List of battles fought in Kansas

This is an incomplete list of military and other armed confrontations that have occurred within the boundaries of the modern US State of Kansas since European contact. The region was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1535–1679, New France from 1679–1803, and part of the United States of America 1803–present. A small portion of the southwest part of the state—southwest of the Arkansas River was claimed by the Republic of Texas after the Texas Revolution.

Two wars have directly affected the region, the American Civil War (1860–1865) and the Plains Indian Wars. Kansas was also greatly affected during the Bleeding Kansas period (1855–1861) in which settlers and outsiders fought to determine whether the territory would become a free or slave state.

Battles

Name Date Location War Campaign Dead Belligerents
Battle at Etzanoa[1] September 1601 modern Arkansas City, Kansas unknown Escanxaque vs New Spain[2]
Battle of Chouteau's Island Spring 1816 near modern Lakin, Kansas 8 Pawnee vs French fur traders
Love's Defeat[3] June 26, 1847 near modern Garfield, Kansas Mexican–American War 6 United States of America vs Kiowa & Comanche
Battle of Coon Creek[4][5] June 18, 1848 near modern Kinsley, Kansas Mexican–American War United States of America vs Comanche & Osage
Wakarusa War November–December 1855 Lawrence, Kansas / Wakarusa River Valley Bleeding Kansas 2 Free-Staters vs Border Ruffians
Sacking of Lawrence May 21, 1856 Lawrence, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 1[6] Pro-slavery mob[7] vs abolitionist civilians
Pottawatomie massacre[8] May 24–25, 1856 Franklin County, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 5 Free-Staters[9] vs Pro-slavery settlers[10]
Battle of Black Jack[11] June 2, 1856 near modern Baldwin City, Kansas Bleeding Kansas Border Ruffians[12] vs Free-Staters[13]
Battle of Fort Titus August 16, 1856 Douglas County, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 3 Free-Staters vs Border Ruffians
Battle of Osawatomie August 30, 1856 Osawatomie, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 25+[14] Border Ruffians[15] vs Free-Staters[16]
Battle of Solomon's Fork[17] July 29, 1857 near modern Morland, Kansas Plains Indians Wars 10-11 United States of America vs Northern Cheyenne
Battle of Indian Rock 1857 within modern Salina Territorial dispute Northern Cheyenne vs Delaware, Kaw, and Pottawatomi
Marais des Cygnes massacre[18] May 19, 1858 Trading Post, Kansas Bleeding Kansas 5 Border Ruffians[19] vs Free-Staters[20]
Battle of the Spurs January 31, 1859 near modern Netawaka, Kansas Bleeding Kansas Underground Railroad 0[21] John Brown, J. H. Kagi, Aaron Dwight Stevens, & 12 escaped slaves vs. U.S. marshals
Lawrence Massacre[22] August 21, 1863 Lawrence, Kansas American Civil War Quantrill's Raid 150+ United States of America & Kansas militia vs Confederate States of America
Fort Baxter Massacre[23] October 6, 1863 near modern Baxter Springs, Kansas American Civil War Quantrill's Raid 100+ United States of America vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Marais des Cygnes[24] October 25, 1864 Linn County, Kansas American Civil War Price's Raid unknown United States of America vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Mine Creek[25] October 25, 1864 Linn County, Kansas American Civil War Price's Raid United States of America vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Cow Creek[26] June 11, 1865 near modern Alden, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 15+ Company I, 2nd Colorado Cavalry & Company G, 7th Iowa Cavalry vs Kiowa (likely)
Battle of Lookout Station[26] April 15, 1867 near modern Antonino, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 2 Lakota & Southern Cheyenne vs civilians
Fort Wallace[27] June 21, 1867 modern Wallace, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 28[28] United States of America vs Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, & Southern Cheyenne
Fort Wallace June 26, 1867 modern Wallace, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 1 United States of America vs Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, & Southern Cheyenne
Kidder Massacre July 2, 1867 near modern Goodland, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 12 United States of America vs Northern Cheyenne & Sioux
Battle of the Saline River August 2, 1867 modern Ellis County, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 31+ United States of America vs Southern Cheyenne
Battle of Prairie Dog Creek[29] August 21, 1867 modern Phillips County, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 53 United States of America vs Kiowa & Southern Cheyenne
(1st) Battle of Beaver Creek August 22–23, 1867 modern Phillips County, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 2+ 18th Kansas Cavalry vs Kiowa & Southern Cheyenne
Plum Buttes Massacre September 9, 1867[30] near modern Chase, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 3 Dog Soldiers vs Santa Fe Trail party
Battle of Council Grove June 3, 1868 near Council Grove, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 3 Southern Cheyenne vs Kaw
(2nd) Battle of Beaver Creek (2)[31] October 15, 1868 modern Phillips County, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign unknown 10th US Cavalry H & I Troops vs Southern Cheyenne
Battle of Buff Creek October 2, 1868 modern Wallace, Kansas Plains Indian Wars Comanche Campaign 1 United States of America vs Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, & Southern Cheyenne
Battle of Punished Woman Fork September 27, 1878 modern Scott County, Kansas Plains Indian Wars 1 United States of America vs Southern Cheyenne
Coffeyville bank robbery October 5, 1892 Coffeyville, Kansas 8 city law enforcement & citizens vs Dalton Gang

References

Citations

  1. ^ "Lost city found: Etzanoa of the great Wichita Nation". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  2. ^ "Etzanoa: The Great Settlement". The Shocker: Wichita State University Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  3. ^ "Love's Defeat". Santa Fe Trail Research Site. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  4. ^ "The Battle of Coon Creek". Kansas State Library. Retrieved 2009-10-24.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "The Battle of Coon Creek". Santa Fe Trail Research Site. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
  6. ^ One pro-slavery man was killed by falling debris after the sacking.
  7. ^ About 800 men under the command of Douglas County Sheriff Samuel Jones.
  8. ^ See: Reynolds, David S. John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights (New York: Vintage Books), 2005, pp. 162-177. ISBN 978-0-375-72615-6
  9. ^ An unknown number of men from the Pottawatomie Rifles were among the belligerents.
  10. ^ James P. Doyle, William Doyle, and Drury Doyle (adult sons of James and former slave catchers), Allen Wilkinson, and William Sherman.
  11. ^ Official site
  12. ^ The Henry C. Pate gang; about 30 men.
  13. ^ John Brown gang; 30 men.
  14. ^ This figure represents the five known anti-slavery men killed during the battle: Fredrick Brown, George W. Partridge, David Garrison, Theron Parker Powers, and Charles Kaiser. The number of pro-slavery men killed was reported by John Brown to be at least 20. See: Reynolds, David S. John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights (New York: Vintage Books), 2005, pp. 200–201. ISBN 978-0-375-72615-6
  15. ^ The John W. Reid & Rev. Marvin White gang; 250-300 men.
  16. ^ John Brown gang; 40 men.
  17. ^ Chalfant, William Y. Cheyennes and Horse Soldiers: The 1857 Expedition and Battle of Solomon's Fork (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press), 2002.
  18. ^ "Marais des Cygnes Massacre history". Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  19. ^ The Charles Hamilton gang.
  20. ^ 11 men, all unarmed.
  21. ^ No shots were fired.
  22. ^ "CWSAC Battle Summary: Lawrence". National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  23. ^ "CWSAC Battle Summary: Baxter Springs". National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  24. ^ "CWSAC Battle Summary: Marais des Cygnes". National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  25. ^ "CWSAC Battle Summary: Mine Creek". National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  26. ^ a b Michno (2003).
  27. ^ "Attack on Fort Wallace, Kansas" (PDF). New York Times. June 29, 1867. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
  28. ^ Eight U.S. soldiers were reported killed or mortally wounded from a force of 40 men from the 3rd Cavalry and 7th Cavalry under the command of Lt Hale. Native forces were estimated to be 400 and their losses reported at 20.
  29. ^ "Ceremony to commemorate Battle of Prairie Dog Creek". Kansas National Guard. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  30. ^ This date requires verification.
  31. ^ Leckie, William H. (December 1999). The Buffalo Soldiers: A Narrative of the Negro Cavalry in the West. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-1244-2.

Works cited

  • Michno, Gregory F. (2003). Encyclopedia of Indian Wars: Western Battles and Skirmishes, 1850-1890. Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87842-468-7.

See also