Rebel invasion of Missouri and Kansas, and the campaign of the army of the border against General Sterling Price, in October and November, 1864 online

NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES



3 3433 07952560



1 k' ^_



( H






REBEL INVASION

OF

MISSOURI AND KANSAS,



AND THE



CAMPAIGN



OP



THE ARMY OF THE BORDER,



AGAINST GENERAL STERLING PRICE,



IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, 18&4.



By RICHARD J. H IN TON,

l

Late Captain '2d Kansas Col'd Vols.



SECOND EDITION.



CHICAGO:

CHURCH & GOODMAN, 5:) LaSALLE STREET,
LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS:

F. W. MARSHALL,

18G5.



THE NEW YOF.K

PUB. RARY

365165A

TILb.

K 1928 L



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865,

By CHURCH, GOODMAN & DONNELLEY,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States,

For the Northern District of Illinois.



PRINTED BY

CHURCH, GOODMAN & DONNELLEY,

LA SALLE ST., CHICAGO.



CHICAGO TYPE FOUNDRY:

J. CONAHAN,

8TEREOTYPBR.



COX & DONOHUE,

BOOKBINDERS.



PREFACE.



The work, of which these words are introductory, is designed to be a full
and impartial narrative of the stirring events which occurred in the cam-
paign whose progress and results it tells. The author has not aimed at
criticism, except those obvious remarks which naturally grow out of the
body of works of this character. It has been his desire to do justice where
it was due; not to give fulsome panegyric. Having participated in the
operations recorded, with every opportunity of knowing all necessary
details, as well as the reasons which actuated the policy and movements oi
those in command, the author hopes he has succeeded in his main purpose —
that of telling plainly the history of an important campaign, and thereby
adding a valuable contribution to the great work which shall one day tell
the story of the Great Rebellion.

His secondary object — that of recording the services and sacrifices of our
volunteers, and especially of the Militia of Kansas — he is hopeful of having
properly accomplished.



CONTENTS.



CHAPTER I.
Introductory 3

CHAPTER II.
General Price crosses the Arkansas — Organization of the Rebel Army. 11

CHAPTER III.
Invasion of Missouri — Battle of Pilot Knob 15

CHAPTER IT.
Movements in the Department of Kansas — Proclamation of Martial Law 28

CHAPTER V.
Grand uprising of the People of Kansas 41

CHAPTER VI.
Affairs in the City and at Fort Leavenworth 49

CHAPTER VII.
Generals Curtis and Blunt take the field — Organization of Troops 56

CHAPTER VIII.

March to Lexington — Preparations at the Big Blue — Movements of

Militia ^

CHAPTER IX.
Battle of Lexington 84

CHAPTER X.
Battle of the Little Blue 92

CHAPTER XI.
March of Rosecrans' Cavalry from Jefferson City to Independence 106

CHAPTER XII.
Battles on the Big Blue and State Line 122

CHAPTER XIH.
Battle of Westport 149

CHAPTER XIV.
General Pleasanton's Operations on the twenty- third 168

CHAPTER XV.
Pursuit of Price down the State Line 183



11. CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVI.
Attack on the Mound — Battles of Marias des Cygnes and Mine Creek. . 197

CHAPTER XVII.

Engagements at the Little Osage and Chariot — March of Moonlight —
Engagements at Mound City and Fort Lincoln — Rebel Camp on
Dry wood Creek — Ours at Port Scott and Marmaton 220

CHAPTER XVIII.

Fort Scott during the Invasion and the Battles of the 25th — Martial law

abolished, and Militia disbanded — Proclamations of the Governor. 240

CHAPTER XIX.

Pursuit from Fort Scott — Battle of Newtonia — General Rosecrans 1

Orders — Consequent abandonment of the Pursuit 259

CHAPTER XX.

Resumption of Pursuit — Route of the Rebels — The Pea Ridge Battle-

Field — Attack on Fayetteville — Gallant defense 219

CHAPTER XXI.

From Fayetteville to the Arkansas River — Termination of the Pursuit

— Storm on the Arkansas — General Orders 289

CHAPTER XXII.
The Homeward March — Incidents — Results of Campaign 304

CHAPTER XXIII.

General Orders and Congratulations 313

APPENDIX.

In Memoriam 322

Horatio Knowles 323

Daniel M. Brown — Dr. L. M. Shadwick — Joseph Stout — Warren

Hawkins — Albert McGonigle 324

Wm. A. Delong — Emmet Goss — Orloff Norton 325

Charles V. Hyde 326

Rev. Richard Vernon 327

John Miller— Elder Williams— G. L. Gove 328

James Nelson Smith 330

H. C. Covil 332

Harvey G. Young — Daniel Handley — Nicholas Brown — George Grinold

— McClure Martin— C. H. Budd 333

Leu Selkin — Merrick D. Race 334

James Mavrers — Aaron Cook 335

David Fults 336

Major-General S. R. Curtis 339

Hon. James H. Lane 342

Brigadier-General John McNeil 345

Battle of the Little Osage 34?



ARMY OF THE BORDER.



CHAPTER I



INTEODUCTOEY.



While east of the Mississippi River success crowned
our arms during; the entire current of the eventful
year 186-4, west thereof we were generally defeated :
two splendidly equipped armies almost routed, each
only saving themselves by great loss of material, as
well as of men. At the same time, in a portion, at
least, of the Trans-Mississippi region, over which our
rule had most successfully re-established, by reverses
to our arms the rebels succeeded, if not in reinstating
themselves, at least in rendering our control preca-
rious, and confining the Federal garrisons within the
limits of their posts.

When 1804 opened upon the western scene of war,
it looked on much of the States of Arkansas and
Louisiana under control of our arms: on the rebel



4 ARMY OF THE BORDER.

Indians and their allies in the territory west of
Arkansas, broken and discomfited ; upon attempts
to re-organize loyal state governments in the afore-
named states, and upon an apparently discouraged
and defeated foe.

Major-General Banks commanded the Department
of the Gulf, which included Louisiana and Texas.
Major-General Fred'k Steele commanded the Depart-
ment of Arkansas (which was included in the
Division of the Mississippi, under General W. T.
Sherman). Major- General Rosecrans that of Mis-
souri ; and Major-General S. R. Curtis that of
Kansas. The latter comprised the State of Kansas,
the Indian Territory and the Territories of Nebraska
and Colorado. At this time General Banks was
earnestly engaged in reconstructing the Louisiana
State Government. In Arkansas the Union people
were engaged in the same laudable task. Our
armies in both States had been hitherto successful.

This was the position when, in March, the Red
River expedition set forth under General Banks. In
April following, a conjoint movement, or what was
presumed to be such, was made by General Steele
from Little Rock and Fort Smith, in the direction of
Camden. The results of those ill-starred movements
is now historic. It becames necessary to allude to
to them, however, in order to make complete the
position in which we stood at the time the rebel
Lieut. -General Sterling. Price made his last great
raid — one which, in distance from base, extent of



INTRODUCTORY. 5

country traversed, and objects aimed at, was hardly
less stupendous in character to those whose magnifi-
cent success have illumined with new lustre the
name of General Sherman. The similitude ends,
however, when success is named.

By the disastrous results of the spring campaigns
under Banks and Steele, the rebel forces in their
Trans-Mississippi Department, from the position of
defense were enabled to assume the offensive. Our
forces in the Department of the Gulf were at once
concentrated by their new commander, General
Canby, who was also intrusted with the direction of
affairs in Arkansas and the Indian Territory, which
latter region had been annexed to General Steele's
department. The rebel forces numbered about
50,000 men. The Confederate General, Kirby
Smith, in supreme command. Lieutenant-General
Maerruder commanded in Texas ; General Dick
Taylor in Louisiana ; while General Sterling Price
commanded what remained of the rebel Missouri
army, consisting of Marmaduke's division of cavalry,
Major-General Shelby's old brigade, the infantry
under General Parsons, and the Arkansas rebel regi-
ments under General Fagan. General Cooper had
command of the rebel Indians, in the territory
between the Red and Arkansas Rivers, assisted by a
couple of Texas brigades, under Generals Gano and
Maxy.

Price had about 10,000 veteran troops, well armed,
equipped and clothed. Jackman, Dobbins, Brooks,



6 AEMY OF THE BOEDEB.

and others were busily engaged bushwhacking and
conscripting in all sections of Arkansas, except the
immediate vicinity of the posts held by General
Steele. Durinsr the summer he succeeded in con-
scripting about 8,000 men, a large number of whom
were boys and old men, unfit for and incapable of
withstanding the fatigues and hardships incidental to
all military service ; but especially so to that of the
Trans-Mississippi Confederate armies with their ill-
supplied quartermaster bureau. From the spoils of
Red River and Camden, General Price received a
good share of transportation, clothing, small arms,
several Parrott guns; two captured at Pleasant Hill,
La., and two from the 8th Indiana battery, Captain
Rabb, captured at Poison Spring, near Camden, Ark. ;
four guns taken by Fagan at the Mark Mills, Ark,,
fight, and several howitzers, also taken in the same
campaign.

During the summer, the utmost activity prevailed
anions; the rebels in Western and Northern Arkansas.
Our forces were stationed principally at Fort Smith
and Little Rock. We had been compelled to with-
draw the troops from all smaller stations. Nothing
of importance, therefore, interfered with the perfect-
ing, by General Price, of the army with which it was
rumored he projected an invasion of and wintering in
Missouri.

General Rosecrans found himself actively engaged
in ferreting out and providing against the great rebel
conspiracy which threatened, at one time during the



INTRODUCTORY. 7

summer of 1864, to plunge the States of Indiana,
Illinois, as well as Missouri, into civil war. This
treasonable organization, known as the " Order of
American Knights," had received its impetus in
Missouri ; alike from Northern sympathizers and
from the agents of General Price ; as elsewhere in
the Northwest, the impelling force was the Vallan-
digham Democrats. It is well established that the
movements of Price were expected by those con-
nected with the order. There is no doubt the great
raider relied upon receiving aid from this source by
movements not only in Missouri, but also in Illinois ;
and that through them he confidently hoped to
revolutionize Missouri again and re-establish the
Confederate State Government. What is known in
the local military and political history of Missouri as
the Paw-Paw rebellion, was, without doubt, origi-
nally intended to aid Price's movements. Its pre-
mature disclosure, however, prevented this, and
caused its speedy suppression.

For months rumors were rife in sympathizing cir-
cles, and among the bushwhackers in Missouri that
" Pap Price" (as the general is familiarly known by
his admirers) would soon be in the state with a lar<xe
army. It was generally credited by our troops
stationed on the river and elsewhere in Arkansas,
that the rebel general intended an advance north-
wards ; yet this was hardly deemed possible by the
distinguished soldier commanding at St. Louis. If
General Steele knew or credited the rumor, it does



8 ARMY OF THE BOEDER.

not appear that he took action thereon. As for
General Curtis, in command at Fort Leavenworth,
fully occupied with the important duties entrusted
to his inadequate forces, it is not surprising that he
should have deemed it both monstrous and impossi-
ble that a rebel army could march unchecked in the
slightest degree, for over two hundred miles beyond
our advanced lines, into the very heart of our terri-
tory ; not only without resistance, but almost un-
known to the commanding officer of the department
immediately concerned.

In Kansas, the military force looked miserably
insufficient to successfully cope with the enemy, so
soon to threaten the security of that state. The
nomadic Indian tribes roaming near the important
Santa Fe and California roads, had become suddenly
and fiercely hostile, committing simultaneously
savage atrocities and depredations upon life and
property along, not only the overland routes, but
the unprotected settlements in Kansas, Nebraska
and Colorado.

To meet this emergency, as well as to guard the
eastern and southern borders of Kansas, and protect
the posts and depots of the army, General Curtis'
force consisted of about 4,500 men. The vast terri-
tory and the long lines of inter-communication
rendered the handling of this small force, for the
objects to be accomplished, one of extreme difficulty.

The troops in the Department of Kansas consisted
partly of the 1st and 3rd Colorado volunteer cav-



INTRODUCTORY. 9

airy (the latter an hundred clay regiment, since mus-
tered out) ; a portion of the 1st Nebraska cavalry,
Colonel Livingston ; some three months Nebraska
troops ; a battalion of the 7th Iowa cavalry, and
about 300 unassisrned recruits of the 3rd Wisconsin
cavalry. These troops were all employed upon the
overland mail routes, and in protecting the Frontier
and Colorado settlements, and were in themselves in-
adequate for that purpose. In Kansas itself were
the 11th regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, Colonel
Thomas Moonlight; the 15th Kansas Volunteer
Cavalry, Colonel Charles li. Jennison ; a small bat-
talion of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry, with a section
of the 2nd Kansas Battery, at Fort Scott, which post
was under command of Colonel Charles W. Blair,
14th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry; the 16th Kansas
(at Fort Leavenworth and Northern Kansas ;) a new
cavalry organization just completed ; and the 17th
Regiment (a battalion of six companies, one hundred
day men) : these, with McLain's Independent Colo-
rado Battery, and Captain Dodge's 9th Wisconsin
Battery, constituted the entire volunteer force under
command of General Curtis.

At the beginning of September and the date of
Price's movement northward, Major-General Curtis
was in the vicinity of Fort Kearney, with an hastily
gathered force of volunteers and citizens, endeav-
oring to find the Indian enemy. Major-General Jas.
G. Blunt, who had just assumed command of the
District of Upper Arkansas (a command created



1.0 ARMY OF THE BOEDEE.

from the region threatened by Indians in Western
Kansas and Colorado, south of the Solomon River,)
was at this time out beyond Fort Larned, in pursuit
of a large force of warriors whom he met and
defeated.

Major-General Sykes was in command of the
District of Southern Kansas, with head quarters at
Lawrence. This section was divided into three
sub-districts under command of Colonels Jennison,
Moonlight, and Blair. The supplies for Forts Gibson
aud Smith on the Arkansas, both for troops and
Indian refugees, were mainly furnished from Fort
Scott. The protection of route and trains engaged
all the force stationed in South-Eastern Kansas. At
this time great activity prevailed, owing to the
constant alarm and danger to trains on our Southern
border, created by the energy of the rebel General
Gano, who was operating in the Cherokee nation,
along the route to Fort Gibson. Such was the state
of affairs in the Departments of Kansas, Missouri
and Arkansas, at the time the rebel General com-
menced his northward march from South- Western
Arkansas.



CHAPTER II.



GENERAL PRICE CROSSES THE ARKANSAS — ORGANIZA-
TION OF THE REBEL ARMY.

Lieutenant-General Sterling Price, C. S. A.,
crossed the Arkansas River at Dardennelles, a village
in Pope county, Arkansas, about equi-distant from
Little Rock and Fort Smith, the two principal posts
occupied by our troops. It is a position of military
importance, and before the spring campaign of '64,
was held by the 3d regiment Arkansas Volunteers.

The rebel army has been variously estimated at
from 5,000 to 15,000 men. General Steele's first
telegrams, announcing their advance, estimated them
at 5,000, all mounted. He again reported it from
5,000 to 10,000, mostly infantry, and later, at J 5,000
mounted men, with 20 guns.

Their operations showed the rebel army conr isted,
at the time of crossing, of about 1 8,000 armec men,
nearly all of whom were mounted. Some th T ae or
four thousand recruits and conscripts were add 'd in
Northern Arkansas.



12 ARMY OF TIIE BOEDER.

This force was organized into three divisions,
under the command respectively of Brevet Major-
Generals Fagan, Marmaduke and Joe Shelby.

Fagan's troops were in the main, veteran Arkan-
sians. His brigades were commanded by Brigadier
Generals Cabell, McRae, Slemmons, and Colonel
Dobbins. Anion 2: the Colonels and Regimental
Commanders, were Munroe, Hills, Gordon, Reeves,
Baker, Crandall, Crawford, Witts, McGee and
Anderson ; Lieutenant-Colonels Reefe, Crabtree and
Corcoran. The division had two Parrott guns, two
rilled guns, made in Texas, six howitzers, and one
inch-and-a-half rilled gun, used for picking off artil-
leryists, and said to be very effective ; in all eleven.

The second division was commanded by Marma-
duke, and consisted of the cavalry of the Missouri
State Guard, an organization which, under Price, has
from the beginning seen much service. Its brigade
commanders were Brigadier Generals Clarke,
Graham and Tyler. Its regimental commanders
were Colonels Freeman, Lowe, Bristow, Green,
Jeffries, Burbridge, Fauthers and Kitchen, with
Majors Wood and Wolfe. It had four Parrott and
James' rifled guns, captured on the Red River, and
two or three light howitzers.

Shelby's division was composed mainly of the old
bushwacking, raiding force of Southern Missouri,
increased by a rigorous conscription in Northern
Arkansas. The notorious partizan leader, Jeff. M.
Thompson, commanded Shelbv's old brigade, and



EEBEL ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITY. 13

the infamous guerilla, Colonel Jackman, commanded
the other. Among the Colonels, were Smith,
Hunter, Slayback, Coffey, Coleman and Schnable.
Lieutenant-Colonels, Irwin and Elliott, with Major
Shaw, and Captain Smith commanding the artillery,
which consisted of six guns, two of them captured
Parrotts. General Tyler was afterwards placed in
command of a division, composed of the recruits
and conscripts gathered in Missouri.

The .route of this army in Northern Arkansas Mas
through the counties of Pope, Van Buren, Scare)',
Izard, Fulton and Lawrence. The rebel movements
were unmolested and conducted in the most leisurely
manner.

The contradictory intelligence which for two or
three weeks reached St. Louis and Little Rock,
served only to confuse Generals Rosecrans and
Curtis. General Steele, who had been largely re-in-
forced by several thousand infantry, does not seem to
have been very active. The rebels showed great
activity in the neighborhood of our posts in Western
Arkansas, and by demonstrations in the vicinity of
Forts Smith, Gibson, at Cane Hill, Clarksville, Fay-
etteville, and along the supply route in the Indian
Territory. General Gano moved along the latter
line with two brigades of cavalry, one of Texans
and the other of Indians, under Stand Waitie, the
rebel Cherokee leader. The rebels, Colonel Brooks
and Major Buck Brown, whose operations in Wash-
ington and Benton counties, Arkansas, had kept our



14 ARMY OF THE BOEDER.

troops at Fayette ville on the alert all summer, were
reported at Clarksville, while other forces, marauding
parties mainly, were reported at Cane Hill, Crawford
county. ' By these means and this activity, our
intelligence was confused, and the attention of our
officers directed from the rebel line of march.



CHAPTER III,



INVASION OF MISSOURI BATTLE OF PILOT KNOB.

General Curtis was encamped upon the Solomon
River in "Western Kansas, returning from an expe-
dition against Indians, when Price crossed the
Arkansas.

The despatch from Major-General Rosecrans sug-
gested that their route northward was probably by
way of Pilot Knob ; whence they could overrun
Southern Kansas, and join General Cooper in the
Indian Territory.

The force under General Rosecrans was mainly
new troops ; most of the veteran regiments had been
removed, a large portion to General Steele after the
disasters of the previous spring. The commander in
Missouri, warned, not of an expected rebel invasion,
but by the Paw-Paw insurrection and the discovery
of the Order of American Knights, had shortly
before this period obtained authority to raise a num-
ber of provisional regiments for the period of twelve
months. The organization of this force was under



16 ARMY OF THE BOEDER.

way, at the time Price's army entered the state at
West Plains. These regiments and the state militia
materially aided our subsequent success. At the
same time the dispatch relative to the rebel advance
was received, Colonel Blair at Port Scott, Kansas,
received dispatches from Colonel Wattles, 2nd Regi-
ment Indian brigade, commanding at Fort Gibson,
C. N., announcing that the rebels under Cooper,
Gano and Maxy, were advancing through to the
Choctaw Nation, with apparent intention of crossing
the Arkansas. Colonel Wattles also reported Price's
army at 15,000. General Curtis returned from the
west on the 17th, and immediately commenced such
preparations for defence as his very limited force
would allow.

On the 19th of September a supply train for Forts
Gibson and Smith, which left Fort Scott on the
12th, under Major Henry Hopkins, 2nd Kansas
Cavalry, was attacked at Cabin Creek, Cherokee
Nation, at midnight, by a rebel force under General
Gano, numbering about 2,500, with several rifled
guns. Our force consisted of one hundred and fifty
cavalry, same of dismounted men (white), thirty
mounted Cherokees and three hundred and thirty
infantry (Indians) ; in all six hundred and ten.
The enemy was held in check by four hundred of
the escort from 1 P. M. to 7£ A. M., when the
rebel line advanced and ours was driven back,
fleeing in disorder. They captured the train of
three hundred wagons, about half belonging to Gov-



KANSAS MILITIA CALLED FOK. 17

ernment, the balance, sutlers' and refugee sup
plies. The major portion of the train was burnt by
the enemy. A number of our forces were killed,
wounded and taken prisoners.

This event showed the perilous condition of the
Southern border, with the small force at our disposal,
and the activity of the enemy. It was a loss of
great magnitude, depriving this supply route of its
transportation, and put the garrisons on the Arkansas
in danger of starvation. Reports were prevalent
also, of Price's presence at Cane Hill, Arkansas.

On the 24th, Governor Carney was informed of
the approaching danger, and requested to have the
militia in readiness to co-operate for the defense of
the State. Promises were made to the Governor,
that, so far as possible, they should mainly be
employed as garrisons, during the continuance of
danger. On the night of the 24th, Gen. Rosecrans
received information of the rebel advance into Mis-
souri, by way of Poplar Bluffs and Bloonrfield,
through Butler and Stoddard comities.

Major General George Sykes, commanding the
District of South Kansas, telegraphed on the 21st, a
report of three thousand rebels marching on Fort
Scott, and advised that Governor Carney call out the
militia, in the border counties. He also suo;«;ested the
concentration of the 15th Regiment Kansas Volun-
teer Cavalry, at Fort Scott. Two companies of the
17th Regiment (100 days men,) Kansas Volunteers,
were sent to Paola, under Lieutenant-Colonel Drake.
2



18 ARMY OF THE BORDER.

The Governor made a call upon the border militia
as requested.

The telegraphic despatches came faster and still
more contradictory from General Rosecrans at St.
Louis, while nothing seemed definitely known of
Price's movement, though his army at this time, was
within a few miles of the south line of Missouri.

On the 24th, General Rosecrans telegraphed Gen-
eral Curtis, " that he does not credit" General
Steele's dispatches that "Price with 5,000 to 10,000
mounted infantry, and seventeen pieces of artillery,
was at Pocahontas on the 22d. On the 25th he
found reason to believe " that Price is north of the
Arkansas line in South Missouri." On the next day,
that his " present" impression is, that Price will move
toward Jefferson City, between Rolla and Lebanon,
and pass out towards Kansas. He advised against
any movement too far South, but urged waiting till
Price's strength and intentions in Missouri were
developed. On the 28th, he was again incredulous.
Shelby had been reported at Pocahontas, and was