these facts, when I saw two men in the centre of company A, Fourteenth Kansas, turn to run, but before they could fairly turn round, Major Curtis and the officers of the company forced them back, and I concluded the fight would be desperate, and was hopeful; but before the officers could get their places, the same two men and about eight more turned and ignominiously fled, which the enemy perceiving, the charge was ordered, and the whole line advanced with a shout, at which the remainder of company A, and despite the efforts of General Blunt, Major Curtis, Lieutenants Tappin and Pierce, could not be rallied. At this time a full volley was fired by company I, Third Wisconsin cavalry, which so staggered the right of the enemy, that I began to have hopes again; but as their left continued to advance, their right rallied, but were checked so much that their line, as seen by me, was crooked, their right being behind. The firing then became indiscriminate, and I saw tunity to see every member of the band that company I stood firing their revolvers until the enemy were within twenty feet, and then turned; but before any distance could be made the enemy were in their midst, and out of forty of the company, twenty-three were killed and six wounded, and left for dead upon the field. At this time my attention was attracted to my own danger, the enemy having advanced so fast as to cut me off from the rest, and after trying a couple of dodges, I succeeded in getting into camp at Baxter's Springs, all the while closely pursued; and found Lieutenant Pond, who was in command, busily engaged in firing a mountain howitzer outside his breastworks. The garrison at Baxter's Springs consisted of parts of two companies of Third Wisconsin cavalry, and one company of the Second Kansas colored regiment, the whole under the command of Lieutenant James B. Pond, of company C, Third Wisconsin cavalry. The camp had only been established a few days, and in that time Lieutenant Pond caused to be built a breastwork like a log-fence, on three sides of a square, in which were his tents and quarters. The attack on the camp had been a partial surprise, but the troops acted splendidly, and Lieutenant Pond, taking the exposed position outside the breastworks, loaded and fired the howitzer three times without any assistance, and the engagement was so close, that during this time some of the enemy had entered the breastworks; and at the time I entered the defences and got where Lieutenant Pond was, the bullets were pelting against the logs near by and all around him. As the fight with the force of General Blunt had been out of sight of the camp, Lieutenant Pond had been unable to tell what it meant, and very much surprised to see me, and in answer to my order for his cavalry, with which I hoped to be of some use to our scattered troops, told me, that he had that morning started out a forage train of eight wagons, and an escort of sixty men, who had gone in the direction from which the enemy had come, and he supposed they had been "gobbled up," and in response to his order only seven men reported to me. With these I returned to the brow of the hill, in the direction of the first attack, and plainly saw the enemy engaged in sacking the wagons, and, while there, plainly saw the band brutally murdered. At the time of the attack the band-wagon, containing fourteen members of the brigade band, James O'Neal, special artist of Frank Leslie's Pictorial Newspaper, one young lad twelve years old, (servant of the leader of the band,) Henry Polloque, of Madison, Wis., and the driver, had undertaken to escape in a direction a little to the south of west, and made about half a mile, when one of the wheels of the wagon run off and the wagon sloped on the brow of the hill, in plain sight of where I stood. As the direction of the wagon was different from that in which most of the troops fled, it had not attracted such speedy attention, and the enemy had just got to it as I returned, giving me an opporMr. O'Neal, the boy and the driver, shot, and their bodies thrown in or under the wagon, and it fired, so that when we went to them, all were more or less burned, and almost entirely consumed. The drummer-boy, a very interesting and intelligent lad, was shot and thrown under the wagon, and when the fire reached his clothes, it must have brought returned consciousness, as he had crawled a distance of thirty yards, marking the course by bits of burning clothes and scorched grass, and was found dead with all his clothes burned off except that portion between his back and the ground, as he lay on his back. A number of the bodies were brutally mutilated and indecently treated. Being satisfied that Lieutenant Pond could hold the camp against their force, I took two of the men and started out on the prairie in search of General Blunt, Major Curtis, or any other I could find, and in about an hour after, succeeded in hearing of the General's safety, and learned also that Major Curtis was supposed to be a prisoner, as his horse had been shot from under him. I learned this from a wounded soldier who had concealed himself in the grass, while the enemy had passed by him; and just then discovering a deserted horse and buggy, placed him in it with a man to take care of him, and they reached the camp in safety. The enemy were still in plain sight, and remained on the prairie till about four o'clock, when they marched south in a body. General Blunt and Major Curtis had tried to stop the flight of our troops from the start, and had several very narrow escapes in doing so, as the enemy were close upon them, and finally the General succeeded in collecting about ten men, and with these he worried the enemy, attacking them in small parties, and when pursued by too large a force, falling back until they turned, and then in turn, following them, so that at no time was he out of sight of the enemy, and most of the time close enough to worry and harass them. As they withdrew from the field, he searched for and took care of the wounded, and remained upon the ground till they were all taken in and cared for, and then that he might do his mite toward crushing the went into camp. The ground on which the fight rebellion; that he did not seek promotion, but took place, is a rolling prairie, extending west a was willing to serve where he could do the long distance, covered with grass and intersected most good. Truly, a patriot was lost when with deep ravines, gullies, on the banks of which Lieutenant Farr was killed. Other dead, many grow willow bushes, sufficient to conceal any of them brave and true men, were scattered difficulty in crossing, but not sufficient to protect and strewn over the ground for over a mile or from observation; and in retreating, many of our two, most with balls through their heads, men were overtaken at these ravines, and killed showing that they were killed after having surwhile endeavoring to cross. Major Curtis had rendered, which the testimony of the wounded become separated from the General, and while corroborates. They were told in every instance, riding by the side of Lieutenant Pierce, his horse that if they would surrender and deliver up was shot and fell. All supposed he was taken their arms, they should be treated as prisoners prisoner by the enemy, being close upon them, of war, and upon doing so, were immediately and Lieutenant Pierce saw him alive in their shot down. Sergeant Jack Splane, company I, hands. The next day his body was found where Third Wisconsin cavalry, was treated in this his horse had fallen, and he was, without doubt, way, and the fiend who shot him, after taking killed, after having surrendered. Thus fell one his arms, said: "Tell old God, that the last of the noblest of all the patriots who have offer-man you saw on earth, was Quantrell." Sered up their lives for the cause of their country.geant Splane is now alive, although he received Major H. Z. Curtis was a son of Major-General five balls, one in his head, one through his Curtis, and served with his father during his chest; one through his bowels, and the other memorable campaign through Arkansas, and was in his leg and arm. Private Jesse Smith was present with him at the battle of Pea Ridge, shot nearly as bad, and under the same cirwhere he did good service as aid to his father.cumstances; but he did not lose his consciousWhen General Curtis took command of the De-ness, and says, that the rebel who shot him, partment of Missouri, the Major remained with and as he lay upon his face, jumped upon his him as Assistant Adjutant-General on his staff, back, and essayed to dance, uttering the most and when General Curtis was relieved of that vile imprecations. Some unarmed citizens who command, the Major sought for and obtained an were with us, were killed, and their bodies order to report to General Blunt as Assistant stripped of clothing. Take it all in all, there Adjutant-General, and in that position had done has perhaps not a more horrible affair (except much toward regulating and systematizing the the massacre at Lawrence, in Kansas) happened business of district headquarters of Kansas and during the war, and brands the perpetrators as the Frontier; and on General Blunt determining cowards and brutes. I will here also state that to take the field, Major Curtis accompanied him a woman and child were shot at the camp, but with alacrity, parting with his young and affec- both will recover. It was done premeditatedly tionate wife at Fort Scott, on the fourth of Octo- and not by random shots, and the brute who ber, and met his horrible fate at Baxter's Springs, shot the child, was killed by a shot from the on Tuesday, sixth October. All who knew revolver of Sergeant McKenzie, company C, Major Curtis, acknowledged his superior abili- Third Wisconsin cavalry. I respectfully call ties, and in his particular duties he had no your attention to the facts set forth in this reequal. Beloved by the General and all his port, in hopes that the Government will see fit staff, his loss has cast a gloom over us, "whose to retaliate for the actions of this band of despebusiness is to die," unusual and heartfelt. In radoes, who are recognized and acknowledged by looking over the field, the body of Lieutenant the confederate authorities, and whose report Farr was found near to where the first attack of this affair stated that the brutality of the was made, with marks of wounds by buck-beast, was exultingly published by the confedershots and bullets. The Lieutenant was unarmed at the time of the attack, and had been riding in a carriage, but had evidently jumped therefrom and attempted to escape on foot. Lieutenant A. W. Farr was a prominent young lawyer, from Geneva, Wisconsin, and had been a partner of General B. F. Butler, at Worcester, Mass. At the time of the breaking out of the rebellion he took a patriotic view of the difficulty, and although a strong Democrat, like General Butler, had accepted a position where he thought he could be of service to his country, and has fallen in the good cause. Well does the writer of this, remember the night before his death, while we were lying on the ground with our blankets over us, the Lieutenant said, it was not ambition nor gain, that prompted him to enter the army, but only ate papers, and approved by the confederate officials. Captain A. N. Campbell, Fourteenth Kansas volunteers, while a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, was in presence of this man Quantrell, and heard him say, that he never did and never would take any prisoners, and was boasting of the number of captured soldiers he had caused to be shot, stating particulars, etc. These facts should be published to the civilized world, that all may know the character of the people against whom we are contending. I would also respectfully call the attention of the General Commanding to the fact that passes in and out of the posts of Sedalia, Springfield, and Kansas City, signed by the commanders of the posts, and also permits to carry arms, were found on the bodies of a number of the rebels killed in the fight, and from them and other papers there is no doubt but that a portion of Quantrell's force was made up of persons belonging to the Missouri militia. I desire to take special notice of the bravery and coolness of Lieutenant James B. Pond, company C, Third Wisconsin cavalry, commanding the camp, Sergeant R. McKenzie, of company C, Third Wisconsin cavalry, and Sergeant R. W. Smith, of said company. The number of the killed is as follows: Members of the brigade band, Company A, Fourteenth Kansas,.. I, Third Wisconsin cavalry,.... 3 14 18 23 stances. The Lieutenant further stated, that as the enemy came over the brow of the hill, just from the direction of Pond's camp, it seemed without a doubt, that his little force had been captured, and destroyed also. He was further under the impression that Majors Curtis and Henning, and Lieutenant Farr, were prisoners. Within an hour I was en route to the General's relief, with three companies of the Twelfth Kansas infantry, two companies of the Second Kansas colored infantry, and about one hundred cavalry, under Lieutenants Josling and Clark. Twenty miles out, I met a despatch from Gen6 eral Blunt, that he was safe with Lieutenant Pond, who had been fortunate enough to repulse the enemy in their attack on his camp. I push6 ed on, however, without relaxation, and arrived at the Springs, a distance of seventy miles, in the afternoon of the second day, although it was 80 the first heavy marching the infantry had ever 18 attempted. On my arrival I found that the General had sent off every mounted man he could find, either as scouts or messengers, and had notified the officers in command on the line of the Arkansas River, of the disaster at the Springs, the direction in which the enemy was heading, and when he would probably cross the river. 10 98 is Major Third Wisconsin Cavalry. TO COLONEL O. D. GREEN, The graves were being dug and the dead carAssistant Adjutant-General, Department of Missouri, St. Louis. ried in for burial as I arrived. It was a fearful LIEUTENANT-COLONEL BLAIR'S REPORT. HEADQUARTERS FORT SCOTT, KANSAS, SIR: I have the honor to report to you, for the information of the Major-General Commanding, the following particulars, as far as they came to my knowledge, or under my observation, of the late disaster at Baxter's Springs. sight; some eighty-five bodies, nearly all shot through the head, most of them shot from five to seven times each, horribly mangled, and charred, and blackened by fire. The wounded, who numbered six or seven, were all shot at least six times, and it is a remarkable fact that with the exception of Bennett, of the Third Wisconsin cavalry, all who were alive when they were brought in, are in a fair way of final recovery. The circumstances of the double conflict, as well as I can gather them on the spot, are about these: On the fourth instant Major-General Blunt, his staff, consisting of Major B. S. Henning, Third Wisconsin cavalry, Provost-Marshal; Major H. Z. Curtis, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant J. E. Tappin, Second Colorado cavalry, A.D.C.; Quantrell, with a force variously estimated at and Lieutenant A. W. Farr, Third Wisconsin cav- from six hundred to one thousand, was passing alry, Judge-Advocate; his clerks and orderlies, south, on the border line of counties in Missouri, the brigade band, and parts of two companies of and made a detour to attack the camp at Baxter's cavalry, respectively under the command of Lieu- Springs, which up to that time had been defendtenants Robert Pierce, Fourteenth Kansas, cav-ed by one company of colored men, under Lieualry, and Josiah G. Cavart, Third Wisconsin tenant Cook, and a fragment of company D of the cavalry, left this place for Fort Blunt, Cherokee Third Wisconsin cavalry only. Fortunately, Nation. About four o'clock on the morning of however, on the day before, I had sent Lieutenthe seventh instant, Lieutenant Tappin returned, ant James B. Pond, with part of another cominforming me that about one o'clock the day pre-pany of the Third Wisconsin cavalry, and a vious, General Blunt had been attacked, within a few hundred yards of Lieutenant Pond's camp, at Baxter's Springs, and the entire command, except the General himself and about ten men, either killed or taken prisoners, and the baggage and transportation captured and destroyed. He also informed me that the General could not be persuaded to come away, but remained with his few men, hanging near the enemy, to watch their movements, and succor any of the wounded who might be left alive, while he despatched him (the Lieutenant) to me to inform me of the circum mountain howitzer. The cavalry was, however, all absent with a forage-train; but the blacks, the dismounted men of the cavalry, the howitzer, and Lieutenant Pond were still left. The first attack of the enemy, twelve м. of the sixth instant, was so sudden and impetuous, that he was inside the rude breastworks and firing pistolshots into the tents before our forces recovered from the surprise into which they were thrown by the onset. They rallied, however, promptly and gallantly, under the directions of the Lieutenant, and after a severe struggle, repulsed the DOCUMENTS. enemy, and drove him outside the fortifications. The distant sounds of the battle showed already He then concentrated his forces for a more care- that infantry was useless; and he again turned ful attack-formed in line of battle-but before his horse's head in the direction of the field, and the word could be given to charge, Lieutenant solitary and alone, forced his way through the Pond opened upon them with the little howitzer, scattered bands of the enemy back to the side of getting outside of his breastworks to operate it, his chief and his little band of supporters. Hiswhich again threw them into confusion, and tory should not fail to record such deeds of galdrove them over the brow of the hill. At this lantry and devotion. point, it seems, they first perceived General Blunt's little column, which had halted for the wagons and band to close up, and immediately formed in line to attack it. They formed in two lines, one on the prairie, and the other under the cover of the timber, and commenced the advance. Coming in the direction they did, the General of course, supposed it was Lieutenant Pond's cavalry, either on drill, or coming out to receive him. For safety, however, he formed his little force in line of battle, and sent the wagons, with the band, clerks, orderlies, cooks, and other noncombatants, to the rear, and then rode about fifty paces to the front, accompanied by his staff, to reconnoitre, and endeavor to ascertain to a certainty what the approaching force was. Whatever doubts he may have entertained were soon dispelled, for the front line, pouring a volley, and raising the guerrilla yell, charged forward at full speed. The General turning in his saddle to order his body-guard to advance and fire, saw with shame and humiliation, the whole of it in disgraceful flight over the prairie. There was nothing left for it then, but to follow and attempt to rally them; he accordingly turned with his staff-officers, all except Major Henning, to endeavor to overtake the fugitives. By this time the enemy were upon and all around them, and their escape with life seemed almost a miracle. con General Blunt, in his endeavor to rally his men as fast he could catch up with them, was frequently thrown behind, and several times He finally rallied some fifteen almost surrounded, although mounted in a superior manner. men, and charging his foremost pursuers, compelled them in turn to retire. He then started Lieutenant Tappin, with four men, to me, and determined with the balance to watch the eneThe members of the band my. They killed our men as fast as they caught them, sparing none. were shot as they sat in the band-wagon, and it was then set on fire. They rifled all the trunks, boxes, etc., in the different wagons, and then set them on fire, with the bodies of the teamsters in them, and all others who happened to be in them when taken. The non-combatants were slaughtered as ruthlessly as the soldiers. Lieutenant Farr was killed early in the struggle. Major Curtis came very near escaping, although his full uniform and showy horse made him a spicuous mark; he was some distance in advance of his pursuers, when, just as his horse was gathering himself to spring over a deep ravine, he was struck on the hip with a ball, which so stung or frightened him, that he missed his leap, and falling short, threw the Major over his head. The horse gathered himself almost instantly and galloped wildly over the prairie. At this time too, it seems to have struck The Major was first taken prisoner and then Major Henning that the enemy approached from brutally murdered. Thus died as gallant a solan angle which might miss Lieutenant Pond's dier and as true a gentleman as ever drew a camp, and that consequently, he might be safe. sword in defence of his country. It may well With this thought he determined to strike for be said of him, as of Chevalier Bayard of old, the camp, and endeavor to bring Pond's forces" he was without fear and without reproach." The enemy, seeing that General Blunt persistto the assistance of the General. Accordingly, as the pursuit he charged straight forward at full speed, passing ently kept them in view, keeping away if purthrough a shower of bullets, and through the sued, and returning as enemy's line; deflecting a little to the right, he slackened, were no doubt forced to believe that was over the brow of the hill before the enemy a large force was approaching, of which he was could recover from his astonishment at the daring only the advance. His persistent following them feat. About half-way from the brow of the hill up, doubtless riveted this conclusion in their to the camp, he saw a party of five guerrillas, minds, as they hurried through their wholesale who had taken three of Lieutenant Pond's men work of slaughter, and then moved off slowly to prisoners, and were hurrying them off; as they the South. General Blunt hovered near them were directly in his way, and a much larger till near night, and then returned to the melanforce behind him, he was cool enough to reflect choly work of caring for the wounded and colThe that temerity was here discretion, and instan- lecting the dead. But few were left alive, as taneously charged them. He shot two of them, their evident intention was to kill all. killing one, and frightening the others so badly bodies of Major Curtis and Lieutenant Farr were that they abandoned the prisoners and took to not found until the next day. flight. He then approached the camp at full speed, swinging his cap around his head, to announce that he was a friend, and after narrowly escaping being shot by our men, at length arrived there in safety. He here learned of the aton the camp, and that not a cavalry man tack was left, all being absent with the forage-train. soon Lieutenant Pond is entitled to great credit for his gallant defence of his camp; and Lieutenant Pierce, who strove hard to rally the flying soldiers. But the men seemed struck by a sudden and uncontrollable panic, and I met many of them within ten miles of Fort Scott as I moved out with my force. The enemy left between twenty and thirty dead on the field; as their wounded were taken away with some ambulances and buggies they captured, it is impossible to state their number. Disastrous as this engagement has been, it would undoubtedly have been as bad, if not worse, if General Blunt and his little force had not been near. In that event, a more careful and combined attack would have been made on Pond's camp, and with the force around it, must finally have succumbed, and every person there would undoubtedly have been put to death. such proceedings would appear as an offensive discrimination against our State. Our citizens are aware that highly important elections have recently taken place in other States, without, as it is believed, any such interference by the Government authorities; and if votes by hundreds of thousands have been allowed to be cast there without objection, and with no limit upon the elective franchise other than the State laws prescribe, and where one, at least, of the candidates so supported was considered so hostile to the Government that for months past he has been banished from the country, certainly any such The names and number (accurately) of our killed and wounded will be forwarded in a sub-interference as between the loyal men now cansequent report. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, didates in this State would, under such compar- A. W. BRADFORD REPLY OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN. To His Excellency A. W. Bradford, Governor of SIR: Yours of the thirty-first ultimo was received yesterday, about noon, and since then I have been giving most earnest attention to the subject matter of it. At my call General Schenck has attended, and he assures me that it is almost certain that violence will be used at some of the voting-places on election day, unless prevented by his provost-guards. He says that at some of those places the Union voters will not attend at all, or run a ticket, unless they have some assurance of protection. This makes the Missouri case of my action, in regard to which you express your approval. To His Excellency, President Lincoln : SIR Rumors are to-day current, and they reach me in such a shape that I am bound to believe them, that detachments of soldiers are to be despatched on Monday next to several of the counties of the State, with a view of being present at their polls on Wednesday next, the day of our State election. These troops are not residents of the State, and consequently are not sent for the purpose of voting, and as there is no reason, in my opinion, to apprehend any riotous or violent proceedings at this election, the inference is unavoidable that these military de- The remaining point of your letter is a protachments, if sent, are expected to exert some test against any person offering to vote being put control or influence in that election. I am also to any test not found in the laws of Maryland. informed that orders are to be issued from this This brings us to a difference between Missouri Military Department, on Monday, presenting cer- and Maryland, with the same reason in both tain restrictions or qualifications on the right of States. Missouri has, by law, provided a test suffrage of what precise character I am not for the voter with reference to the present rebelapprised-which the Judges of Election will be lion, while Maryland has not. For example, expected to observe. From my knowledge of General Trimble, captured fighting us at Gettysyour sentiments on these subjects, as expressed burgh, is, without recanting his treason, a legal to Hon. R. Johnson, in my presence, on the voter by the laws of Maryland. Even General twenty-second instant, as also disclosed in your Schenck's order admits him to vote, if he recants letter of instruction to General Schofield, since upon oath. I think that is cheap enough. My published, in reference to the Missouri election, order in Missouri, which you approve, and GenI cannot but think that the orders above re- eral Schenck's order here, reach precisely the ferred to are without your personal knowledge; same end. Each assures the right of voting to and I take the liberty of calling the subject to all loyal men, and whether a man is loyal each your attention, and invoking your interposition allows that man to fix by his own oath. Your to countermand them. I cannot but feel that to suggestion that nearly all the candidates are suffer any military interference in the matter of loyal I do not think quite meets the case. In our election, or to prescribe any test of oath to this struggle for the nation's life, I cannot so voters when all the candidates in the State-confidently rely on those whose election may with the exception, perhaps, of two or three in one Congressional District, are all loyal menwould be justly obnoxious to the public sentiment of the State. There are other reasons why have depended upon disloyal votes. Such men, when elected, may prove true, but such votes are given them in the expectation that they will prove false. Nor do I think that to keep the |