List of battles fought in Kansas facts for kids
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 | September 1601 | modern Arkansas City, Kansas | unknown | Escanxaque vs New Spain | ||
Battle of Chouteau's Island | Spring 1816 | near modern Lakin, Kansas | 8 | Pawnee vs French fur traders | ||
Love's Defeat | June 26, 1847 | near modern Garfield, Kansas | Mexican–American War | 6 | United States of America vs Kiowa & Comanche | |
Battle of Coon Creek | 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 | Pro-slavery mob vs abolitionist civilians | |
Pottawatomie massacre | May 24–25, 1856 | Franklin County, Kansas | Bleeding Kansas | 5 | Free-Staters vs Pro-slavery settlers | |
Battle of Black Jack | June 2, 1856 | near modern Baldwin City, Kansas | Bleeding Kansas | Border Ruffians vs Free-Staters | ||
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+ | Border Ruffians vs Free-Staters | |
Battle of Solomon Fork | July 29, 1857 | near modern Morland, Kansas | Plains Indians Wars | 10-11 | United States of America vs Southern Cheyenne | |
Marais des Cygnes massacre | May 19, 1858 | Trading Post, Kansas | Bleeding Kansas | 5 | Border Ruffians vs Free-Staters | |
Battle of the Spurs | January 31, 1859 | near modern Netawaka, Kansas | Bleeding Kansas | Underground Railroad | 0 | John Brown, J. H. Kagi, Aaron Dwight Stevens, & 12 escaped slaves vs. U.S. marshals |
Lawrence Massacre | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | April 15, 1867 | near modern Antonino, Kansas | Plains Indian Wars | 2 | Lakota & Southern Cheyenne vs civilians | |
Fort Wallace | June 21, 1867 | modern Wallace, Kansas | Plains Indian Wars | Comanche Campaign | 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 1867 | modern Ellis County, Kansas | Plains Indian Wars | Comanche Campaign | 31+ | United States of America vs Southern Cheyenne |
Battle of Prairie Dog Creek | August 21, 1867 | modern Phillips County, Kansas | Plains Indian Wars | Comanche Campaign | 53 | United States of America vs Kiowa & Southern Cheyenne |
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 | 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 | |
Battle of Beaver Creek (2) | 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 |