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The Battle Of Walnut Creek 

Johnson County, Missouri

 

During July, 1862, Quantrill's command had been increased to seventy five men, an addition of twelve men having been made by a union with Jack Rider who had been ravaging the border counties on his own account. With this force Quantrill decided to leave the Sni hills and enter Harrisonville, which at this time contained a large amount of provisions guarded by about one hundred raw Federals.

 

His plans were thwarted, however, by his advance guards reporting large bodies of scouting militia on every side. The roads were, in fact, so well protected by the Union forces that Quantrill was forced to take to the woods, and was compelled to retrace his steps and make for the Sni again.

 

After several days of hard marching, Quantrill pitched his camp on Walnut Creek, in Johnson county, which he fortified by felling heavy trees and making his retreat inaccessible to cavalry except at passes left for the convenience of his own troops. Cole Younger was sent out on the 13th of July to reconnoiter and forage, taking with him twelve men well mounted. Upon reaching the house of Joe Larkin, a  detachment of fifteen men was seen riding up the road in advance of a large force of Federals.  Cole and his men had dismounted and their horses were feeding back of the house. Hastily calling his squad together, he ordered them to hide behind some quilts, which had been washed that day and left on the fence to dry.

 

Thus hidden, they awaited the approach of the Federal advance, until they were in the road immediately opposite, when suddenly the guerrillas arose as if from the ground and poured such a deadly fire upon the fifteen astonished Federals that only one escaped. The main body was so surprised at this sudden and fatal  attack upon the advance guard, that it halted and formed a line of battle in anticipation of a charge, as the Federals had no idea of the size of the guerrilla force. At this time an additional force of two hundred Butler county militia appeared, and thus reinforced the Federals advanced while Cole mounted his men and retreated to the camp, where preparations were made to receive the enemy.  Quantrill had barely time to close the passage through which Cole Younger and his squad had entered, before the Federal cavalry, now four hundred strong, made a charge, but they recoiled before the murderous fire of the well-protected guerrillas.

 

A second charge followed, but again from the barricades streamed flames of death until the stream was filled the dead. The baffled and distressed cavalry fell back in broken ranks and formed on a hill two hundred yards distant, evidently to hold a council. For two hours not a sound disturbed the forest. The two armies were content to quietly contemplate the intentions and strength of each other. In the afternoon, about four o'clock, the Federals were again reinforced by another body of two hundred men, and the attack was renewed. It was now 600 against 75, but the 75 were Quanrill's Guerrillas.

 

A force of one hundred deployed down the creek and another detachment of two hundred was sent to attack the guerrillas in the rear, but the bluffs prevented the latter force from reaching a point where they could be effective. A combined attack was agreed on, but when the charge from the front was made again, the main body was unsupported by the three hundred troops sent to attack the flank and rear, and a terrible repulse was the consequence. The several disastrous charges made by the Federals convinced them that the cavalry was useless against such a strongly fortified foe, and a new plan of attack was resolved upon.

 

All the troops were dismounted and their horses secured in the ravine five hundred yards north of the battle-ground. The combined force then moved in infantry columns, and ascended the hill, reserving their fire until the last moment. The sight now was a grand one. The guerrillas, with double-barreled shotguns loaded deep with slugs and buck-shot, lay low behind their barricades and waited the approach of the enemy. Not a gun was fired, nor a word uttered until the Federals had almost reached the sheltering  works and were preparing to scale them, when suddenly the gunfire began. The line wavered under the fire, but the breaks were repaired in the attacking column, and the charge continued. It was almost a steady stream of deadly fire that poured into the Federals in their exposed positions.

 

In spite of the protecting butts of large trees, the guerrillas suffered severely. Quantrill was shot through the leg, but still he fought and cheered his men while the blood ran away and wasted his strength ; Cole Younger had his clothes riddled with bullets and his hat shot off; George Shepherd was hit in the arm, and more than a dozen of Quantrill's men were lying here and there, in pools blood. To make escape more difficult, nearly half of Quantrill's horses were killed and the country was filled with  large bands of scouting Federals and with trees, brush and lofty bluffs.

 

Four times the charging forces were beaten back from the impregnable barricade, reeling under the flying pellets of death, but rallying again and again until the shadows of evening obscured foe from foe. The roar of battle ceased gradually.

 

 Late in the night Cole Younger, with two others, was sent out to locate the enemy for the purpose of determining the safest avenue of escape. Quantrill's wound was now giving him much pain, his fighting force was seriously crippled and their ammunition almost exhausted. To remain and risk the battle which was certain to be renewed in the morning, he realized would be sure defeat followed by the most disastrous consequences. Directly after Younger and his two comrades left the camp to reconnoiter a heavy rain began to fall  which, rattling among the trees, permitted them to proceed with less fear of detection and indisposed the Federal pickets to keep vigilant guard, for they were already fairly exhausted from fighting, and naturally sought shelter and rest.

 

It was nearly  midnight, when the daring spy returned and made his report to Quantrill. Cole had crawled inside the Federal lines, located every squad and picket, and then found a clear passage, but it was up a dreadfully steep. But even this information was encouraging, and hurriedly yet silently the camp was raised, the wounded mounted with aids, and the tattered ranks of the guerrillas were put in motion. It occupied more than an hour's time to get the horses and men up the hillside, and in the confusion the Federal camp was aroused to Quantrill's intention. The darkness, however, was friendly to the guerrillas and protected them in their escape, many of them being compelled to ride double, owing to the scarcity of horses. The Sni hills were reached, the wounded were left at the houses of friends, and hastily the group separated so they could proceed with less fear of detection .

      
 
 
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James R. Baker Jr.
 
 
 
 
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