Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-09-02
Report Of w. G. QuantreII.

lowing report Of my march from the
Missouri river to the Canadian, a
distance Of $50 miles:
started on the morning Of Oct.
I'd at daybreak and had I'm uninter-
rupted march until night. and camp
ed on Grand river for three hours,
then marched to the Usage We con-
tinued the march from day to day,
taking a due southwest course, leav-
ing Carthage IL miles east, cross
ing Shoal creek at TIE Falls, then 60
ing due south into the Seneca Ma
ton.
On October 9Th, about : q. II. the
advance guard reported q train
ahead. ordered the ad 'ance 10
press on and ascertain the nature Of
it. Capt. Brinker being in com"
mand of the advance, soon discov-
cred an encampment, which he sup
posed to be the camp of the train,
but in this he was mistaken. 1t
proved to be the camp belonging
to Fort Baxter, recently built and
garrisoned with negroes, As miles
south of Fort Scott, Kan. When the
advance came near the camp they
saw that they we're not discovered
and they fell back for short dis
lance to wait for the command to
come up. l now ordered the col
umn to close in and form by fOurs
and charge, and leading the head
of the column myself, with Captains
Brinker and Pool; took about one
half the column to the encampment
which they had discovered, still be-
ing ignorant of the fort. The neg
roes took shelter behind their quar-
tiers, and having no support, my men
were compelled to fall back. Not
knowing myself where the fort was,
I took three companies-Captains
Todd, Estes and Garrett, in all l5O
men-out on the prairie north OF
the camp and discovered a train
with 1875 men as an escort, which
proved to be Major-General Blunt
and staff, with body-guard and head
quarters train moving from Fort
Scott, Kan. to Fort Gibson, Ark. !
Immediately drew up in line OF bat
tie, and at this time heard heavy
firing on my left. and riding out dis
covered for the first time the fort.
with at least half of my men engag-
ed there. / ordered them to join
me, which they did Immediately on
the double-quick. Gen. Blunt form
ed his escort, still in doubt as to
who we were. / now formed ESQ
men of all the companies and ord
cred a charge. Up to this time not
shot had been fired, nor until we
we're within so yards Of them, when
they gave us volley too high to
hurt anyone, and then fed in the
widest confusion over the prairie.
We soon closed upon them, making
fearful havoc on every side. We
continued the chase about four
miles, when l called the men of,
only leaving about 40 of the enemy
alive. On returning we found the
had left us nine six-mule wagons
we'll loaded, one buggy General
Blunt's), one fine ambulance, one
fine brass band and wagon fully
rugged.
Among the killed were Gen. Blunt,
Majors Curtis, Sinclair and Hen
ming. Capt. Tufft and three Lieut.
enants of the stan, and about 80
privates of the escort. My loss here
was one man killed (Wm. Bledsoel
and John Coger severely wounded.
In the charge on the fort my loss
was two men killed and three wound
ed. Federal loss at the fort was one
Lieutenant and IL privates killed.
number of wounded not known.
We have as trophies two stand
of coIors, Gen. Blunt's sword, his
commission (Brigadier-Gen and
Major-General) +, all his official pap
ers, etc. belonging to headquarters.
After taking what we wanted from
the train we destroyed it, fearing
we could not carry it away in the
face OF so large a force. We then
sent a flag Of truce to the fort to
see If we had any wounded there,
but there was none.
/ did not think it prudent to at
tack the fort again, and as we had
wounded men already to carry. and
lit was 30 far to bring them, con-
cluded to leave the fort, and at 5