Skirmish near Brooklyn, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skirmish near Brooklyn, Kansas |
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| Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Confederate States of America |
 United States |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| William Quantrill George Todd |
Preston B. Plumb Jim Lane |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| Quantrill's Raiders | Militia 9th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment |
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The skirmish near Brooklyn, Kansas was a small fight during the American Civil War. It happened on August 21, 1863. This battle took place between Quantrill's Raiders and Union soldiers. It happened right after the terrible Lawrence Massacre.
Jim Lane led a small group of people who survived the massacre. They chased after Quantrill's men. About 200 Union Army cavalrymen joined them. These soldiers were led by Preston B. Plumb. Lane's and Plumb's men fought Quantrill's Raiders south of the town of Brooklyn, Kansas. The raiders had already burned this town. Quantrill's soldiers started to panic. But a brave charge led by George M. Todd stopped the Union chase. Quantrill's men then escaped into Missouri and spread out. A few of them were later caught and punished.
What Led to the Fight
During the American Civil War, much of the fighting in Missouri was guerrilla warfare. This means small, unofficial groups fought instead of large armies. The nearby state of Kansas mostly wanted to end slavery. This idea is called abolitionism. But some people in Missouri supported slavery.
Unofficial fighters from Kansas were known as Jayhawkers. Pro-slavery fighters from Missouri were called bushwhackers. Both sides did terrible things. They committed murder, stole property, and destroyed things. One of the most famous bushwhacker groups was Quantrill's Raiders. This group was led by William Clarke Quantrill. He was a captain in the Confederate States Army.
In August 1863, Quantrill gathered 450 men. They went into Kansas. They kidnapped local people and forced them to guide them to the city of Lawrence, Kansas. Then they killed these guides.
Lawrence was chosen as the target for the raid. People in Missouri saw it as a center for abolitionism and Jayhawkers. The city was also home to the Jayhawker leader Jim Lane. He was greatly disliked in Missouri. Quantrill said the raid was revenge for an earlier event. This event was the Sacking of Osceola, Missouri. However, some historians believe the bushwhackers mostly wanted to steal and kill. During the Lawrence Massacre on August 21, Quantrill's men destroyed 185 buildings. They also killed 182 men.
The Skirmish
Later on the same day as the massacre, some of Quantrill's men saw Union soldiers coming. The bushwhackers left Lawrence. They moved along the roads towards Baldwin. They reached the Santa Fe Trail at Brooklyn, Kansas. Brooklyn was about 12 miles (19 km) from Lawrence. Local farmers had warned Brooklyn's residents about Quantrill's approach. So, the town was empty when the bushwhackers arrived.
Quantrill thought Union forces would already be blocking the way he came into Kansas. So, he decided to leave by heading southeast. He wanted to go towards some woods near the Marais des Cygnes River. He also ordered Brooklyn to be burned. One study suggests that Quantrill's men might have been targeting a peaceful group. These people had been forced out of Missouri earlier by pro-slavery groups.
Jim Lane had survived the massacre by hiding in a cornfield. After the bushwhackers left, he gathered about a dozen men. They had small guns, knives, and shotguns. Lane's group followed Quantrill. More men joined them during the chase. By the time they reached Brooklyn, Lane had about 35 men.
Lane's men kicked up a lot of dust. This warned Quantrill's fighters that they were coming. The bushwhackers started to retreat. About 200 Union Army cavalrymen joined Lane's group. These soldiers were led by Preston B. Plumb. They had been trying to find Quantrill's force even before the massacre. They met up with Lane's men and then found the bushwhackers beyond Brooklyn.
Shots were fired, but they didn't hit anyone at first. Quantrill's men started to get messy and panic. They were going down a lane through a cornfield. But a bushwhacker leader named George M. Todd gathered 20 of his men. They charged the Union cavalry. This pushed the Union soldiers back, and both sides had losses. Todd was put in charge of the group protecting the rear. They then fought in short bursts. Todd's men would set up a defense and hold off the Union soldiers. When the main Union force caught up, the raiders would ride to catch up with Quantrill. They repeated this as they moved towards Paola.
What Happened Next
Union forces tried to set a trap for Quantrill near Paola. But the bushwhackers fought off a small Union charge. Then they avoided the planned ambush. The bushwhackers also avoided 150 Missouri militiamen at the Missouri/Kansas state line. By the end of August 22, they had scattered within Missouri. A few of the bushwhackers were later caught and executed.
The Lawrence Massacre made many people very angry. It led to Union Brigadier General Thomas Ewing Jr. giving out General Order No. 11. This order forced about 10,000 people to leave parts of four counties in western Missouri.
