons.
I proceeded westerly on the Washington road a distance of 18 miles, where I halted the train and dispatched parts of it in different directions to load, 100 wagons, with a large part of the command under Major Ward, being sent 6 miles beyond the camp. These wagons returned to camp at midnight, nearly all loaded with corn. At sunrise n the 18th, the command started ont the return, loading the balance of the train as it proceeded. There being but few wagon loads of corn to be found at any one place, I was obliged to detach portions of the command in different directions to load the wagons, until nearly my whole available force was so employed.
At a point known as Cross-Roads, 4 miles east from my camping-ground, I met a re-enforcement of the following force, viz: Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, 375 men, Captain Cuncan; Sixth Kansas Cavalry, 25 men, Lieutenant Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry, 45 men, Lieutenant Ross; Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, 20 men, Lieutenant Smith, and two mountain howitzers from the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, Lieutenant Walker; in all, 465 men and two howitzers, which, added to my former force, made my whole command consist of 875 infantry, 285 cavalry, and four guns. But the excessive fatigue of the preceding day, coming as it did at the close of a toilsome march of twenty-four days, without halting, had so worn upon the infantry that fully 100 of the First Kansas (colored) were rendered unfit for duty. Many of the cavalry had, in violation of orders, straggled from their commands, so that at this time my effective force did not exceed 1,000 men.
At a point 1 mile east of this my advance came upon a picket of the enemy, which was driven back for 1 mile, when a line of the enemy's skirmishers presented itself. Here I halted the train, formed a line of the small force I then had in advance, and ordered that portion of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers which had previously been guarding the rear of the train to the front, and gave orders for the train to be parked as closely as the nature of the ground would permit. I also opened a fire upon the enemy's line from the section of Second Indiana Battery, for the double purpose of ascertaining, if possible, if the enemy had any artillery in position in front, and also to draw in some foraging parties which had previously been dispatched upon either flank of the train.
No response was elicited save a brisk fire form the enemy's skirmishers. Meanwhile the remainder of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers had come to the front, as also those detachments of cavalry which formed part of the original escort, which I formed in line, facing to the front, with detachment Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry on my left, and detachments Second and Sixth Kansas Cavalry on the right flank. I also sent orders to Captain Duncan, commanding Eighteenth Iowa volunteers, to so dispose of his regiment and the cavalry and howitzers which came out with him as to protect the rear of the train, and to keep a sharp lookout for a movement upon his rear and right flank.
Meanwhile a movement of the enemy's infantry toward my right flank had been observed through the thick brush, which covered the surface of the country in that direction. Seeing this, I ordered forward the cavalry on my right, under Lieutenants Mithchell and Henderson, with orders to press the enemy's line, fore it if possible, and at all events to ascertain his position and strength, fearing, as I did, that the silence of the enemy in front was but for the purpose of drawing me on into the open ground which lay in my front. At this juncture a rebel soldier rode into my lines and inquired for Colonel De Morse. From him I learned that General Price was in command of the rebel force, and that Colonel De Morse was in command of a force on my right.
The cavalry had advanced but 400 yards, when a brisk fire of musketry was opened upon them from the brush, which they returned with true gallantry, but were forced to fall back. In this skirmish many of the cavalry were unhorsed, and Lieutenant Henderson fell, wounded in the abdomen, while gallantry urging his men forward. In the mean time I formed five companies of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers with one piece of artillery on my right flank, and ordered up to their assistance four companies of the Eighteenth Iowa. Soon my orderly returned from the rear with a message from Captain Duncan, stating that he was so closely pressed in the rear by the enemy's infantry and artillery that the men could not be spared.
At this moment the enemy opened upon me with two batteries, one of six pieces in front, and one of three pieces on my right flank, pouring in an incessant and well-directed cross-fire of shot and shell. At the same time he advanced his infantry both in front and on my right flank. From the force of the enemy, now for the first time made visible, I saw that I could not hope to defeat him; but still I resolved to defend the train to the last, hoping that re-enforcements would come up from Camden. I suffered them to approach within 100 yards of my lines, when I opened upon them with musketry charged with buck and ball, and after a contest of fifteen minutes' duration compelled them to fall back.
Two fresh regiments, however, coming up, they again rallied and advanced against my lines, this time with colors flying and continuous cheering, so loud as to drown even the roar of the musketry. Again I suffered them to approach even nearer than before, and opened upon them with buck and ball, their artillery still pouring in a cross-fire of shot and shell over the heads of their infantry, and mine replying with vigor and effect; and for another quarter of an hour the fight raged with desperate fury, and the noise and din of battle of this almost hand-to-hand conflict was the loudest and most terrific it has ever been my lot to listen to. Again were they forced to fall back, and twice during this contest were their colors brought to the ground, but as often raised.
During these contests fully one-half of my infantry engaged were either killed or wounded. Three companies were left without an officer, and seeing the enemy again re-enforced with fresh troops it became evident that I could hold my line but little longer. I directed Major Ward to hold that line until I could ride back and form the Eighteenth Iowa in proper form to support the retreat of this advanced line. Meanwhile, so many of the gunners having been shot from around their pieces as to leave too few men to serve the guns, I ordered them to retire to the rear of the train and report to the commanding officer there. Just as I was starting for the line of the Eighteenth Iowa my horse was shot, and caused a delay long enough to obtain an mount another one, which done, I rode to the rear and formed a line of battle facing the direction in which the enemy was advancing.
Again did the enemy hurl his columns against the remnant of men which formed my front and right flank, and again were they met as gallantly as before. But my decimated ranks were unable to resist the overpowering force hurled against my line, and after a check had been given their advance, seeing that our line was completely flanked on both sides, Major Ward gave the order to retire, which was done in good order, forming and checking the enemy twice before reaching the rear of the train. With the assistance of Major Ward and other officer I succeeded in forming a portion of First Colored Regiment in rear of the Eighteenth Iowa, and when the enemy approached this line they gallantly advanced to the line of the Eighteenth Iowa maintained their line manfully, and stoutly contested the ground until nearly surrounded, when they retired, and, forming again, checked the advancing foe, and still held their ground until again nearly surrounded, when they again retired across a ravine which was impassable for artillery, and I gave orders for the pieces to be spiked and abandoned.
After crossing this ravine I succeeded in forming a portion of the cavalry, which I kept in line in order to give the infantry time to reach the swamp which lay in our front, which they succeeded in doing, and by this means nearly all except the badly wounded were enabled to reach camp. Many wounded men belonging to the First Kansas Colored Volunteers fell into the hands of the enemy, and I have the most positive assurances from eye-witnesses that they were nurtured on the spot. The action was commenced at 10 a. m. and terminated at 2 p. m. I was forced to abandon everything to the enemy, and they thereby became possessed of this large train, two 6-pounder guns, and two 12-pounder mountain howitzers. With what force could be collected I made my way to this post, where I arrived at 11 p. m. of the same day.
At no time during the engagement, such was the nature of the ground and the size of the train, was I able to employ more than 500 men and two guns to repel the assaults of the enemy, whose force I estimate at 10,000 men and twelve guns, from the statements of prisoners. The columns of assault which were thrown against my front and right flank consisted of five regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, supported by a strong force which moved upon my left flank and rear. I have named this engagement the action of Poison Spring, from a spring of that name in the vicinity. My loss during the engagement is as follows: Killed, 92; wounded, 97; missing, 106. Many of those reported missing are supposed to be killed. Others are supposed to be wounded and prisoners. The loss of the enemy is not know, but in my opinion it will much exceed our own.
The conduct of all the troops under my command, officers and men, was characterized by true soldierly bearing, and in no case was a line broken except when assaulted by an overwhelming force, and then falling back only when so ordered. The gallant dead, officers and men, all evinced the most heroics spirit, and died the death of true soldiers.
Very respectfully,
J. M. WILLIAMS,
Colonel First Kansas Colored Vols., Commanding Escort.
The following names are from the above report.
1. Colonel James M. Williams, First Kansas Colored Infantry.
Mustered in May 2, 1863. Pro.Brev.Brig.Gen Feb.13,'65.
Mustered out Pine Bluff, Ark. Oct.1, 1865.
2. Major Richard G. Ward, First Kansas Colored Volunteers.
Home was Richmond, Ind. Mustered in Apr.22, 1865, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, mustered out with reg. Oct. 1, 1865.
3. Lieutenant Robert Henderson, Sixth Kansas Cavalry.
Private, home Junction City enlister October 4, 1861, mustered in same day, Promoted 1st Sergeant October 20, 1861, then promoted 2d Lieut. Co. G, September 15, 1862. Promoted 1st Lieutenant January 1, 1864. Promoted Captain December 9, 1864. Captain Robert Henderson, Mustered out May 19, 1865, DeVall's Bluff, Ark; Wounded in action April 18, 1864, Poison Springs, Ark.
4. Lieutenant Mitchell, Second Kansas Cavalry.
To many Mitchell’s to decide on.
5. Lieutenant Utt, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry.
No roster for this regiment.
6. Lieutenant Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry.
7. Lieutenant William P. Phillips; Second Kansas Cavalry.
Private, home Topeka enlisted November 21, 1861, mustered in same day. Prom. Sergeant; prom. 1st Lt. Co. B, Jan. 11, 1864, Sergeant Reduced to ranks March 21, 1862, First Lieutenant mustered out June 22, 1865, at Fort Gibson, C. N.
8. Lieutenant Smith, Kansas regiment unknown.
9. Lieutenant Walker, Kansas regiment unknown.