BATTLE OF BAXTER SPRINGS - BAXTER SPRINGS MASSACRE - LT POND MEDAL OF HONOR

Baxter Springs is the site of Fort Blair and the Battle of Baxter Springs. Located in the southeast corner of Kansas, it was once a rest stop for the Osage Indians as they traveled to their summer hunting grounds.  The Osage believed that the spring water had miraculous healing properties and they routed their trek purposely to use the flowing springs.

In the spring of 1849, John Baxter, his wife and 8 children moved from Missouri to 160 acres of land near the Spring River. His land included a spring and there he built and operated an inn and general store, known as "Baxter's Place.”

In the spring of 1862, a field camp, Camp Baxter Springs, was built by Col Charles Doubleday's 2nd Ohio Brigade and Colonel William Weer's 2nd Kansas Brigade to garrison about 6,000 troops. Situated on the old military road from Fort Smith AR, through Fort Scott KS and southwest to Fort Gibson in Indian Territory (OK), the field camp, and later the fort, served as a rest stop for the wagon trains that supplied the troops and to house military personnel assigned to protect them from hostile Indians and thieves along the journey. 

Several more field camps were established along the route:   Camp Little Five Mile, built by Col John Ritchie’s Indian Home Guards in June, 1862; in 1863 Camp Joe Hooker and Camp Ben Butler were both built by Col James Williams' 1st Kansas Colored Troops. 

In July, 1863, Col Charles Blair sent Lt John Crites with companies C and D of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry to convert Camp Baxter Springs into a permanent garrison.   It consisted of a block house and a few cabins surrounded by breastworks made of logs, rocks and dirt.  Officially named Fort Blair, it was often referred to as Fort Baxter. 

Crites was reinforced by a detachment of the Second Kansas Colored Infantry under command of Lt R. E. Cook, and early in October further reinforcements were added under Lt James B. Pond of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, which provided a 12-pound howitzer. 

When the Civil War began, the area was soon under attack by Confederate regular and guerrilla forces.

On October 4, 1863, Lt Pond arrived from Fort Scott to take command of the post, manned with 155 men. Setting up camp about 200 yards west of the fort, Pond made the decision the fort needed to be enlarged.  The following day he ordered the west wall removed to start the construction of a larger fort.  

The morning of October 5^th, when Lt Pond sent out a foraging party of 60 men with all the wagons, leaving only 90 men in camp, he had no way of knowing William Quantrill and 400 guerillas were traveling south through Kansas along the Texas Road to winter in Texas.

After capturing and killing 2 Union teamsters on the Texas Road from Fort Blair, Quantrill set his eyes on Fort Blair.   When the guerillas started the attack, Lt Pond manned the howitzer to fight off the guerillas. Quantrill's men suffered a few casualties but moved on and found another battle. 

 The Battle of Baxter Springs (Baxter Springs Massacre - October 6, 1863)

Gen James G Blunt left Fort Scott on October 4^th with an escort of 100 men from the Third Wisconsin and Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, headed to Fort Smith, Arkansas.   Unaware of the earlier attack on Fort Blair, about noon on Oct 6^th, Gen Blunt and his command were caught totally by surprise when they spied a body of mounted men advancing from the trees along the Spring River. Dressed in Federal uniforms, Blunt thought they were Pond's men and sent his Chief of Scouts, Captain Tough, to meet them.  Tough returned; the men were not Union soldiers, they were rebels.

The men, Quantrill's guerrillas, began an attack on Blunt’s troops.  Highly outnumbered the Union troops scattered. One officer reached Fort Blair to tell Pond about the turn of events, but no aid was available.  

After the attack, Quantrill called for the surrender of Blair's troops and shot dead those that surrendered. General Blunt, with 15 of his men escaped and eventually made their way back to Fort Scott. 

Immediately after destroying Blunt's force, the guerrillas plundered the supply wagons, finding weapons, food, and whiskey. Two of Quantrill's leaders, George Todd and William "Bloody Bill" Anderson, wanted to attack Fort Blair again, Quantrill was more concerned about carrying away his wounded men.  The guerrillas continued their southward march. 

In the end, it was a Confederate victory, with 85 of Blunt's men killed or dying from their wounds and another 8 wounded. Six of Pond's men were killed and 10 were wounded. It is estimated 20-30 guerillas were killed and at least 3 wounded. 

All of the casualties were buried near the fort. Following the massacre, Blunt was temporarily dismissed from his command, but was later reinstated. In 1885, Congress appropriated $5,000 for a national cemetery a mile west of Baxter Springs, where many of the bodies were re-interred. 

When the Civil War was over, the fort was abandoned but the town grew, becoming one of the wildest cow-towns in the West.  Corrals were constructed for approximately 20,000 head of cattle with ample grazing lands and fresh water. The demand for beef brought Texas cattlemen north using Baxter Springs as a stopping point enroute to the northern markets. The cattle drovers found Baxter Springs a welcome break after months on the trail. The numerous saloons provided all the things and activities a cowboy could use.   All prospered until the railroad came through and went on to Texas.

 LT JAMES BURTON POND AND THE MEDAL OF HONOR 

 
At the Battle of Baxter Springs, he fought against the notorious Confederate guerrilla leader William Quantrill and his Raiders. For his heroism in that action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 30, 1898. By the time he mustered out in September 1865, he had been promoted to the rank of major.

 

Medal of Honor citation

For extraordinary heroism on 6 October 1863, while serving with Company C, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry, in action at Baxter Springs, Kansas. While in command of two companies of Cavalry, First Lieutenant Pond was surprised and attacked by several times his own number of guerrillas, but gallantly rallied his men, and after a severe struggle drove the enemy outside the fortifications. First Lieutenant Pond then went outside the works and, alone and unaided, fired a howitzer three times, throwing the enemy into confusion and causing him to retire.

The Battle of Mine Creek: Gen Price vs Gen Pleasonton and a cast of thousands

The Battle of Mine Creek, also called the Battle of the Osage and the Battle of the Marais des Cygnes, occurred on Oct 25, 1864, 2 1/2 miles southwest of current-day Pleasanton KS, on the banks of Mine Creek.  

Union Col Frederick W. Benteen (the same Benteen who later rode with Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn) and Col John H. Philips led the attack in one of the largest cavalry battles of the Civil War.   The 2,500 troops of the 2 Union brigades defeated the 7,000 troops of Confederate Gen Sterling Price's Army of the Missouri.   

Confederate division commanders were Gen John S. Marmaduke and Gen James F. Fagan. (An Iowa connection:  Gen Marmaduke was captured at the Battle of Mine Creek by Private James Dunlavy, Company D, 3rd Iowa Cavalry. Pvt Dunlavy was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 4, 1865 for "Gallantry in capturing Gen Marmaduke in the battle of Mine Creek at Osage, Kansas, 25 Oct 25,1864.")

In August 1864, Gen Price received orders to invade Missouri. He was to bring Missouri into the confederacy and weaken Lincoln’s chance for reelection. Price was elected Missouri’s 11th governor in 1852. He also served as Speaker of the Missouri House and US Congressman from Missouri prior to his service with the Confederacy. As a former governor of the state, Price, had grandiose plans for the invasion of his home state. First he was going to capture and occupy St. Louis, then move to Jefferson City and capture and occupy the capital and reinstate the Governor-in-exile, Thomas Reynolds.  With Missouri were leaning to the South, Price planned to recruit soldiers and amass provisions and weapons for the confederacy. 

Price abandoned his plan to reinstate the former governor when he found St Louis and Jefferson City both in Union hands.  However, his plan to gather goods and supplies resulted in a supply train of 500 wagons.

Near Kansas City, Union troops met Price’s army in a series of battles:  Oct 19 in Lexington, 2 days later at the Little Blue River, the following day at the Big Blue River, and Westport on Oct 23. 

Union troops from the Provisional Cavalry Division, Department of the Missouri, commanded by Gen Alfred Pleasonton (best known for leading the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps in the Gettysburg Campaign) moved on Price's troops from the east while the Army of the Border, commanded by Gen Samuel R. Curtis, approached from the west.  With their sights set on stopping Price, Union troops caught up with him and on Oct 23 at Westport KS, defeated Price. He fled south with much of his force still intact.   

Although the mission to take Missouri for the confederacy failed, Price had a wagon train full of supplies, ammunition, and plunder he had "acquired" on his raid across Missouri.  His mission, now, was to get the 'spoils of war' to Arkansas or Texas.  On October 24 the Confederates moved toward Fort Scott, Kansas. Price took one division and went ahead.  The other 2 divisions protected the 10-mile-long wagon train.

Three separate battles were fought October 25th when Union forces caught Price’s rearguard.  Early morning they fought the Battle of the Marais des Cygnes River, followed by the Battle of Mine Creek shortly before noon and late in the afternoon of the same day, the Battle of the Marmiton River.  All 3 were Union victories, but Mine Creek was the most significant.

Early on the morning of October 25 a skirmish developed over the 9 miles between Trading Post and Mine Creek near the area where the Marais de Cygnes massacre had occurred, May 19, 1858. After hitting the rebel rear guard in the morning at the Marais des Cygnes River and capturing over 100 prisoners and 2 artillery pieces, the Union forces resumed their pursuit.  The brigades of Benteen and Philips, with 2,500 men, overtook the Confederates as they were crossing Mine Creek. 

Although the end of the supply train had not yet reached the crossing, the Confederates were forced to stop and fight. The Confederate rear guard delayed the Union troops long enough for the 7,000 men in the two Confederate cavalry divisions to establish a line of defense. 

The field was wet and muddy from the rain the night before.  At 10:30 AM Confederate artillery opened fire, the Union replied. The Confederate forces, stalled by their wagons crossing the creek, had formed a line on the north side of Mine Creek.

The Union charge started at 11AM. The Tenth Missouri Cavalry started forward, bugles blaring.   Half-way down the slope the men hesitated and stopped, intimidated by a force three times their size.  Benteen rode out front, shouting and waving his sword for his men to continue, the Tenth Missouri faltered, troops behind still charged forward. 

The Fourth Iowa Cavalry, pushed through the stalled lines of the Tenth Missouri; the charge was renewed. It was difficult to determine friend from foe. The poorly clothed Southerners had confiscated blue Union uniforms on their raids and many wore blue uniforms during the battle at Mine Creek. 

When they arrived at the creek there was chaos. The 4-5 feet high creek bank was slippery and crumbling from the recent rain, the rushing water was deep. Wagons and horses got mired down and the creek was blocked with broken, overturned wagons unable to get free from the muddy creek. The Confederate troops were caught between the wagons and on-coming Union forces.

The Confederate's long muzzle-loading rifles were no match for the Union's shorter breech-loading carbines. Union troops could fire several times while the Confederate soldiers were reloading.

The rebel line disintegrated; they took over 1,200 casualties, including between 200-300 men who were murdered by Union soldiers in retaliation for atrocities committed earlier in Price’s campaign. They soon surrounded Price's men, resulting in the capture of about 600 men and 2 generals, Gen John S. Marmaduke and Gen. William L. Cabell.

Price's Army lost too much manpower and most of the wagon train that day, they were no longer an effective force.  His only option now was to retreat to friendly territory.  By 11:30AM the Confederates were in full retreat. 

The Union caught up to the Army of the Missouri again in the afternoon.  There was a smaller battle as the Confederates crossed the Marmiton River.  Although a federal victory, both forces were exhausted by the constant fighting that day.

After the battle Union forces continued their pursuit of the remnants of Price's Army. Late in the evening, October 25, Price gave orders to burn half of the wagons for speedier travel.  The Union troops pushed the Confederates into Missouri and chased them through Arkansas and into Indian Territory.  Only a small contingent made it back to Texas and Arkansas. The Confederates never again threatened Kansas.

Pleasonton could have destroyed Price’s force if he had maintained the chase.  But he chose to head west to Fort Scott for rest, telling the command that "further pursuit was needless."  The commanding general had to "persuade" Pleasonton to rejoin the march.  Stating “the effects of a severe fall and exhaustion” had left him paralyzed, he left the campaign on October 27.  He returned to St. Louis on medical leave.  It was felt, by the command, that his lethargy and performance after October 25 was responsible for the escape of Price and the remainder of his Army. 

Pleasonton’s career after Mine Creek was lack-luster.  Known as a ‘bully’ by his men, and disliked by fellow officers for his self-promotion, he never returned to the eastern theater and failed to gain advancement.  Finishing out the war as commander of the District of St. Louis, Pleasonton resigned on January 1, 1868.  He tried and failed at several civilian jobs. Maintaining he deserved more recognition for his service, he retired to a life of poverty, obscurity, and poor health in Washington,DC.  He died on February 17, 1897.

When Price commenced his invasion of Missouri, he had several objectives. At the campaign’s conclusion, not a single objective had been met.  He had to destroy the huge wagon train of much needed supplies, and most of the new recruits deserted on the retreat from Mine Creek.   The battle was one of the last significant engagements fought in the west. Following Price’s retreat, the Confederate effort west of the Mississippi River diminished severely. Price returned to Arkansas and set up his headquarters at Laynesport (Little River County). Price did not actively serve in the field again during the war. 

With the end of the war, Price led some of his men to Mexico where he planned to join Emperor Maximilian rather than surrender. After living in Mexico for a few years, he and his family returned to St. Louis, where he died on September 29, 1867.

SHERWOOD MO, MAJOR LIVINGSTON AND HIS HIDEOUT

Sherwood, Missouri was situated at the present-day intersection of JJ Highway and Fir Road in Jasper County between Joplin and Carl Junction.  Only the cemetery remains at the end of a narrow lane off Fir Road. 

Jasper County had a rich farming tradition, agriculturally and in livestock.  The area had an abundance of vegetation and game. This prosperity and abundance led to the destruction of the area as both northern and southern troops pillaged the area for food for themselves and their animals and the valuable lead and mineral resources during the Civil War. 

At the time of the Civil War, Sherwood was the third largest village in Jasper County. On May 18, 1863, Jasper County guerrilla leader Thomas Livingston surprised and overran a foraging party of Union soldiers near Sherwood. Eighteen soldiers were killed by the guerilla band on May 18, 1863.

Fifteen of the dead were colored troops stationed at Baxter Springs, Kansas.  The following day Union troops from Fort Blair came into Missouri and burned the town of Sherwood; most of Livingston's men lived in and around the area. The citizens fled to Texas; Sherwood was never rebuilt.

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Two sure things about a war – the victors of the battle get to name it and both sides tend to succeed in marring the name of their opponents. 

 

Major Thomas R. Livingston is often referred to without rank and full name making him appear as “lawless bushwhacker” to his Union opponents, but to his friends and neighbors he was a “respected bushwhacker.”

Born in 1820 in Montgomery County, MO (about 100 miles NW of St Louis), he settled just west of Carthage MO in 1851. While digging a cellar, he discovered lead ore and with his half-brother, William Parkinson, he erected a smelter and entered the lead mining boom in southwest Missouri.  Both Livingston and Parkinson would be killed during the war.

During the “bloody Kansas” era, in the 1850s, Livingston was captain of a Border Guard unit raised to defend western Missouri against the marauding Kansas Jayhawkers. When war came in 1861, Livingston, then 41 years old, was a wealthy businessman and community leader. Although he owned only one slave, he believed in fully defending the states’ rights of the south. 

The majority of the Confederacy's lead used in armaments came from Missouri mines. As a benefit of his mining involvement, he was elected captain in the 11th Cavalry Regiment of the Missouri State Guard. 

On September 8, 1861, Livingston joined John Mathews in a 150-man cavalry raid into Kansas in retaliation for the burning of Missouri towns.  They sacked and burned the small town of Humboldt. Humboldt had become a refuge for abolitionists who had tried to settle illegally on Indian land; many Indians joined the cavalry unit.

After the Confederate defeat at Pea Ridge, March 6-8, 1862 in Benton County, AR, what remained of the Missouri State Guard was merged into other units.  Livingston, along with many others, mustered out and came back to their homes.  They found Union troops, disciplined and undisciplined, had created nearly unlivable conditions, the men more interested in plunder and “getting even” than restoring order; martial law was the order of the day. 

Seeing the lawlessness and disorder, Livingston began gathering up his former troops and recruited more until he had an organized cavalry unit. Already a captain in the Confederate Army, his unit became known as “Livingston’s Rangers.” Confederate leaders knew they had no hope of regaining control of Missouri without the use of guerrilla forces. 

He effectively controlled most of Jasper County MO during the war.  Although most of his activities took place centering on Jasper County and crossing over into Arkansas and Indian Territory, patrolling along the KS-MO border often brought him into Vernon County MO (on the western border just across from Fort Scott, KS).   

Livingston and his band of Confederates and southern sympathizers were known for committing acts of arson, murder, robbery, in the effort to disrupt Union supply lines.  These tactics outraged Union officials and civilians and his notoriety made him a prime target for Union troops.

Then he ventured out of his territory. On July 11th, 1863, he led his Rangers northeast to Stockton MO, in hopes of capturing supplies from a Union garrison headquartered in the courthouse. 

When they arrived, the citizens of Stockton were gathered, listening to speeches by area political candidates. Livingston and his band, 250 men, surprised the town with their arrival. About 20 militiamen were in the courthouse. Livingston rode at front of his men waving his carbine over his head, urging them forward.  The guerrillas surrounded the courthouse and began firing. As the Union men tried to shut the doors and barricade themselves inside, Livingston charged the courthouse, 'as if to ride right through the door,' as one militiaman wrote after the fight.  Once aware of his identity, the militiamen fired, knocking Livingston out of the saddle. Three others fell nearby. Shocked that their leader was killed, the rangers began to retreat. As the militiamen exited the courthouse, Livingston grabbed for his carbine and tried to get up.  Additional shots to his body stopped him.  It appeared Livingston survived the first shot since he had been wearing a steel breastplate.

Livingston and three other Rangers were buried in a mass grave in the Stockton Cemetery. His death was also the death of Livingston's Ranger Battalion. The men split up joining other units.  

 

Before the War, Livingston had been a successful and prominent business man. Along with his lead mine, he owned a general store, hotel, saloon, real estate in three counties, and traded in livestock. After the war, his assets were sought as restitution for his actions. His property was confiscated and used in paying off the lawsuits against him for his wartime deeds.

Three months after the Stockton incident, Confederate Gen JO Shelby and his men burned the Stockton courthouse.

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Livingston's Hideout was probably the only Confederate camp inside Kansas during the Civil War. In the corner of southeast Cherokee County, KS, it was about 2 miles north of the border with Indian Territory and less than 100 feet west of the border with Missouri. It was 5 miles from Baxter Springs, the site of Union military posts. The campsite was in a heavily wooded area and could not be seen from the nearby roadway.

The location of Livingston's hideout frustrated the area's Union troops. Many times the troops chased the guerrillas, only to have them scatter and “vanish.”  Union troops did not know of its existence until after the war.  

In the 1980s during construction of a new home, the site was again discovered and explored by the Baxter Springs Historical Society.