Pursuing Quantrill

After the successful Confederate raid and destruction of Lawrence, Kansas on Aug. 21, 1863, the "Union" pursuit of Colonel William C. Quantrill and his band of guerrillas was disjointed and unorganized. However there were a few "Kansas" and Missouri regiments that were successful in tracking down some and killing a few of the raiders. The following after action reports have been edited to provide a brief glimpse of the frustrating and limited success in pursuit of Col. Quantrill and his guerrillas. The complete reports are located on Pages 585 -- 593 in Vol. 22, Part I, Reports of the Official Record of the War of the Rebellion.

Lexington, Mo., Aug. 27, 1863.

General: I have the honor to report.

Started early on the morning of the 22nd on Quantrill's trail as far as big Creek, five miles northwest of Pleasant Hill, (Mo.), where we stopped to feed and as soon as the advance came out of the brush west of Big Creek they discovered a body of men some half mile in their front. The whole command was immediately ordered up and parties sent out to discover who they were, when they replied that they were federal troops, but would not say whose command they belonged to. Fearing they were Federal troops, I rode forward and satisfied myself they were Bushwhackers and were forming line of battle behind a fence; and as they were on top of a ridge and were still coming up, I thought it prudent to dismount a company to take the advance. While engaged in this, they commenced retreating from their right. After going some 3/4 of a mile, they changed their course to their left and formed just over a ridge where we came up with them and exchanged several rounds (shots), when they broke for the brush. Five were killed. Have heard since several were wounded; several horses killed and some captured. Some goods were picked up, but mostly left. The ground they passed over was strewed with goods of every description.

As soon as I found they had scattered, the force was divided and Capt. H. F. Peery, in command of one of the detachment, came up with them late in the evening and fought them in the brush a considerable time, when they again scattered in every direction. Five more were killed in this engagement. Our casualties were none so far. I attempted to guard the passes that night to keep them from passing east, but most of them passed over [escaped, several parties of them being fired upon and one rebel killed.

From two prisoners, we learned this party was commanded by Quantrill and that there were 200 men!

Aug. 23, the brush of Big Creek was scoured, but none found.

Aug. 24, marched from pleasant Hill to Lone Jack and from there to the head of the Texas Prairie. Saw some trails, but no rebels. One of the prisoners took us to one of their camps, but found nothing but about a keg of powder and some corn, which was destroyed.

August 25, divided the command into small parties and scoured the country from the head of the Texas Prairie north of the Big Sni and some 10 miles south of the prairie, sending Capt. Jackson as far south as Kingsville, where I learned the party had passed the day before. We had a number of skirmishes this day, killing three (no doubt wounding several) and capturing a number of horses and some prisoners, who were armed and a female, by the name of Miss Hutchins, of this place, who was standing picket (guard) while two Bushwhackers were eating their dinner and since their capture by giving them timely notice of the approach of troops. Our casualties today were one killed and one wounded. Killed Robert C. Key, Pvt. Co. K and wounded Joshua Stevens, Co. L.

Aug. 26, a picket skirmish this morning near Hopewell and a long chase after a party of 30, but they scattered in the brush. Learned one was wounded in the skirmish this morning. From here scoured the country to Greenton and finding no fresh traces, I concluded best to come to this place and get our horses shod, some supplies and learn something of the movements of other troops, so that I could co-operate with them.

I cannot close this report without calling your attention to the fact that if we had been armed so that we could have made a charge, we could have captured Quantrill's entire command; but cavalry armed with long guns & these empty, are not in a very good condition to make a charge on the enemy!

I must call your attention to Corporal Andrew J. Fuller of company I, who seized a bushwhacker, after they had emptied their revolvers and beat his brains out with his pistol. This is the same man who a short time since attacked three Bushwhackers, killing two and running the third. His bravery is certainly worthy of reward.

In closing this report, I would recommend that every citizen, man, woman and child in the Texas Prairie and near it, be sent out of the country and troops sent there to use up the forage or that it be destroyed. There are large quantities of it there and every farmer there, with one or two exceptions favors and feeds the Bushwhackers and the quickest way to destroy them is to destroy their subsistence and remove their friends.

The whole number killed during the scout was 16, brought in eight male and two female prisoners; ordered a number of females to report to the Provost-Marshal; 25 horses, several guns and pistols.

I am General, very respectfully,

B. F. Lazear,

Lieut. Colonel, First Mo. State Militia Cavalry.

(Note: Lt. Colonel Lazear was one of many "Union" officers from Missouri who recommended that a buffer zone or "burned district" be created in the border counties of western Missouri to eliminate the haven, hideouts and subsistence of the Confederate guerrillas who lived there. This of course would happen in late August of 1863 when General Ewing issued his famous or infamous Order No. 11.)

Coldwater Grove, Aug. 30, 1863

General: In compliance with Special orders, No 51, HQ, District of the border, I have the honor to submit the following brief report of the part my command took in the chase after Quantrill's murderers in their raid on Lawrence.

At 2 o'clock the following morning), having received satisfactory information as to the direction of the enemy, I got the command together and gave chase at daylight and followed the murderers to Grand River ( Mo.); where they commenced breaking up in small bands. Finding my command, both men and horses, very much exhausted and feeling farther pursuit that day useless, I halted and spent the time picking up scattering ones (guerrillas) that had stopped in the brush on Grand River. At this time I was out of cartridges, both pistol and carbine.

The result, so far as heard from, of our scouting since entering Missouri is the capturing and killing of 21 of the devils, with presumptive evidence that 14 others have gone the way of all the world!

In conclusion, General, I am happy to be able to give my testimony in defense of all and every accusation that may be brought against the troops under your command, making them responsible for the raid on Lawrence. Taking into consideration the position of the country, the number of troops at your disposal and the manifest treachery and duplicity of the citizens on the immediate border of Missouri, nothing was to prevent quantrill from doing just what he executed. Had the citizens of Missouri, those (from) whom we had reason to expect something, given the information they possessed, the raid might have been arrested and the marauders routed.

While we mourn over the massacre at Lawrence, we have reason to rejoice that many of the marauders have paid the penalty of their hellish deeds and many more will repent the day they entered a loyal state to murder and plunder an innocent people.

C. S. Clark,

Lt. Col. 9th Ks. Vol. Cav., Comdg. Troops on the Border.

Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 31, 1863.

General: I have the honor to report the part taken by myself and what I know of the late Quantrill raid.

We reached Paola about 8 o'clock and found Colonel C.S. Clark there. He soon sent out scouts to find Quantrill's trail. Some time during the night they found the trail. Col. Clark said that he would start at 3 o'clock in the morning with all the force he could get. I staid with Major Plumb Friday night at Paola. Saturday morning we started on the trail with a few citizens. Near the (State) line we (joined,) fell in with majors W. C. Ransom and L. K. Thacher; they had three companies of cavalry. At Williams' place, some 12 miles in Missouri, we found col. Clark. We stopped and fed there. Before we left Williams', Major Phillips came in with a command. Here the command separated.

Sunday we scouted country in toward Lone Jack. Twice we fell in with some Missouri troops. They were scouting the country in every direction. Sunday night we reached Lone Jack and sent out detachments to guard all the crossings. We could see by the enemy's trail that they had disbanded, nearly all of them leaving the direct trail. On Tuesday afternoon I came into Kansas City with six or eight scouts.

Through the whole expedition I do not know of any of our command being killed or wounded. In the chase from Brooklyn, (Kan.) to Paola we killed four of Quantrill's gang.

They were left where they were killed. During the chase in Missouri we killed several men, but I do not know just what number.

Cyrus Leland, Jr.,

1st Lieut. 10th Ks. Volunteers.

Col. William C. Quantrill and most of his guerrillas did escape the "Union" pursuit to fight another day, a few did not and the war went on!