Jan 2: Skirmish: CANE HILL
UNION:
August 20 - 28: Operations: Against Quantrell on his raid into Kansas.
UNION:
August 21: Skirmish: BROOKLYN and PALOA.
UNION
October 6: Action: BAXTER SPRINGS.
Union Losses: 80 killed, 18 wounded, 5 missing. Total 103.
Lincoln had transfered Gen. Blunt from commanding the Dept. of Kansas to command the Army of the Frontier in Indian Territory. Gen. Blunt chose Ft. Scott as his new headquaters and proceeded with reinforcemnts and a Band of musicians to fit his new postion. Ahead, welcoming in the distance was Baxter Springs, and the large open prairie where the army grazed stock under the watchful eyes of colored troops. Nobody expected an attack. Suddenly in swooped Dave Pope, commander of the advance detachment of Quantrill's bushwacker's, killing every man in sight. Then Qunatrill spied Blunt's wagon procession, and noticing he outnumbered the Federals, swooped down upon them, killing all the musicans, soldiers and burning the wagons. Gen. Blunt escaped along with a Mrs. Thomas, wife of brigade quartermaster, Capt. Chester Thomas, and Major H. S. Curtis, General Curtis' son. Major Curtis was killed with a bullet to the head while all three on horses jumped a wide ditch. Mrs. Thomas cleared the ditch gracefully. Blunt, riding his horse hanging onto its neck, limped into Ft. Scott and was soon removed from his newly appointed post.
*Re: 'Civil War on the Western Border, 1854-1865' by Jay Monaghan