210
 

HISTORY OF  KANSAS.
 

plains, aud also the frontier setl-lemcnts must be abandoned unless prompt
action was taken by the Stale. Under tiuthority of Lieut. Gen. Shcruiau,
the following proclamation was issued by (.iov. Craxvford ou the 1st of
July, 1807.

Whereas, the centrtil and western portions of the .State of Kan-tis are now, and have
been for some time, overrun with roving bands of hostile Indians; and, whereas, Ihcsc In¬
dians, though claiuiing protection from the United tStatcs Guvcrnmenl, and regularly re¬
ceiving their annuities in due form, have, without cause, declared war upou the people of
this tstate; they have indiscriminately murdered, scalped, mutilated and rubbed hundreds
of our frontier settlers, and other parties iu W'cstci ti Ktins.is who were quietly attending to
their own lci,'itimate atl.iirs , tbt-y lia\ e aliuu-t cutirely cut oil' all commuuie-atiou between
Kausas and other XVestern Slates anel Territories; the men employed in the construction of
tbe Union I'acitic Railroad, Last ern Imision, have been el riven back, leaving many of their
number butchered and scalpcel upon the ground. Geu. Sherman and other United States
otiicers are doing all in tbeir jiuwcr to suppress hostilitic^, but theyhave not a sufficient
forte of United IStatcs troops tu execute tlicli design, and have called upou me for a battalion
of cavalry to aid in the work, I shall, thcicfure, as speedily as pos-ible, organize eight cuiii-
panies of volunteer cavalry to be mustered into the F nited -State- service lur ti period of six
months, unless sooner discharged. Said companies will be armed, ei]uipped and paid by the
General Government the same as other troops in the United State-s service.

Recruiting otiicers will be appointed as soon as the names of suitable persons can be
forwarded to this othcc.

I appeal to all guuel citizens of this .State to favor, facilitate and aid this elTort to protect
the lives and propei ly of our frontier settlers.

.S. J. Cr v\vi-ori>. Governor of Kan.sas.

These companies were to be raised, and scut forward to Fort Marker
to be mustered in, if possible, by the cud of the first xvcck in July, Arms
and supplies xvere forxvardcd from Letivenworth for their use.

Recruiting officers were immediately appointed and the battalion xvas
mustered into the United States service for a period of four months.

THE  EIGHTEENTH K.VNSAS  X'0LF:XTEER B.XTT.XLION.

This battalion xvas commanded by Altij. H. L. Aloore, of Lawrence,
formerly Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Arkansas Ctivalry. The line
officers xvere as folloxvs ; Company A, Captain, Ilenrj' Lindsay, Topeka,
Kan,; First Lieutenant, Thomas Hughes ; Second Lieutenant, John H,
Wellman. Company B, Captain, Edgar A. Barker; First Lieutenant,
John W. Price; Second Lieutenant, Samuel L. Hybarger. Company C,
Captain, Ceorge B. Jenness ; First Lieutenant, Pclcg Thomas ; ;Second
Lieutenant, James Reynolds. Company D, Captain, Dax'id L, Payne ; First
Lieutenant, John  Al.  Cain;  Second Lieutenant, Henry Hcgwer.

This battalion, which numbered ■iHx. including officers and enlisted
men, entered active service at once. A part of the command of Capt.
Arns, Tenth Cavalry, xvas attacked on the 21st of August, on the Repub¬
lican River, by a large force of Indians—reported from 800 to 1,000. Capt.
Arns had only about 1.50 men, tind after fighting until the evening of the
22d, was forced to fall back to the vicinily of Fort Harker. Three men
xvere killed and thirty-five xvounded. About forty horses x\'ere lost. Some
150 Indians xvere killed.

On the 30th of August, Alaj. Aloore, with the Eighteenth Kansas, had
an engagement with a portion of the same Indians and defetitcd them.
Alaj. Elliott, with a detachment of the Sex'cnth Kansas Cavalrj', met the
other portion, and drove them toxvard the head-waters of the Republican.
While the allied Indians—Chcj'cnnes. Arapahoes, Kiowas, Siou.x and
Comanches—were operating in ISorthwestern Ktinsas, roving bands of
Osage, AVichita and other tribes were raiding the southern and western
portion of the State. Cavalry was stationed at Fort Larned and on the
Little Arkansas, iu the spring of 1.^07, to patrol these sections of the
country and, if possible, secure its safety.

On the 2-Stli of October, 1867, a treaty of peace was concluded with
the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, at Aledicine Lodge Creek, seventy miles
south of Fort Larned. Gens. Sherman, Harney and Terry were Commis¬
sioners on the part of the Government, to conclude the terms of this
treaty, xvhich provided for the removal of the tribes to a reservation in the
Indian Territory, with privilege of hunting in Kansas as far north as the
Arkansas Kiver, and also provided them xvith arms.

The treaty made in October, 1868, was only observed by the Indians
until they xvere by its provisions xvell supplied xvith everything necessary
for tlic renewal of hostilities. Early in the spring, tibout 400 Cheyennes
and Arapahoes attacked the settlements of Southxvcstern Kansas, raiding
the State as far iuto the interior as Council Giovc, murdering and robbing
the inhabitants and capturing a large timount of stock and other property.
In August, at the very time that a portion of the tribe wi-rc receiving
their arms at Fort Larned, ticce^rding to the terms of the October treaty, a
ptirty of Cheyennes xvere cngage-d in one of their most cruel raiils in Ihe
JS'orlhxvcsl, tiltticking the settlements in Alitchcll, Ottaxva and lie-public
Counties, sweeping dowu through the vallcj's, murdering men, women anel
I'hildreu as they advanced. The main boily of these Indians then we-ui
to the north. <4ov. Craxvford, on receiving news of the disaste-r, xvent in
person by special train to Salin.a, xvhere- he organizcil a volunteer company
and moved to the relief of the settlers. He found that over forty had
been killed, many of them scalped aud their bodies mutilated. AVomen
had suffered a fate xvorsc than death. Houses xverc burned and stock was
stolen. From the Saline to the Republican—sixty miles—the settlements
xvere destroyed and the country uttcijy laid waste. The few surviving
settlers in Mitchell County had taki-u refuge in a stone corral ou Ashcr
Creek.

On liis return to Topi-ka, Gov. Crawford sent a dispiilcb to the Pre-si
dent, proposing to raise veduntee-rs to meet the cxigencj'. He concludes
his elispatch thus . " The stivagi- devils have become inlole-rtiblc, andniust
and shall be drive-n out of the .State. Gi-n. .Sheridan is doing and has done
all in liis power to protect our people, but he is powerless for xvtint of
troops. If volunteers tire nccdcil. I xvill, if desired, furnish the Government
all that may be ncccsstiry to insure a permanent and la-ting peace,"

A fexv days after scndin,g this elispatch, the Geivi-rnor received assur¬
ance from Cicn. Sheridan, then at Fort Harker, that the Indians xvould
be compelled by force to retire to their reservations, and that lo protect
the line of settlements, small block-houses would be erected on the Saline,
Solomon anil Republican, which would begttrrisoue-d xvith a small infantry
 

force, while a cavalry force would be employed in scouting between the
exposed points.                                                                                             /

Ctov. Crawford had more faith in a battalion of Kansas Volunteers
than in any service xvhich could be otherxvise rendered, and on the 14th of
September, 1868, issued his proclamation, calling into service for a period
of three months, five companies of cavalry to be organized from the militia
of the State, Each man to furnish his own horse ; arms, accoutcrments,
aud rations to be furnished by Gen. Sheridan. One company was to be
recruited in the Republican Valley, to rendezvous tit Lake Sibley; one
company in the Solomon Vallc}', to rendezvous at Ayersburg ; oue company
to rendezvous at Salina ; one at Topeka, and the fifth at Marion Center.
The Governor concludes his proclamation thus: "Asthe State has no
fund at present from xvhich tiic men hereby called into service can be paid,
it is expressly understood that till claims for service.' must await the action
of the Legislature." The five companies of militia called for were soon
organized and stationed tit different points on the frontier, protecting it
from the Nebraska line to AVichita, thus rehexdnga sufficient force of
United States troops to prosecute the war with some degree of vigor.
These companies of militia endured much hardship, and performed valu¬
able service.

On the 7th of September, Gen. Sully was dispatched by Gen. Sheridan
south of the Arkansas River wilh nine companies of cavalry to make war
ou the families and stock of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, in order to draw
to their own reservation the raiding bands in the northwest of the State.
On the 31st of September, Gen. Sully met a war party and killed 17. He
then proceeded toward the AVichita Mountains.

Gen. Sheridan, failing to secm'e peace with the Kiowas and Coman¬
ches, became convinced that a general Indian war was inevitable, and that
xvith the limited number of troops at his command he could not success¬
fully xvtigc a defensive, much less an offensive war. He was accordingly
aulhorizee^l by Lieut. Gen. W. T. Sherman, to call on the Governor of
Kansas for a regiment of cavalry, to be mustered in for six months, to
serve against the Indians on the" plains. Gov. Crawford's proclamation
calling for this regiment, was issued October 10, 1868, and was answered
promptly by the organization of a regiinent of cavalry.

NINETEENTH KANSAS  TOLDNTEEK CAVALRY.

This regiment was mustered into service October 20, 1868, under the
following officers :

Field and Staff.—Colonel, Samuel J. Crawford ; Lieutenant Colonel,
Horace L. Aloore ; Major, AVilliam C. Jones ;;Adjutaut, James M. Steele ;
Surgeon, Mahlon Bailey; Quartermaster, Luther A. Thresher, all of
Topeka.

Line Officers—Comptiny A, Captain,*Allison J. Pliley; First Lieutenant,
B. D. AVilson ; Second Lieutenant, Raleigh C. Powell. (Company A, raised
in Topeka,) Company B, Captain, Charles E. Reck; First Lieutenant,
Henry H. McCoUiste-r; Second Lieutenant, Charles H. Champney. (Com¬
pany B, raised in .Vtchison.) Company C, Captain, Charles P. Twiss ;
First Lieutenant, AValter J. Dallas ; Second Lieutenant, Jesse E. Parsons.
(Company C, raised in lola.) Company D, Captain, John Q. A. Norton ;
First Lieutenant, John S. Edie; Second Lieutenant, Charles H. Hoyt.
(Company D, raised in Lawrence.) Company E, Captain, Thomas J. Dar¬
ling ; First Lieutenant, AVilham B. Bidwell; Second Liieutenant, Charles
T Brady. (Company E, raised in Leavenworth.) Company F, Captain,
George B. Jenness ; First Lieutenant, De AVitt C. Jenness ; Second Lieu¬
tenant, John Felloxvs. (Company F, raised in Ottawa.) Company G,
Captain, Charles Dimon ; First Lieutenant, Richard D. Lender ; Second
Lieutenant, Alyron A. AVood. (Company G, raised in Fort Scott.) Com¬
pany H, Captain, David L. Payne ; First Lieutenant, Mount A. Gordon ;
Second Lieutenant, Robert AI. Steele. (Company H, raised in Troy and
Burlington.) Company I, Captain, Roger A. Elsworth ; First Lieutenant,
James J. Clancy ; Second Lieutenant, James AI. May. (Company I,
raised in Jackson and Jclferson Counties.) Company K, Captain, Milton
Stewart; First Lieutenant, Emmet Ryas ; Seconcl Lieutenant, Charles H.
Htillctt. (Company Ix, raised in AVyandotte and Junction City.) Com¬
pany L, Captain, Charles H. Finch ; First Lieutenant, Henry E. Stoddard ;
Second Lieutenant, Winfield S. Tilton. (Company L, raised in Johnson
and Aliami Counties.) Comptiny M, Captain, Sergt. Moody ; First Lieu¬
tenant, James Graham ; Second Lieutenant, James P. Hurst. (Company
AI, raised in Lyon, Riley and Pottawatomie Couuties.)

The Nineteenth Kansas numbered 1,200 men, and xvas commanded by
Gov. Crawford in person, he resigning his position as Governor, for the
purpose. The regiinent xvas mustered into the service at Topeka, and left
camp at that place on the 5th of November for the Indian country. On
the 14th the command crossed the Arkansas, tmd on the 28th joined Gen.
Sheridan on the North Canadian. On the 27th of the same month, the
Indians had been attacked in their camji on the Washita by Gen. George
A. Custer xvith a strong force ot lavalry. The attack was made about
midnight, and the camp xvas taken completely by surprise, the Indians
being unconscious of the presence ot the troops until the cavalry rushed
upon thera. The Inditins made a desperate resistance, but the lodges were
soon in possession of the Federal troops. The fight lasted several hours
before the band could be dislodged from the positions they took in the
ravines and other places of concealment in the vicinity, but they were all
finally killed, captured or dispersed ; 103 xvarriors, including Black Kettle
and White Rock, xvere killed. Fifty-one lodges, mostly Cheyenne, were
captured, bcsiilcs a great number of horses and mules. Gen, Custer lost
two officers and nineteen men killed, and three officers and eleven men
xvounded. The Indians did not recover from this severe blow, but fell
back as the troops of Sheridan's command advanced, and on the 24th of
December made an entire surrender, submitting to all the terms proposed
by the Government, and agreeing forever after to keep the peace. Twenty
of the leading chiefs were an-ested by Gen. Sheridan and held as hostages
until the xvhite captives were brought into the Federal camp and restored