Quantrill: An Elusive Foe

Saturday, November 8, 2008

During the week of Nov. 1-5, 1862; Colonel William C. Quantrill and his guerrillas were elusive foes of some Kansas and Missouri "Blue Belly Billy Yanks". This was not an official combined operation, nor was it a cooperative venture between the Union "Hounds" from Kansas and Missouri. Each unit was operating independently in Jackson and Cass counties, Mo., and they both failed to capture the Chief Confederate Gray Fox in northwestern Missouri or many of his men. A few of the guerrillas were killed, but then that was a hazard of their occupation! However, the Union "Hounds" did manage to capture 100 horses and mules of the "Southern Persuasion", but that did not curtail the guerrillas from attacking and killing other enemy troops as they, the guerrillas, were being chased hither and yon. The following after action reports describe the pursuit of Quantrill and his men and the capture and destruction of a small Union Supply Train. Both reports are located on Pages 345-348 in Series I. Vol. 13 of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion

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