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Baxter Springs, KS -Unedited version

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Tags: Civil film in Kansas Quantrill Reenactment short War
Channel: Entertainment
Uploaded: December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm
Author: qwincbruce
Length: 07:41
Rating: N/A
Views: 82
Here is a longer version of the October 1985 Baxter Springs, KS Reenactment. This version is without narration. Looks to be someone's home movie.As the story goes, William Quantrill was leading about 400 men South to winter quarters, when word came to him of this little Union outpost in the Southeastern corner of Kansas. Just a few log cabins surrounded by an earthen embankment, Fort Blair was garrisoned by approximately 155 men from the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry and Co. C & D of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry. On the morning of the 6th, 60 cavalrymen had been sent out on a foraging detail. By noon, the remaining 95 men were preparing for their lunch, when interrupted by intense firing from the woods. Within a moment, Quantrills guerrillas were upon them, but the Unionists were able to drive back the assailants with the aid of a small mountain howitzer.Rather than press the issue, Quantrill ordered his men to another objective that came into view. Traveling down the road from Fort Scott was a column of wagons with an escort of 100 mounted cavalrymen from Co. I, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry. The group was on its way to Fort Smith, Arkansas and included General James G. Blunt, who was traveling in a buggy accompanied by a young lady, and a wagonload of band musicians. Not knowing of the recent fight at the nearby fort, Blunt was surprised to see a column of mounted men approaching. He mistakenly thought they were from the fort and had come out to greet him (by this time, many of Quantrills men were dressed in captured Federal uniforms, so Blunt along with everyone else was confused). One account claims the band was preparing a musical salute when the horsemen broke into a charge and opened fire. Blunt, his lady friend, and his mounted escort all ran like rabbits. The musicians were not so lucky. Left all alone and defenseless, they were slaughtered like dogs, and their dead bodies tossed back into the wagon, which was set ablaze. Out of 100 men that escorted General Blunt through Kansas that day, 89 were killed. One of the dead was Major General Samuel Curtis (of Pea Ridge fame) son Henry.

Video Comments

qwincbruce (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Not better, but more fun. Authenticity not as strict back then. We did a lot of local town festivals. Any little Missouri/Kansas town that had only a minor skirmish. Sometimes in a downtown parade surrounded by arts and crafts booths.Camps were usually right in the middle of town. Hard to be authentic with beer garden right across the street and rock or country music coming from nearby stage. Baxter Springs was fun. Would be willing to return.

GettysburgGhost1863 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

I hear reenactments were a lot better in the 80's, both to watch and to do.