Kansas Second Cavalry, In a Cation Santa Fe, Mo., Mar. 26, 1862..

Here is battle report on a fight between the Kansas Second Cavalry and the men of Quantrill. Nominally I will post a report and leave it at that. But back then they only give the last name of who they are talking about, back then the command and the war department new who was who. But for us researchers a 150 years later have no idea who they maybe talking about, as there is more then one person with the same name. So I decided to take a little more time and look up all of those involved and give the first names. At the end of the report I listed all those involved, with added information on them.

The reason I picked this report was because it read like a scene from a movie or a paragraph from a book. There is a lot of shooting and chases which always makes for some exciting reading.
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Major Charles Banzhof, commanding First Battalion Missouri Cavalry, a Report of Colonel Robert B. Mitchell, Second Kansas Cavalry.

HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT KANSAS VOLUNTEERS,
Camp Blair, March 24, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the night of the 22nd, in accordance with a request from and also in pursuance of a plan that I had been maturing for some time, I left camp with a detachment detailed from all the companies in this command, the detachment about 300 in number, with Majors Julius G. Fisk and James M. Pomeroy.

Quantrill, with a part of his gang, had burned the bridge between Kansas City and Independence, and it was contemplated by Major Charles Banzhof to march from Kansas City, and in conjunction with Colonel William Weer, Fourth Kansas, to surround and entrap Quantrill.

I left camp about 6.30 p. m. of the 22nd instant, reached Little Santa Fe about 10 o'clock that night, and sent Major James M. Pomeroy about 3 miles from the town, with instructions to arrest one David Tate, whom I had reason to believe was connected with Quantrill. Major James M. Pomeroy had with him a detachment of Companies D and E, under command of Captain Amaziah Moore and Lieutenant Elias S. Stover. When Major James M. Pomeroy reached the house he demanded entrance, and a gun was immediately fired through the door. He then called upon them to surrender, and to send out their women and children if they had any in the house. After waiting some time, while shots were fired from the house, he ordered a volley to be fired into the house.

The cries of women were then herd, when he ordered the men to cease firing. The women and children then came out and firing was resumed on both sides. Two of the men then came of one the windows and surrendered. They stated to major James M. Pomeroy that Quantrill was in the house with 26 men. Major James M. Pomeroy then threatened to fire the house, and upon their continued refusal to surrender he ordered the house to be fired, and an attempt was made to fire it, but without success. Major James M. Pomeroy and Private William T. Wills, of Company D, were at this time shot. Major James M. Pomeroy becoming disabled, Captain Amaziah Moore took command, and sent back to me requesting re-enforcements, so as not to let any of the men escape.

Captain Amaziah moore the house and they still refusing so to do, he ordered the house to be against set on fire, and this time the flames rapidly involved the house. The men in the house who were not wounded then burst out the weather boarding at the back of the house and ran for the timber immediately in the rear. Two were shot down as they ran - 1 killed instantly and 1 mortally wounded, who died about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The others escaped, and though the woods were carefully scoured, no traces of them were found. While the firing was taking several men were seen to fall in the house, and the prisoners stated when they were first taken that there were 4 or 5 wounded. Five bodies could be distinctly seen in the flames at the time I reached the spot with that Part of the command which was left behind.  I caused all the horses and horses equipments of the enemy to be gathered together and guarded and remained at the house until 6.30 o'clock in the morning, when I started for the house of one Wyatt. As we nearer the house 6 or 7 men were seen to break from it into the brush immediately adjoining the premises. I immediately dismounted some of my men and sent them into the brush, but succeeded in capturing only 2.

The command being without provisions, and being satisfied that Quantrill and those of his gang who had been in the locality had undoubtedly fled, I returned to the Tate House and started back to camp, leaving Captain Amaziah Moore's command, with 1 wounded. We reached camp about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. I had previously sent Lieutenant John F. Aduddell with 15 men to procure conveyance for the wounded and to take the stock and other property found at Tate's. He passed me on the way back to Tate's, and arrived with Captain Amaziah Moore's command and the wounded last night at 8 o'clock.

Our loss was as follows: Major James M. Pomeroy, severely wounded with a Minnie ball in the right thigh near the femoral artery; Private William T. Wills, of Company D, since died, with a Minnie ball in the right arm near the shoulder, and also with buck-shot in the groin and abdomen. We also lost 2 horses in the fight. The jayhawkers' loss was 5 killed or wounded and burned up in the house, 2 killed outside, and 6 prisoners. we took 25 horses, some of which have already been identified as belonging to parties in this State, from whom they were stolen, and about 20 sets of horse equipments. The 2 men killed outside of the house were named Rollen (brothers). The names of those killed and burned up in the house I am unable to ascertain.

I desire to express my gratitude to Major James M. Pomeroy, who after he was wounded still cheered on his men; to Captain Amaziah Moore, Lieutenant Elias S. Stover, and the men of their immediate command, for their gallantry and good behavior.

I have the honor to be, your very obedient servant, ROBT. B. MITCHELL, Colonel Second Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
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1. Robert B. Mitchell, Colonel. Residence Mansfield, Mustered in June 20. 1861, Promoted Brig. Gen. U. S. Vols. April 8, 1862.

2. Major Charles Banzhof, 1st Regiment Cavalry Volunteers, Enlisted September 6, 1861, Jefferson Barracks Missouri, transferred to Missouri 7th., cavalry, resigned and honorably discharged by S. O. 105, April 20, 1863, at St Louis Missouri.

3. Colonel William Weer, Fourth Kansas Volunteers, Residence Wyandotte, Mustered in June 20, 1861. Dismissed from the service by G. O. No. 123, dated Headquarters Dept. of Mo., St. Louis, Aug. 20, 1864. The Fourth would be reorganized and become the Tenth Infantry.

4. Major James M. Pomeroy, Residence Leavenworth, Mustered in Feb. 28, 1862. Transferred. to 9th Kan. Cavalry. by G. O. No. 1, dated Headquarters Kansas State Militia, March 27, 1862.

5. Major Julius G. Fisk, Residence Quindaro, Mustered in Jan. 1, 1862 Mustered out Apr. 18, 1865, at Little Rock, Ark.; Wounded in action Nov. 28, 1862, at Cane Hill, Ark.

6. David Tate, no information was found on him.

7. Captain Amaziah Moore, Residence Lawrence, Mustered in Dec. 11, 1861, Resigned on account of physical disability Aug. 12, 1863.

8. Private Elias S. Stover, Residence Junction City, Enlisted Nov. 8, 1861, Mustered in Nov. 8, 1861. Promoted 1st Lieutenant, December 16, 1861. Promoted Captain Co. B, November 29, 1863. Mustered out June 22, 1865, at Fort Gibson, C. N.

9. Private William T. Wills, Residence Muscotah, Enlisted Nov. 25, '61, Mustered in Nov. 25, 1861. Killed in action near little Santa Fe, Mo., Mar. 26, 1862.

10. First Lieut. John F. Aduddell Residence Albion Ill., Mustered in Oct. 28, 1861 Pro. Capt. Jan. 26, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 19, 1865.

11. No information found for these Jayhawker’s, nor for the Rollen brothers.