Copyright 1927 by the Author
Chapter 11:
The First Battle of
Independence
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The Battle of Independence
and the Battle of Lone Jack,
fought respectively on
August 11 and August 16,
1862, were parts of the same
campaign and were provoked
by leaders who the year
before had served under
Price in the Missouri State
Guard, but who now came with
commissions in the
Confederate Army on
recruiting expeditions. In
these two battles the
Confederates were victorious
but the victors were
promptly and precipitately
chased from the state back
into Arkansas, followed by
the hard-marching Federal
under Col. Blunt.
After the battle of Pea
Ridge in March, a part of
the old State Guard went
with Price beyond the
Mississippi and some
lingered along the borders
of the State in Arkansas.
Toward mid-summer there was
a spontaneous movement back
into Missouri. The leaders
who advanced toward Lone
Jack were Cockrell, Shelby,
Tracy, Hunter, Jackman and
Rains; and these commanders
were in the battle of Lone
Jack. Those who came toward
Independence were Col. Upton
Hayes, Col. John T. Hughes,
Col. Gideon Thompson and
Quantrell. These were the
Confederates who captured
the Federal post at
Independence. Col. John T.
Hughes and Col. Upton Hayes
established a recruiting
camp on the Charlie Cowherd
farm near Lee's Summit,
where about 250 men joined
the Confederate ranks,
including a small band of
guerillas under Quantrell.
Independence was a Federal
post, commanded by Col.
James T. Buel of Seventh
Missouri Cavalry, a force of
about 500 men, camped partly
on the west side of Pleasant
Street, southwest of the
Mercer residence. Buel's
headquarters, with a company
or two, were in the old
McCoy Bank Building.
The lot on the corner to the
east, now occupied by the
Chrisman-Sawyer Bank
Building, was vacant
property.
It was currently reported
that Buel contemplated an
attack on the Confederate
recruiting camp. This attack
was anticipated by Hughes,
who at daybreak on Monday
morning, Aug. 11, suddenly
dashed into Independence and
opened fire on Buel's
headquarters, from which
came a vigorous defensive
reply.
Quoting my "Battles and
Biographies of Missourians":
"The attacking army came in
on the Spring Branch road.
Capt. Hart of St. Joseph was
at the head of the column,
which was approaching the
Public Square on East Maple
Avenue. The Federal Guard at
the jail fired and Capt.
Hart fell, mortally wounded,
the first of a long list of
fatalities among Confederate
officers that day. The
little army now dashed up to
the square and rode to the
south side, where Quantrell
formed his men hastily into
platoons.
Quantrell went past Buel's
headquarters at full run,
Hughes and Thomson
following. Buel's guard
fired into the passing
troops and Kit Chiles fell
dead in the street, but no
halt was made until the
Confederates ran into the
Federal encampment. The
first Confederate volley was
delivered with terrible
effect upon the Federals
sleeping in their tents.
Capt. Axline ordered: "Boys,
rally behind the rock
fence." The tents were
abandoned and the battle
assumed a form of of regular
siege and defense. At almost
the first Federal volley
Col. Hughes was shot in the
forehead and died instantly.
Col. Hays assumed command
against that impregnable
rock fence and five times he
was driven back. Finally a
messenger arrived from Buel
with orders to surrender.
"The Confederates kept up a
steady but ineffectual fire
at the windows of Buel's
headquarters. Quantrell's
men started a fire against a
low building near Buel's
building. Buel raised the
white flag and surrendered."
The number of killed was
between thirty and forty on
each side. The arms,
ammunition, quartermaster
and commissary stores
captured at Independence
were much needed by the
Confederates. Five days
afterwards occurred the
battle of Lone Jack, after
which the Confederates
retreated South.
On the day after the battle,
The Border Star issued an
Extra, consisting of a
single sheet, printed on one
side, four columns wide,
dated Independence, Mo.,
Tuesday Evening, August
11th, in which is given an
account of the flight and
the losses in killed and
wounded on both sides. The
"Border Star" was evidently
a union paper; it referred
to the Confederates as the
"enemy," whose plans were
well matured and faithfully
carried out.
Following are brief extracts
from the Border Star's
Extra:
"Col. Buel gathered his
little force together in the
Bank Building, and to every
volley poured into him from
the adjacent houses and
streets, he sent back back
an answer of the same kind.
He directed Orderly Haskell
to hoist the stars and
stripes upon the roof of the
house to show his men at
camp that "he was holding
out to the last -- In doing
this the gallant young man
was shot and died a few
hours after. He sent up
another man, who succeeded
in elevating the flag and
concealing himself."
"The particulars of the
surrender will be furnished
hereafter. The surrender was
to the Southern Confederacy
-- not to bushwhackers --
and the prisoners were most
kindly treated as prisoners
of war and paroled.
"We have said that the
Federals fought valiantly,
both officers and men, and
only surrendered when they
could not help themselves.
Justice requires us to say
that the conduct of the
Confederates was equally
courageous. In fact such
deeds of desperate daring as
those performed by George
Todd, Bill Haller, Gregg,
Scott and others -- to say
nothing of their superior
officers -- are seldom
witnessed, and seldom read
of save in tales of romance.
As for Quantrell, he might
be seen, upon his black
charger, bareheaded and
coatless in every part of
the town where fighting was
progressing or expected.
"In the hour of victory, we
are gratified to say, a
moderation and magnanimity
were exercised that was far
from what was expected. With
the exception of two acts of
personal vindictiveness (of
which we will speak at a
future time) we heard of no
one insulted or injured. No
private houses were entered,
no private property taken,
except wagons for
transportation, and no Union
family molested.
"So soon as the battle was
over, our citizens, without
respect to party, flocked to
scenes of strife and did all
in their power for the
suffering and dying. Even
the ladies (God bless them!)
were making coffee,
preparing cordials and
fixing up delicacies, which
were carried to the wounded;
and everywhere we saw
delicate women, old and
young, administering to the
necessities of the hour,
without inquiry or care as
to whether the suffering
victims were Federals or
Confederates. We were
gratified to see Federal
wounded soldiers carried by
secessionists (so called) to
places of comfort and
security, and attended by
Secesh ladies as tenderly as
if they were dearest friends
or nearest kinfolks, and the
same spirit was manifested
by the Union ladies. All
honor to the humanity and
noble benevolence of the
Christian women of
Independence.
"The above is an imperfect
account of the battle and
its incidents, but is the
best we can give in the
confusion of the hour.
"The wounded are domiciled
in the different rooms of
the Court House, where they
are permitted to lack
nothing that can contribute
to their comfort and cure.
"The Colonel and two of the
captains had their horses
and some private property
restored to them.
"At present we have no
promise of any new Federal
forces immediately. News
from other points leads us
to believe there has been a
simultaneous uprising of
rebeldom throughout the
State.
"Firing was heard in the
direction of Liberty this
morning, and rumor says the
town has been captured.
"Kansas City is too well
fortified to have any fears
of being taken.
"SECOND EDITION (Wed., Aug.
13th)
"Yesterday (Tuesday)
afternoon about 4 o'clock,
we heard a cry of 'Soldiers
Coming!" and on going to an
upper window we saw troops
of horsemen dashing into
town, occupied every avenue
of communication with the
country, and preventing all
going and coming by citizens
and others. They were soon
followed by infantry and
artillery companies and our
city -- desolate and dreary
looking but a few minutes
before -- now presented all
the excitement, bustle and
clangor of 'glorious war.'
Drums beating, bugles
sounding, horsemen speeding
from point to point, and
citizens scattering hither
and yon. Fearing that
Jennison or Jim Lane might
be in command, everyone felt
more or less apprehensive --
but when the comely form and
Christian features of Col.
J. T. Burrus -- familiar to
many of our citizens -- was
discerned in the crowd,
people breathed more freely.
With Col. Burris in command
everyone felt assured that
however firm he might be in
the discharge of his duty,
yet he would do nor permit
to be done any act that
would tarnish the American
flag or disgrace an American
soldier. Excesses may be
indulged in by some of the
privates if opportunity
presents, but let proper
representations be made to
the officers and we are
assured that prompt remedies
will be afforded.
"No signs of an attack from
the Confederates as yet. No
certain information of their
present whereabout.
"Up to the time we go to
press we ascertain that the
Federal loss is as follows:
Killed in battle and died
since..............23
Wounded...........................................33
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56
"The Confederate loss so far
as we can get at it is as
follows:
Killed...............................................10
Wounded.........................................11
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