Today in History:

700 Series I Volume XXII-I Serial 32 - Little Rock Part I

Page 700 MO., ARK., KANS., IND. T., AND DEPT. N. W. Chapter XXXIV.

was executed to the letter. Sergeant [R.] Chestnut, of Company D, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, commanded the men of his company, and did nobly. The darkies fought like devils. Thirteen of them were wounded the first round, and not one but what fought the think through.

The number of the enemy killed, as far as heard from, are 11, and I know that we wounded more than twice that number, which they carried off the field.

There are several other interesting items, of which I will give a full detail in future.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES B. POND,

First Lieutenant Co. C, Third Wis. Cav., Commanding Post, Fort Blair.

Lieutenant Colonel C. W. BLAIR,

Commanding Post, Fort Scott.


Numbers 5. Report of Colonel W. C. Quantrill, Confederate service.

IN CAMP ON CANADIAN,

October 13, 1863.

I have the honor to make the following report of my march from the Missouri River to the Canadian, a distance of 450 miles:

I started on the morning of October 2, at daybreak, and had an uninterrupted march until night, and encamped on Grand River for three hours; then marched to the Osage. We continued the march from day to day, taking a due southwest course, leaving Carthage 12 miles east, crossing Shoal Creek at the falls, then going due west into the Seneca Nation.

On October 6, about 2 p. m., the advance reported a train ahead. I ordered the advance to press on and ascertain the nature of it. Captain Brinker being in command of the advance, he soon discovered an encampment, which he supposed to be the camp of the train; in this we were mistaken. It proved to be the camp belonging to Fort Baxter, recently built and garrisoned with negroes, 45 miles south of Fort Scott, Kans. When the advance came near the camp they saw that they were not discovered, and they fell back a short distance to wait for the command to come up. I now ordered the column to close in and to form by fours and charge, a nd leading the head of the column myself with Captains Brinker and Pool, took about one-half of the column to the encampment which they had discovered, still being ignorant of the fort. This they charged, driving everything before them, and in two minutes were in possession of the fort. The negroes took shelter behind their quarters. Having no support, my men were compelled to fall back. Not knowing myself where the fort was, I moved with three companies-Captains Todd, Estes, and Garrett, in all 150 men-out on the prairie north of the camp, and discovered a train with 125 men as an escort, which proved to be Major-General [J. G.] Blunt and staff with body guard and headquarters train, moving headquarters from Fort Scott, Kans., to Fort Smith, Ark. I immediately drew up in line of battle, and at this time I heard heavy firing on my left, and on riding out discovered, for the first time, the fort, with at least half of my men engaged there. I ordered them to join me immediately, which they did, on the double-quick. General Blunt formed his escort, still in doubt


Page 700 MO., ARK., KANS., IND. T., AND DEPT. N. W. Chapter XXXIV.