USA > Colorado > History of the State of Colorado, Vol. I > Part 25
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Bennett's claims upon his party had been established by the energy and success of his first term in congress, where he fortified himself strongly in the esteem of its members. Though only a delegate, with- out a vote, a sort of political eunuch, as it were, his power limited to the simple privilege of introducing, and by consent, of advocating measures for the benefit of his constituents, he nevertheless secured the respect and confidence of the ruling majority by his affability and industry, which gave him an influence that enabled him to obtain nearly as many advantages as a voting member. Thus numerous bills for the institution of important public enterprises in the territory became
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laws. By the valuable aid of Schuyler Colfax and other conspicuous lights in the House, he secured the establishment of postal routes and postoffices in the settled portions not previously supplied ; a local land office, which was greatly needed, since the movement of settlers toward the pursuit of agriculture began at this time to be strongly manifest ; the location of military posts for the protection of smaller settlements against hostile Indians; an appropriation for carrying into effect treaties made with the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians for the cession of their lands in Colorado; procured the removal of the Sur- veyor General's office from Salt Lake City to Denver, with liberal appro- priations for surveys; the establishment of a branch mint, and seventy- five thousand dollars for the erection or purchase of a building and machinery for coining gold and silver, and wrought industriously for the passage of the Pacific railroad bill, stimulated in this instance by the hope and belief that the road would be extended from the Missouri river straight to Denver, and thence across the mountains by Vasquez Fork or some other feasible route. He was also instrumental in prepar- ing the way for the final adjustment of the numerous claims arising from the organization of troops under Governor Gilpin's administration. The tremendous pressure of difficulties which beset the government on all sides demanded the well nigh exclusive attention of Congress, hence it was no easy task for our single representative to divert it, even for a short time, to the needs of our struggling communities on the remote frontier.
In our local affairs Mr. Bennett had been a prominent leader. At the election held October 7, 1862, he was re-elected by a very large plu- rality over his strongest competitor, Governor Gilpin.
George W. Lane, a brother of the somewhat celebrated General James Lane of Kansas, was appointed Superintendent of the Branch Mint in December, 1862. The building owned by Clark, Gruber & Co., was purchased, but not their coining apparatus. What disposition was made of the balance remaining from this expenditure, is not known to the author, but it is certain that the institution has never been elevated
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to the position assigned it in Mr. Bennett's bill, nor have the efforts of his successors in office been equal to the task of raising it from the status of an assay office. It remains as it was founded in 1862, a laboratory and a central depot for the deposit of gold bullion from the mines. Latterly it has been converted into an agency for the purchase of gold for the United States treasury department. During the past five years it has been of great service in collecting trustworthy data relating to the annual production of the precious metals, and the con- dition of the mining industry.
On the 5th of January, 1863, Mr. Bennett introduced a bill for an act to enable the people of Colorado to form a state government, the same being supplemental to Hon. J. M. Ashley's omnibus bill brought forward at the December session and intended to provide state gov- ernments for Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. Both were sup- pressed, at all events were not reported by the committee to which they were referred.
The second session of the territorial legislature which was, as a matter of fact, but a continuation of the first session, convened at Colo- rado City-whence the capital had been removed the previous year- on Monday, July 7th, 1862. Soon after its organization a bill was brought forth by a committee, which provided for a convention to frame a constitution and other machinery of a state government. In submit- ting the measure the committee entered upon an elaborate and far- reaching investigation of the conditions, political and otherwise, of the territory, as a reason for taking this advanced step. It was boldly declared that progress under the existing form was well nigh impos- sible, but by mounting to the exalted position of a sovereign state, the people would acquire at a single bound the prestige which representa- tion in both branches of Congress would inevitably bring, and immedi- ately capital and increased population, with all the collateral advantages of such acquisitions would flow in upon us to develop the phenomenal resources with which the country had been so lavishly supplied. The territory, though in the first year of its existence, had already become
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odious, and it was asserted (without reason) that the majority longed and panted for the political and industrial loaves and fishes which this movement, if carried out, would shower upon them. They were now denied the right to elect their officers-an immeasurable grievance. Strangers without interest in, or sympathy with the pioneers, were sent out to govern and direct. Decrepit and windbroken politicians who clamored for the support of the general government, were preferred to the first class native timber to be found here in exhaustless quanti- ties. The people were compelled to bear not only these heavy afflic- tions, but even their laws were subject to revision and possible repeal by Congress, and so on, ad infinitum.
The bill failed. The wiser judgment of the majority comprehended the weight of the burden sought to be imposed, and they acted accord- ingly. On the 11th of July the assembly adjourned to Denver and there completed its labors. Thus went out in darkness the glory of Colorado City as the capital of Colorado territory.
Governor Evans delivered his message, a document prepared with much care, showing in its suggestions and recommendations that he had examined the statutes already enacted, discovered the necessity of their amendment in certain important particulars, and that he had also made an intelligent inspection of the various settlements, and had well digested plans for their improvement.
By authority of the war department, in February, 1862, Colonel Jesse H. Leavenworth (son of General Henry Leavenworth of the regular army), a graduate of West Point, who came out to " Pike's Peak," with the immigrants of 1860, but subsequently returned to engage in the war, was commissioned to enlist a battalion of six com- panies in Colorado for service in one of the eastern armies. The un- attached companies already raised were to be added, and the whole to constitute the Second Regiment of Colorado Volunteers. He arrived in Denver May 12, and to all intents and purposes assumed control of military affairs. He appointed recruiting officers who at once entered upon their duties. The work proceeded slowly, because the mining
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excitement having subsided, the floating population had scattered to the westward, or returned to the states. About this time reported dis- coveries of rich placer mines on Salmon River-now in the territory of Idaho, occasioned a general movement in that direction. All who were not identified with some fixed avocation, and possessed the means to take them to the new fields, emigrated. Col. Leavenworth brought a battery of six guns, which had been captured from the Confederates at Fort Donelson, manned by a contingent from the Ninth Wisconsin. There were four companies here, two of which had seen service under Canby and Slough in New Mexico.
While the recruiting proceeded, the following officers were appointed :
Lieutenant-Colonel, T. H. Dodd ; Captains, J. Nelson Smith, Company E ; L. D. Rouell, Company F ; Wm. H. Green, Company G; George West, Company H; E. D. Boyd, Company I; S. W. Waggoner, Company K.
In the absence of other troops, detachments were sent out against hostile Indians, or to suppress civil disturbances whenever and wherever the aid of military force was required. Headquarters were established at Camp Weld for a time, but subsequently transferred to Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas River, where they remained until April, 1863. A num- ber of men raised in Colorado for a New Mexican regiment were brought to Fort Union and assigned to some of the companies of the Second Regiment.
Shortly after Lieut .- Col. Dodd marched under orders to Fort Leavenworth with six companies, but upon the arrival of the detach- ment at Fort Riley, Kansas, orders were received to march southward to Fort Scott. From this point the command proceeded to Fort Gib- son in the Cherokee nation, escorting a large train of commissary wagons, withstanding an attack at Cabin Creek by a large force of Tex. ans and Indians, going through to their destination without loss. From Fort Gibson Col. Dodd's command with other troops proceeded to Honey Springs, Arkansas, under General Blunt, where they encoun-
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tered about six thousand Confederates, and after a severe engagement won a decisive victory. Col. Leavenworth was dismissed the service in September, on charges preferred against him, but was subsequently restored, when he at once resigned from the army, Dodd succeeding him in command of the regiment.
In 1863 the raising of a third regiment was authorized by the president under Col. William Larimer, but it was not filled, owing to the scarcity of men. March 3d, 1863, this detachment under command of Lieut. Col. S. S. Curtis, marched from Denver across the plains via Leavenworth and St. Louis to Pilot Knob, Missouri. A consolidation of the Second and Third infantry was effected in the winter of 1863-64, at Benton Barracks near St. Louis, and the Second Colorado cavalry organized with James H. Ford as Colonel, T. H. Dodd as Lieutenant- Col .; S. S. Curtis, J. Nelson Smith and Jesse L. Pritchard as Majors. Under the consolidation the regiment comprised twelve squadrons magnificently mounted and armed.
It is proper to state in connection with this review, that the mate- rial facts in this portion of our history are taken from an account pre- pared just after the war by Capt. E. L. Berthoud, the acknowledged historian of the Second cavalry, and from notes kindly furnished the author by Capt. George West.
When reorganized and mounted, the regiment was much better prepared to handle the work assigned it. Col. Ford was placed in command of sub-district No. 4, District of Central Missouri, compris- ing Jackson, Cass and Bates counties, having in addition to his own men the enrolled Missouri militia, a regiment of infantry from the same state, and two companies of the Ninth Minnesota infantry. His dis- trict staff was composed of the following officers :
Adjutant, Lieut. Edward L. Berthoud ; Provost Marshal, Capt. J. C. W. Hall ; Commissary, Lieut. James Burrell ; Quartermaster, Capt. Theodore Case. The troops were divided into strong detachments and stationed at different points in the sub-district. The active service for some time consisted of frequent skirmishes with bands of Missouri
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bushwhackers, the most harassing and perilous warfare conceivable. In one of these encounters the gallant Capt. Waggoner, one of the bravest officers in the regiment, and nine of his men were ambushed and killed by Todd's band of assassins.
The greater part of the year was consumed in fighting guerrillas and in maintaining a tolerable condition of peace among the inhabi- tants. It was the most difficult and harassing service, as well as the most dangerous, known in the war, for the reason that our men were constantly liable to assassination by unseen foes. Says Berthoud, " Words cannot do justice to the horrors of such warfare; nor can the tragedies which cruelty, violence, rapine and the worst passions of civil war evoked in partisan warfare ever be fully known. The worst pas- sions had their full unlicensed range, and in the lawless career of the leaders of guerrilla bands such as Todd, Quantrell, Anderson and Vaughan pity and humanity were unknown."
But they were soon to confront more formidable forces, and be afforded the satisfaction of a fair fight on an open battle ground, with foes worthy of their steel. Sterling Price, toward the close of September, marched up from Arkansas with about sixteen thousand men, bent upon the conquest of Missouri and the occupation of its principal cities. When he struck the southeastern border of the state the Colorado troops were widely scattered, as already mentioned. While marching on St. Louis the Confederates met the Federals at Pilot Knob and were very severely handled by them, which caused Price to abandon his original plan of taking St. Louis. His next move was an advance upon Jeffer- son City, which he attacked with great vigor, but was repulsed with considerable loss. He then turned his attention to overrunning and plundering the river counties, capturing in due course Booneville, Glas- gow and Sedalia, and driving General Blunt out of Lexington. Col. Ford's regiment, with the First Colorado battery, was in Blunt's com- mand, but the General himself had been absent for some time in Lex- ington. Capt. George West was sent to him from Independence with dispatches from General Curtis, who meanwhile had reached Inde-
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pendence from Fort Leavenworth and assumed command of the forces in the field. West, with his squadron, reached the environs of Lexing- ton on the river road about dusk, and was pushing forward rapidly in order to reach the town and deliver his dispatches to General Blunt before dark. Shortly afterward he was informed by an officer of the Fifteenth Kansas cavalry whom he met, that a battle had been fought with Price, who, with sixteen thousand men, had taken possession of the town. At nine o'clock that night Capt. West struck Blunt's retreating columns and delivered the orders from Curtis. The night was extremely dark and rainy. Blunt read the dispatches, prepared a hasty reply, and directed West to make all possible speed to Curtis at Independence, forty miles distant. He arrived there at two o'clock the next morning, having made a ride of eighty miles without a halt. Gen. Curtis was informed by this message that the Confederates in strong force were marching westward. Preparations to impede their advance were begun. The Fifteenth and Eleventh Kansas cavalry, and the Colorado Second, with the First Colorado battery, were ordered to a point near Little Blue river, six miles east of Independence, and, com- manded by Col. Ford, took a position on the brow of the wooded hills west of the Blue Mills bridge. The position was an unfavorable one for the operation.of cavalry, being intersected by rail fences and flanked on the northeast and west by thick woods but was taken by orders from superior officers. Price's steady veterans on foot rushed through the woods on both their flanks, and by their superiority of fire and num- bers soon rendered the point untenable, therefore it was evacuated. The opening of the conflict was fierce, desperate and sanguinary, Todd leading the Confederate cavalry, and Smith the battalion of the Second Colorado. Almost at the first fire Major Smith fell, shot through the heart, but Todd fell almost at the same instant, killed outright. The firing at short range was murderous and destructive, and joined to the shells of a battery that Price had planted near the edge of the woods, caused a heavy loss to Ford's command. Here, some men with Major Smith, left their bodies on the field while the woods were strewn with
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dead Confederates. Well seconded by the First Colorado battery, the brigade disputed the ground, making a last desperate stand near Inde- pendence. After a short contest our men were overpowered when they retreated through the town and fell back to the main body near Big Blue river, leaving their wounded in Independence. Lively skirm- ishing was kept up all the following day with Price's advance at and near Big Blue, until on the second day the advance of General Pleas- anton with a heavy cavalry force drove the Confederates from Inde- pendence. Several hundred prisoners, with two pieces of cannon were captured by Col. Catherwood of the Thirteenth Missouri cavalry, the main force under Price having that day abandoned their intention of going to Kansas City to engage Curtis and Blunt near Westport. The Second Colorado, with the regular Kansas cavalry and the First Col- orado battery were stationed near Westport and Brush Creek road, the important key to the whole position, whereby the easy approach to Kansas City was disputed by Gen. Price's advance. The brunt of the battle was here during that brisk and severe engagement ; the whole of Brush Creek prairie was covered by dense masses of cavalry, while close on the rear of Price, Gen. Pleasanton was driving the enemy from Bryan's Ford. The road at Brush Creek west of Col. Magee's house runs between parallel solid walls of stone. Captain Green's battalion of the Second Colorado held this road, the men dismounted. The Confederates charged through the lane en masse. Green charged them fiercely in turn, broke their ranks and, though losing heavily, routed the collected mass crowded between the walls. Here Col. Magee of the Confederate force was killed, almost in sight of his house. The contest prevailed with varying fortunes until late on Sunday afternoon, when a final charge by the Second Colorado, aided by the rapid work of the First Colorado battery compelled the retreat of Price's men in a south- erly direction toward Little Santa Fé. The Second cavalry camped that night on Brush Creek, wearied out, but the Confederates had been thwarted in their attempts to enter Kansas. Nothing remained but to
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pursue the demoralized enemy, now almost surrounded, and retreating rapidly toward Arkansas.
The day following was spent in rear guard skirmishes which cul. minated in the rout of Price at Osage, Mine Creek and Mound City. At Fort Scott the troops rested a few hours, after which the Fifteenth and Tenth Kansas cavalry, with the Second Colorado and First battery resumed the pursuit. Mile after mile the race continued, when finally at Newtonia, Price made his last stand. The small brigade of cavalry with the First Colorado battery pitched in regardless of numbers or cost. To and fro the battle raged, but with varying success. At one time a large portion of the Second Colorado was for twenty minutes in line without carbine ammunition, still the fire was maintained with revolvers. Late in the afternoon the Confederates prepared to make a final charge and then swallow up by sheer force of numbers the small brigade op- posed to them. The Colorado battery hammered away, keeping up a close and vigorous fire, yet the odds had been against our men. At last General Sanborn at the critical moment appeared with reinforce- ments. One more charge and, the rebels broken, the battle of New- tonia was won. Col. Ford exhibited rare energy in this contest, while among the men individual instances of great courage attested the splen- did material developed in this long and arduous campaign. The Second Colorado lost here forty-two men besides the wounded. The regiment joined in the pursuit which terminated in driving Price over the Arkan- sas river.
In December, 1864, after the return from the campaign just de- scribed, the regiment was ordered to the district of the Arkansas to inaugurate a campaign against the Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Kiowa, and Comanche Indians. It concentrated at Fort Riley, and there refitted and equipped for the new service on the road between Riley and Fort Lyon.
In the spring, Col. Ford having been promoted to the brevet rank of Brigadier General, took command of the district of the Arkansas. During April, May and June, 1865, heavy reinforcements of cavalry and
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infantry were sent to the district, the whole effective force amounting to something over fifty-five hundred men and two batteries. This large force, distributed among numerous posts and stations, was fitted out for a summer campaign south of the Arkansas river. Three columns of in- fantry and cavalry with one battery of horse artillery to each, were to meet in the neighborhood of the Wichita mountains, after scouring the country from the Little Arkansas to the Cimarron crossing, one column from the Little Arkansas moving west and southwest ; one col- umn from above Fort Dodge from either Aubrey or Cimarron crossing to move south or southeast, while the third column was to move from near Larned and cross directly toward Buffalo Creek and the Wichita mountains.
Just as everything was in readiness to move and put into effect this extensive programme, the orders were countermanded. Irritated, disgusted and disheartened, General Ford left Fort Larned, went to Leavenworth, threw up his commission and retired to civil life. The command was turned over to General Sanborn who, in August, satisfied that nothing short of signal punishment would quiet the hostile Indians, prepared a force to chastise them. Again on the eve of moving, the Indian department broke up the campaign. During all the spring and summer of 1865 the Second Colorado was kept moving incessantly, but excepting by Capt. Kingsbury's command and some small detachments of other squadrons, no great amount of fighting was done.
The original Second regiment was mustered out at Fort Riley June 15th, 1865, and the remainder at Fort Leavenworth in October, 1865. It was a credit to the state and the country, doing excellent service in the wretched warfare of the border, and winning repeated victories over the guerrilla cut-throats, as also over the largely superior numbers brought against it by Sterling Price.
Governor Evans received authority to organize a third regiment in August, 1862, but as already stated, it was never completed. The troops thus enlisted were mustered into the service February Ist, 1863, under the following officers :
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Lieutenant Col. Samuel S. Curtis ; Company A, Capt. R. R. Har- bour ; Company B, Capt. E. W. Kingsbury ; Company C, E. P. Elmer ; Company D, G. W. Norton ; Company E, Thomas Moses, Jr.
The post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Independence, Missouri, was named "Waggoner Post" in honor of the late Capt. S. W. Waggoner of the Second Colorado cavalry, whose remains, with those of the brave men who fell with him, are buried in the cemetery there. Through the exertions of the post a beautiful marble monu- ment has been erected, bearing this inscription :
1
IN MEMORY OF
CAPT. S. W. WAGGONER,
Company C, 2d Colorado Cavalry,
WHO WAS KILLED NEAR INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI, JULY 6, 1864,
NOBLY FIGHTING FOR HIS COUNTRY AND LEADING HIS MEN INTO ACTION.
AGED 33 YEARS.
On the opposite side of the shaft are the names of the men who fell with him, and whose graves surround those of their heroic leader. On the base of the monument the following lines are inscribed :
" Brave heroes rest beneath this sculptured stone, In unfair conflict slain by murderous hands. They knew no yielding to a cruel foe, And thus this tribute to their memory stands ; Our country's honor and a nation's pride 'Twas thus they bravely lived, and bravely died."
On the 19th of April, 1863, at two o'clock in the morning, when the people were wrapped in slumber, a fire broke out in the Cherokee House on the corner of Blake and F streets, now occupied by the old Fillmore block, and before daylight the business heart of Denver was
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in ashes. Most of the structures being of logs or lumber, hastily erected and inflammable as tinder, the flames when once under way at that hour of the night, fanned by a brisk southerly wind, made short work of everything except a few fireproof warehouses whose owners had built wisely for the protection of their goods against such a catas- trophe. The district bounded by Cherry Creek, G, Wazee and Hol- laday streets, with the exceptions noted, was swept clean, the loss aggregating about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the greater part in merchandise, as the buildings were not valuable except for shelter. Though a present disaster, it opened the way for reconstruc- tion upon a permanent basis, and when restored impressed the stranger with the idea of a very respectable frontier metropolis. Up to this time (1888) it is the only conflagration in the history of the city which carried off more than two or three buildings, owing to the greater care- fulness of the citizens, and the efficiency of the fire department.
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