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Dispatch of Clark to Ewing
In August of 1863, the infamous border ruffian and outlaw William Clarke Quantrill
and his gang of Missouri Bushwhackers conducted a raid on Lawrence, Kansas, hoping
to capture or kill Senator James Henry Lane,
free-soil radical and ally of C.R. "Doc" Jennison, leader of the
Jayhawkers. The Jayhawkers had been conducting raids into Missouri in the years-old
border war which began when Kansas was still a territory. The Jayhawkers later made
up the Seventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry
Regiment.
Quantrill couldn't find his quarry, but in the course of the raid his gang killed over 150 of the town's men and boys, both civilians and Union army recruits. They then burned the town to the ground. The Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was charged with protecting this town, as many rumors of the raid preceded the actual event. Not only did they fail, they permitted Quantrill to March in from Missouri past the Ninth encampment, conduct his raid, and withdraw back to Missouri without pursuit. Lt. Col. Charles S. Clark, commander of the Ninth Kansas, had much to account for to his commanding general. The Redlegs had to make up (avenge) for their failure to stop Quantrill somehow. The result was Order No. 11, which was to forcibly evacuate all residents of three Missouri border counties in an attempt to flush out the guerrillas. As Clark carried out this order, he must have felt great pressure to report any kind of engagement with the hated Bushwhackers, although the Ninth Kansas had not yet learned how to counter the guerrilla tactics. Larry Sullivan's research turned up this letter. Clarifications are inserted in brackets. Notwithstanding the contents of this dispatch, Clark never encountered Quantrill or any of the Bushwhackers. However, he was responsible for the massacre at Lone Jack that took place two days before he wrote this letter. HEADQUARTERS TROOPS ON THE BORDER, Brigadier General EWING. GENERAL: On the morning of the 4th of September, 1863, I ordered a scout of 40 men from Companies E and G, of the Ninth Kansas, to accompany me to Pleasant Hill, where I had previously instructed Captain C. F. Coleman to march and join the scout from this station, with Companies D, of the Ninth Kansas, and M, of the Fifth Kansas, which he did on the 5th instant. The same night we marched 15 miles east [near Lone Jack], concealed our men in the brush, dismounted, and sent out four parties, of 12 men each, under Captains Coleman and H. Flesher [early morning of 6 Sep 1863]. Killed 6 bushwhackers, remounted, marched 4 miles south; divided the command; the scout from this station to scour Big Creek, in the direction of Pleasant Hill; Captain Coleman, with his command, was to take in those run off Big Creek, and scour the brush east.The scout on Big Creek, under Captain Flesher, and myself included, surprised a party at a house; killed 4, captured 8 horses, saddles, and bridles, and some Lawrence goods, and wounded, as I think, 4 others. Our loss, 2 men slightly wounded, viz, Corpl. John Walters, Company E, and Private S. Pentico, Company G, and returned to this station the 7th instant. Captain Coleman was to remain in the vicinity of Pleasant Hill two or three days, to watch Quantrill's movements. I found a trail of about 100 men 5 miles east of Harrisonville, who had passed the night of the 3rd, twelve hours in advance of my scout, the trail taking a northeast direction. I am, general, your obedient servant,
C[harles]. S. CLARK,Lieutenant Colonel, Ninth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, Commanding. |