US ResearchConflictsCivil WarBattle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill)
Civil War

Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill)

1863
Kansas
Era
Civil War
Year
1863
Location
Kansas
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Union Forces: approximately 25 cavalry and 65 soldiers at Fort Baxter, plus additional Union troops in a separate column
VS
Victor
Confederate Guerrillas
Forces
Quantrill's Raiders: approximately 400 pro-Confederate bushwhackers led by William Quantrill
Outcome
Quantrill's assault on Fort Baxter was repulsed by the defending Union garrison. After retreating to the prairie, the bushwhackers attacked a separate Union column, leaving only a few survivors.
The Battle

History & Significance

Quantrill's Raiders were the best-known of the pro-Confederate partisan guerrillas who fought in the American Civil War. Their leader was William Quantrill and they included Jesse James and his brother Frank.

Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Casualties & Losses

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Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill) take place?
Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill) took place in 1863.
Where was Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill) fought?
Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill) was fought in Kansas, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill)?
Quantrill's assault on Fort Baxter was repulsed by the defending Union garrison. After retreating to the prairie, the bushwhackers attacked a separate Union column, leaving only a few survivors.
What was the significance of Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill)?
Quantrill's Raiders were the best-known of the pro-Confederate partisan guerrillas who fought in the American Civil War. Their leader was William Quantrill and they included Jesse James and his brother Frank.
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Battle of Baxter Springs (Quantrill)

Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station
Industrial · 0.1 mi
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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