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Veteran Affairs

2008-06-01 13:45:00

Raids in Kansas?

Question: Was there ever slavery in Kansas?

Answer: Kansas was the thirty-fourth state to enter the Union. Kansas entered the Union as a free state in January of 1861. About three months later in April 1861 the Civil War began. Upon President Lincoln’s call for volunteers a Kansas Senator formed a provisional unit to protect the President. A number of Kansas Units both black, white and Indian served during the war. As for the actual state of Kansas some southern localities suffered some raids into Kansas. Bleeding Kansas conflicts over slavery continued. Later that year, on September 8, 1861, Humboldt was raided by pro-slavery white and Indian Confederates and pro-confederates seeking fugitive slaves from Missouri who were found hiding in Humboldt. According to newspaper accounts of that time, they were captured and returned to their owners in Missouri. This was somewhat similar to the later Confederate raid into Pennsylvania. There blacks who were free or escaped slaves were taken in to slavery. Bitter over losing their pro-slavery cause in Kansas, the raiders also came to punish, harass, rob, and intimidate the Unionists in Kansas. Since Humboldt, was a strong Union town it bore the wrath of the southern cause. The pro-confederate forces were the border ruffians who had originally swarmed into Kansas to vote for the “Slave” constitution at LeCompton. John Mathews, a Confederate Indian Agent among the Osage, from Little Town (now Oswego) was thought to be the instigator of that September raid. General James Lane, leader of Kansas Union forces, assigned Colonel Blunt and 200 troops to hunt down John Mathews. Mathews was found and killed near present-day Chetopa. SACKING OF HUMBOLDT.—While the Allen County soldiers were away with Lane, a raid was made on the unprotected settlement of Humboldt on September 8, 1861 by a band of Missouri guerrillas, Cherokee Indians, and Osage half-breed Indians, under command of Captains Matthews and Livingstone. Matthews had been a trader among the Indians, had married an Osage squaw, and lived where Oswego now is. He had great influence among the Osages and incited them to take sides with the Southern Confederacy. At Humboldt they sacked the stores and dwellings, carrying off all the money and valuables they could find without resistance, all the men being absent. BURNING OF HUMBOLDT.—At the time of the raid in September, Dr. George A. Miller was absent trying to obtain authority to organize a company of Home Guards. He succeeded in this, and on his return organized a company of infantrymen in the town, which was composed of old men, boys, and a few of the militiamen who had returned to Humboldt as soon as they learned of the raid, to help protect their defenseless families. A company of cavalry was also organized in the neighborhood, composed of farmers, and commanded by Capt. Henry Dudley. These companies accompanied by Col. J. G. Blunt, went in pursuit of the guerrillas, and succeeded in overtaking them, when a skirmish took place, during which the outlaw, Capt. Matthews was killed. The Home Guards returned, and for several days the cavalry was sent out regularly as a scouting party, it being feared that another attack would be made on the town. The infantry remained at home and were always upon guard. Soon, however, there appearing to be no danger, the cavalry were allowed to return to their homes. Late in the afternoon of the Fourteenth of October, 1861, a body of Rebel Cavalry under command of Col. Talbott, dashed into Humboldt. The Home Guards, comprising less than 100 men, were taken completely by surprise, and it was impossible for Capt. Miller to get them together. The town was soon filled with armed men, who kept up a continual firing of guns and pistols. A few of the men by running succeeded in making their escape, but the others were soon captured and placed under guard. It was supposed they would all be shot by the outlaws and the Indians who accompanied them. The only resistance offered was by Capt. Miller and Charles Baland. The Captain finally gave up his arms, pleading that the women and children might be saved, even though he expected to be murdered. The town was then set on fire, but before this was done, the Rebel officer ordered his men to allow the women and children to remove their valuables and household goods from their dwellings, and even ordered them to assist. The rebel officers claimed that Humboldt was burned in retaliation for the burning of Osceola, by Gen. Lane, and the killing of Matthews. Nearly all the buildings were then set on fire. The churches were saved, also the Masonic Hall. The land office and court house building was set on fire, but after the departure of the Rebels the fire was extinguished, but not until many valuable papers among the records were destroyed. Coffey’s general store was set on fire, but the Rebels had in their excitement poured out a barrel of black molasses, thinking it to be tar, and this did not burn very well, besides which Mrs. Coffey had just been washing, and the wet clothes were thrown over the burning portion, extinguishing the fire. The raiders did not stay long, departing early in the evening. The men they had captured were taken a short distance and then released. They returned in time to help save some of the burning buildings. During the entire time the women behaved nobly. By their coolness they succeeded in making the invaders believe an armed force was on the way from Iola, therefore they hastened their departure. The land office had just been opened, with J. C. Burnett, Register. He managed to speak to his sister Miss Kate Burnett, telling her to save $25,000.00 in land warrants that were in the office. Obtaining permission to go to the office for a candle, she secured the warrants and dropped them on the prairie in the high grass. Numerous other heroic acts were performed by the women. The better portion of the town was entirely destroyed. There were only a few buildings left, and some of these were badly damaged by the fire. The only man killed was a farmer, who was running away trying to save his mules. He was ordered to stop, but not doing so, he was shot and fatally wounded. All the horses that could be found were taken by the Rebels. Besides this little property was stolen, and outside the town no damage whatever was done. The Rebel force numbered 331 men who were all well mounted and thoroughly armed. After the burning of Humboldt a military post was established there. There were no events of note until the CSA General Price raid in 1864. The militia of the county was organized into a battalion, known as the Allen County Battalion, and was composed of six companies, three from Iola and the northern part of the county, two from Humboldt, and one from the extreme southern part of the county. You may not think that very much happened in Kansas during the Civil War, but you are wrong. There was even a raid on Salina, Kansas although that may have just been a gang of horse thieves.