Year: 1862

Letter from the Seeond--Fisht With Quanuiu's Gang
Of Secesh JayhaWkers.


CAMP BLAIR, KAN, March 25.


10 tie Union.


The Kansas Second is in the field again.
The night Of the 2lst inst, our camp was
thrown into an excitement BY an order
from Col. Mitchell for each company to
detail from thirty to forty men, to be
rsady to march at 6 P. NJ, mounted and
armed, with one days rations.


We marched at the time appointed, in
the direction of Little Santa Fec, and ar
rived there about IL p. NJ, twelve miles
distant from our camp. Major Pomeroy,
with forty men under Capt. Moore, and
thirty men under Lieut.. Slower, left the
command at Santa Fee, and marched east
warl into Missouri, with guide who
stated that be could take US to q house
where tho notorious Quantril, With party
of his men. were stopping for the night.
After marching about three miles through b
the brush, and over the roughest road
imaginable, our guide informed Us that We
were within a few rods of the house,
although nothing could be seen, as it was
quite dark, there being no moon, and very
cloudy.


The Major ordered all to dismount, ex-
ccpt every sixth man who was to hold the
horses, and o guard Of twelve men, of
whom l was one, under charge of Lieut..
Slower, who were to ride forward and sup
port the Major should he meet with any
resistance.


The night was quite cold and chilly, and
We sat for more than thirty minutes shiver-
ing in our saddles. anxiously awaiting tie
signal that was to bring US into action,
when suddenly the clear report of firearms
broke the stiffness that surrounded Us, and
brought every man erect in his seat, and
caused our horses to jump and prance as if
eager for the engagement. We we're order
ed forward with a gallop, but before We
reached the scene of action, report after
report rang out upon the still night air,
and informed us that our boys had stirred
1 up hot nest of rebels and were having
plenty to do to take possession of them.
When we arrived, We ascertained that the
Major had surrounded the house with his
men, aud ordered them to open the doors,
when they answered him with volley from
within, badly wounding one of his men "a
member of Capt. Moore's company-since
dead.) He instantly returned the fire, and
when we arrived both parties were at work.
in good earnest. We soon drove them
from the windows and silenced their fire,
when the Major ordered them to lay down
their arms and they should be treated as
"prisoners of war"


We did not wish to FIRE on the house
more than we could possibly help, as there
was family in it. After many assuran-
ces that they should not be harmed, the
old man; his wife, two daughters and four
sons, came out and gave themselves up,
claiming to be good Union people. We
ascertained from them that Quantrill, with
twenty-five of his men, was inside that
they were we'll armed and would fight to
the last. The Major again ordered them to
surrender, and two of them came forward
and gave themselves up. The rest wanted
time to consider the matter, but were told
that they could not have minute, and we
were just ready to open fire on the house,
when they gave US volley, severely wound
ing Major Pomeroy and one of our horses.
Lieut.. Stover Immediately went to to the
Majors assistance, and found that rifle
ball had passed completely through the
thick of his thigh and that he was bleeding
profusely, an artery being severed. With
his handkerchief aud revolver, the Lieut..
girded bis leg sufficiently to stop the flow
of blood, and had him removed out of range
OF the enemy's fire.


The fall of the Major so exasperated US
that We determined to decide the matter by
firing the house. Our men had but five
rounds" apiece when we left camp, and
many of them had now fired their last shot,
while those inside seemed to have an
abundance of ammunition, and the walls of
a log house to protect them. Both ends
and the front part of the house was logs
the back part was light siding, but had |
neither door nor window in it, consequently
We did not guard it as strongly as We did
the other points. We then piled dry wood
and lumber against the house and set it on
fire, and the whole building was soon in
flames.


1t being life or death with those inside,
they made desperate attempt and succeed
ed in bursting of tho siding on the backside,
and eight or ten of them made their escape,
the brush aud timber being within twenty
feet Of the house. The boys killed two of
them as they were entering the brush, and
one man discharged bis carbine, clubbed it
and broke it in two pieces over one fellows