Tenth Infantry. -- Cols., James Montgomery, William Weer,
William F. Cloud; Lieut.-Cols., James G. Blunt, John T. Burris
Charles S. Hills; Majs., Otis B. Gunn, Henry H. Williams.
This regiment was formed at Paola, April 3, 1862, by the
consolidation of the 3rd and 4th regiments, together with a
few members of the 5th (see 3rd and 4th infantry). It
numbered about 800 officers and men of exceptionally fine
physique, as most of the physically unfit members had been
culled out during the previous service of the several
organizations of which it was made up.
Its rolls disclose few deaths from diseases and but little
sickness during the next two years. As soon as organized, it
was marched to Fort Scott, where it went into camp to await
orders. Not long after, four companies were ordered to report
to Col. Doubleday and moved on an expedition into Indian
Territory against the notorious Col. Stand Watie of the 1st
Confederate Cherokee regiment.
It was the only infantry accompanying the expedition and
marched 30 miles a day to keep up with the cavalry and
artillery. In June, 1862, Col. Cloud having been transferred
to the 2nd cavalry, Col. Weer, formerly of the 4th, assumed
command of the regiment.
The first active service of the 10th was with the expedition
commanded by Col. Weer into the Indian Territory in June,
1862, returning to Fort Scott Aug. 15. It was then assigned
to the 2nd brigade (Col. Weer), Frontier division (Gen.
Blunt), and marched into Missouri to assist in checking the
advance of the enemy under Cols. Coffee and Cockrell.
It was only lightly engaged at the battle of Newtonia in
September, where the Union forces suffered a disastrous
repulse in the first engagement, but received reinforcements
and were victorious a little later at the same place. With
the 1st division, Army of the Frontier, under Gen. Blunt, it
moved west into Indian Territory in October and arrived just
too late to share in the fight at Old Fort Wayne.
In November it was actively engaged in the battles of Cane
Hill and Prairie Grove, losing in the latter action, 6 killed
and 67 wounded out of 387 engaged. It was engaged at Van
Buren, where the remaining portion of Gen. Hindman's force was
routed and finally driven south of the Arkansas River.
In Jan., 1863, it formed part of the force sent to the relief
of Springfield then besieged by Gen. Marmaduke, overtaking and
driving the enemy at Sand Springs, Mo. In March, 1863, it
moved into the White River country to check the enemy's
cavalry under Gen. Shelby advancing against Forsyth.
The regiment then returned to the vicinity of Fort Scott and
part of the command went home on 20 days' furlough. On April
27 it marched to Rolla, Mo., where it did provost duty until
June 4, then moved to St. Louis, whence it was ordered into
Indiana at the time of Gen. Morgan's raid. It was not needed
there so it returned to St. Louis July 18, and moved to Kansas
City in August.
In September it marched into the Sni Hills in pursuit of the
guerrilla Quantrill, after his raid upon Lawrence, and after
returning from the unsuccessful pursuit was stationed at
Kansas City until Jan., 1864. It then moved to St. Louis,
whence it was ordered to Alton, IL, to take charge of the
military prison. On May 5, it was again ordered to St. Louis
and detailed for provost guard of the city.
In July Col. Weer was arrested and tried under various
charges, being sentenced to dishonorable dismissal from the
service, though the sentence of the court was set aside a year
later.
The regiment was then ordered to Fort Leavenworth, where it
was mustered out Aug. 19-20, 1864. The veterans and recruits
were organized at St. Louis, Aug. 15, 1864, into a battalion
of four companies and continued in service until after the
close of the war.
The veteran organization was under the command of Maj.
Williams until the end of August and was then successively
commanded by Lieut. F. A. Smalley, Capt. George D. Brooke,
Capt. William C. Jones and Lieut.-Col. Hills. In the latter
part of November the battalion moved to Nashville and thence
to Franklin, Tenn., where it took part in the battle with
Hood's forces as a part of the 4th corps.
It was then assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, 16th
corps, and took a prominent and honorable part in the battle
of Nashville. In Feb., 1865, it embarked on transports, went
down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and later took part in
the campaign for the reduction of Mobile, Ala.
Of its conduct at the battle of Fort Blakely, Gen. Gilbert,
commanding the brigade in which it served, said:
"The 10th Kansas, a little band of heroes, rushed forward as
into the jaws of death, with a determination to conquer or
die. * * * Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon them."
The battalion was finally mustered out at Montgomery, Ala.,
Aug. 30, 1865, and was paid and discharged at Fort Leavenworth
Sept. 20. The 10th lost by death during service 2 officers
and 23 enlisted men, killed or died of wounds; 4 officers and
118 enlisted men died of disease, accident and other causes.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 212
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