The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-11
A FIGHTING FAMILY.
seven Baxter Brothers Who VaIiantIx
served Uncle Sam as Volunteers I'm the
War Of the Rebellion.

The splendid record of a fighting
family is tersely but interestingly told
by correspondent of The National
Tribune. AT the outbreak Of the war
thefe i1Ved In Indiana a patriotic fami-
~, Baxter by name. In this family
were eight brothers, seven Of whom
wore the Union blue in the war. some
from It's beginning-all to it's ending.
The Baxters were residents of Ief-
iefson County, and since the war they
nave been known as 1.-The fighting
family, this pseudonym having been
given them by their Hoosier nefghbors.
here is brief record of the brothers:
). X. Baxter volunteered as a private
In the 140th Ind, Col. Thomas Beady
commanding, and was commissioned
hospital Steward. He served in the
neld and local hospitals and on de-
tached duty in the dispensaries and
was regularly discharged at the close
of the war.
0. III. p. Baxter was one of the earl
lest gold-seekers i'm the Pixies Peak
tColoo gold fields. Besides being a
miner he was also a rancher and cat
tie man and banker. He lost at one
time about $4,000 worth of cattle.
The animals were grazing on the foot
Mills about Pixies Peak when they were
run Off by marauding band of In
dlans. Th1s SO incensed Baxter that
ne formed company of cavalry, and
as It's Captain joined Shivington's regi-
ment or Mountaineers, followed the In
dams to their encampment, and gave
them battle, killing about one-half of
.heir force of a thousand, men, women
and children. The remainder were
put to flight. The fact that young and
OLD or both sexes went down under the
merciless rifle fire Of the Mountaineers
gave this affair at the time among
some the title of the sand Creek Mas
sacre"
This affair cost Col. Chivington his
commission, as it was a saying among
the Westerners at the time The made
too big a killing at one time"
The next brother, Hiram b. Baxter.
volunteered in the 22d Ind, the first
commander Of which was Col Jeff C.
DAVIS. Hiram was promoted to be
Stone River. He was wounded and
captured at Perryville. but was soon
recaptured. He recovered from the
effects Of his wounds, but was again
wounded at Rome, Ga. He then went
to his home. and upon his recovery re-
cruited company. Joined new regi-
ment, and was discharged upon the
cessation Of hostilities.
Another brother. H. III. Baxter, be-
ing too young to volunteer, ran away
from home and Joined a brother at
Washington city, entering the 18th Ind.
tHcIe. ne was captured and parOled
at Little Rock, Ark, and later was
transferred to the heavy artillery, in
which branch Of the service he con-
tinued until discharged at the close of
the war.
George W. Baxter served in the 18th
Ind. one year. when he Joined the 7th
Ind. Cav. He was promoted to cap
taincy, and served to the close of the
war.
Edward A. Baxter who was too
young to enlist at the beginning of the
war, volunteered in one of the late
regiments, and served until peace was
declared.
Leonidas Baxter was but a strip of
a boy when the tocsin Of war was
sounded, but the patriotic fervor
burned within him. and near the close
of the conflict he ran away from home
and sought the acquaintantship OF a
Captain in one of the late regiments
He entered one of the companies, and
was honorably discharged when the
war was ended.
A remarkable feature of the record
of the seven Baxter brothers is that
all Of them are still alive. and at their
several homes, serving their country
in peace as good citizens. just as they
served in war as good soldiers