View attachment 164868
These particular Jayhawkers were members of the 15th Kansas Cavalry. Fighting on the Kansas/Missouri border was especially nasty and civilians on both sides suffered terribly. The Missouri folks who sympathized with the South were called " Missouri Ruffians, Bald Knobbers, or Missouri Mules." While the Kansas Unionists were " Jayhawks, Jawhawkers, or Redlegs ( due to their affinity for red colored,leather leggings.) Generally these unorganized guerrillas had little military training and just conducted raids across the border to rob, murder, and sometimes burn entire farms. Many of the Old Western Outlaws cut their teeth ( so to speak ) during these times.
William F. Cloud
Fifteenth Cavalry
KANSAS
(3-YEARS)
Fifteenth Cavalry.ÄCols., Charles R. Jennison,
William F.
Cloud; Lieut.- Cols., George H. Hoyt, Henry C. Haas; Majs.,
Robert H. Hunt, John M. Laing, Henry C. Haas, Benjamin F.
Simpson, Leroy J. Beam.
Immediately after Quantrill's raid upon the defenseless city
of Lawrence, Gov. Carney commissioned Col. C. R. Jennison
formerly of the 7th, to recruit a regiment of cavalry.
Previous to the Lawrence massacre the governor had received
authority from the war department to organize a cavalry force
to be primarily devoted to the protection of the exposed
border of the state. The 15th cavalry was the immediate
result.
It was recruited from the state at large, rendezvoused at Fort
Leavenworth and was there mustered into the U. S. service Oct.
17, 1863, for three years. Col. Jennison remained in command
at Fort Leavenworth until Aug. 1864, during which time the
several companies of the regiment were stationed along the
eastern and southern border of the state at Olathe, Paola,
Coldwater Grove, Trading Post, Fort Scott, Osage Mission, and
Humboldt. Co. H served out its term at Fort Riley in another
district.
In Feb., 1864, the regiment was armed with the improved
Sharp's carbines in place of the wretched Hall's carbines.
Adjt.-Gen. Holliday, in his report for 1864, thus
characterized the regiment:
"It was made up of men whose ardent attachment to the cause of
freedom and the maintenance of the general government
peculiarly qualified them as zealous and efficient guardians
of the public welfare in the district of country where their
duty called them.
Always on the alert for bushwhackers and guerrillas, they have
frequently administered such good and wholesome admonition to
them as to cause the name of the 15th to become a terror to
those 'enemies of the human race.' Patient of endurance and
fearless almost to desperation in the face of the enemy, they
have added laurels to the memory of their slain, and converted
the appellation of jayhawkers' into one of honor and fame.
The 15th was almost constantly in the presence of the enemy
during the late invasion of Missouri (the Price raid),
retarding his advance or hastening his retreat by following
closely upon and striking terror and dismay into his broken
and disordered hordes. Except the battles included in the
invasion above referred to, the 15th has not participated in
many of importance, but from the hazardous and arduous duties
it has been required to perform, its numbers have been
considerably reduced.
The many outrages from which the sudden and unexpected
presence of the 15th has saved the people of Kansas, will ever
remind them of the gratitude they owe the soldiers of this
gallant regiment."
In Aug., 1864, Col. Jennison was placed in command of the 1st
sub-district of southern Kansas. Lieut.-Col. Hoyt commanded
the troops in and west of Neosho valley, with headquarters at
Humboldt, and Maj. Laing commanded in Linn and Anderson
counties until the troops were concentrated at Fort Scott,
after the capture by the enemy of the train at Cabin creek.
As the enemy withdrew south of the Arkansas, the troops
returned to their various stations about Oct. 1. Shortly
after this, when Gen. Price invaded Missouri, Col. Jennison
was placed in command of the 1st brigade, 1st division, Army
of the Border, the 15th Kan., a battalion of the 3rd Wis., and
a battery of 12-pounder mountain howitzers, composing the
brigade.
A portion of the regiment being on detached service, the
regiment only numbered about 600 men when it entered on the
arduous campaign against Price. It rendered gallant service
in the engagements at Lexington, Little Blue, Independence,
Big Blue, Westport, Santa Fe, Osage and Newtonia. In the last
named engagement the first brigade was commanded by Lieut.-
Col. Hoyt, who was recommended for promotion by Gen. Blunt on
account of gallant and meritorious conduct, in consequence of
which he was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general.
The campaign against Price practically closed the active
service of the 15th, though the regiment was not mustered out
at Fort Leavenworth until Oct. 19, 1865.
Its casualties by death during service were a officers, 19
enlisted men, killed or died of wounds; 2 officers, 77
enlisted men, died of disease, accident and other causes.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 217