The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-06

the rebellion also, and two are on the
roll by private acts of congress.
Former Governor Samuel J. Craw-
ford Of Kansas, who commanded
Kansas regiment in the war OF the
rebellion, who was elected governor
signed as governor in October, 1868,
and took the field as colonel OF the
Nineteenth Kansas cavalry. Major H.
l. Moore, now vice president of the
Lawrence National bank, and once a
member of congress from Kansas,
commanded the batta1ions of the
Eighteenth, and was later lieutenant
colonel of the Nineteenth. Governor
Crawford, who spends his winters in
this city, wrote Representative Camp
bell q letter recently in which he paid
tribute to his old command and also
the Eighteenth He said.
MY Dear Sir am told that a bill
is pending before your committee
pension law of 1890 over the survivors
of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth
Kansas cavalry on account of services
against the wild tribes on our frontier
and in the then Indian Territory.
Both regiments rendered efficient and
valuable services From 1866 to 1869
a savage Indian war ragged along the
frontier settlements of Kansas and
Nebraska-frOm the Arkansas river to
the Platte The United States troops
were inadequate for the protection of
the settlements. In 1867 General I
ment, called upon the government of
Kansas for assistance; Whereupon the
Eighteenth was organized, mustered
into the United States service, and sent
to the field. The battalion patroled
the border and participated in a num-
Der Of engagements with the hostile
Indians On one occasion they met
the northern Cheyennes and Sioux
near the Republican river, in north
western Kansas, and fought a bloody
battle, which ragged for two days and
nights and in which q number of men
were killed and wounded. Soon after
mastering into the service the cholera
struck the battalion. and a mum Der of
the men died All in all, the battalion
experienced many hardships, priva- !
tons, and losses; but they saved the
lives and property of many of our
frontier people.
The Nineteenth was called into ser
vice by the governor upon a requisition
Of General Sherman in October, 1868 for /
a period of six months. The regiment |
/. 200 strong, was furnished with arms /
horses. etc, by the government |
and marched from Topeka on the 5th
of November, 1868. It joined General |
Sheridan at Camp Supply. in the west
eTn part of the Indian Territory (now
Oklahoma), on the 26th of November, |
and on December General Sheridan, |
with the Nineteenth Kansas and Sew !
enth Z. S cavalry, moved against the |
five wild tribes, which for three years
had been raiding the frontier settle |
ments of Kansas. After a tedious
march he struck the Indians on the |
Washita river. in the Panhandle of
Texas. and routed and pursued them by
forced marches until they were rounded |
up and captured. on the oath day of
December. in the vicinity of the Wichita |
Mountains.
THE campaign from start to finish, |
was made in the dead Of a severe win |
ter and through an unknown country /
A deep snow covered the entire line of
and the weather was intensely |
cold The Nineteenth, on the march |
from the Arkansas river to Camp Sup
ply, $50 miles, made their own road and |
most of the time subsisted on buffalo |
meat.
The horses and mule teams of both |
regiments. for want of forage and on |
account of hard usage. literally melted |
away and left the command with made |
duate transportation md most of the |
soldiers on foot and short of rations. I
The campaign. however was successful. |
The captive white women were recovered |
and the Indians never again ventured /
to raid the settlement and lines of trans I
portatiOn in Kansas
"These men deserve q pension and |
trust you may be successful in helning t
to secure the passage of the pending T
bill"