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The Border War & Civil War
in Bates County, Missouri
A Brief Summary
1856 - 1866
July 1856
West Point Township area – Old John Brown’s place on the state line is HQ for area Free Staters.
Winter 1857-58
Along the Border, the mildest winter on record is recorded. Raids from both sides occur almost nightly. Hundreds flee the area.
May 1858
Richmond (MO) News reports 500 Free Staters raid into Western Bates County
Harrisonville Democrat reports, “In the southern portion of this county (Cass) and Bates County every vacant house and shed are filled with unfortunate people, burned-out families, three to four families in a single hut who are in a destitute condition...”
Charles Hambleton (Hamilton) carries out a raid in Kansas that becomes known at the Marias des Cygnes Massacre.
West Point village is searched by Jim Lane’s Kansas Militia looking for Hambleton’s raiders.
September 1858
JO Shelby and his, “Shelby’s Militia,” begin patrolling the Border.
Spring 1861
Portion of General Price’s Confederate Army drill in and around Papinville.
July 1861
Cass County Home Guard Cavalry skirmishes with local sessionists in East Boone Township.
August 1861
Fierce skirmish in Papinville – Federals lose 17 killed but capture 100+ Rebels and kill 40.
September 1861
5th Kansas Cavalry on patrol skirmishes with local Rebel Partisans near Papinville.
General Jim Lane and the 1st Kansas Infantry evacuate Southerners from West Point.
Lane breaks camp and heads for Osceola by way of Butler, Pleasant Gap and Papinville.
October 1861
5th Kansas Calvary skirmishes with Rebel Partisans on Miami Creek and along Mulberry Creek.
Near Johnstown, the 23rd Illinois Irish Dragoons engage local partisans.
November 1861
Cass County Home Guards skirmish with Rebel Partisans southeast of Butler and near Johnstown.
On November 30th they are ambushed by the Rebel’s at the Grand River Crossing south of Dayton.
Col. “Doc” Jennison, 1st Kansas Cavalry, (Jennison’s Jayhawkers) issues an edict. “All pro-slavery supporters in the border counties in Missouri shall promptly surrender all arms and belongings and shall forfeit all property. Those who do not shall be considered traitors and slain, their property seized, houses burned. In no case will anyone be spared.”
December 1861
Papinville Courthouse and town are burned by Lane’s 1st Kansas Infantry.
March 1862
Several homes & stores in West Point are looted by unidentified raiders.
May 1862
1st Iowa Cavalry is ambushed at Deepwater Crossing, west of Butler.
A Federal Supply Train is ambushed on Military Road within one mile of the Butler Courthouse.
Patrol of 1st Iowa Cavalry is ambushed by Rebel Partisans led by Capt. Bill Thurman.
August 1862
Col. Jennison’s 15 year old son is killed while on patrol. He is buried in Butler’s Oak Hill Cemetery.
October 1862
Skirmish at Island Mound – 1st Kansas Colored Infantry engages partisan guerrillas, led by Captain Bill Turman, on ground between the Enoch & Christiana Toothman family farm and Hog Island, on the Marais des Cygne River. Hog Island was a guerrilla stronghold. This is the very first time a Colored Infantry unit participated in combat.
December 1862
Entire town of Butler forced by the Federals to the west side of the town square to watch the firing squad execution of Mr. Slater, an alleged Confederate Soldier.
March 1863
Bill Turman’s Partisan Rebels engage troops of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry.
April 1863
Near Butler, Rebel Partisans and sympathizers engage troops of the 5th & 6th Kansas Cavalries.
34 captured Southerners are in the stockade in Butler awaiting trial.
In the area of West Point, Jayhawkers from Kansas burn several area farms and destroy crops.
May 1863
3rd – 11th – Five companies of the 9th Kansas Cavalry engage in a concentrated effort to ‘eliminate rebels’. Company D of the 5th Kansas moves into Butler. In the Double Branch area, Federal ambush Col. Sidney Jackman, Marcel, Banes, and 20 men.
The 9th Kansas Cavalry and the 1st Missouri State Militia Cavalry attack Rebel’s on Hog Island.
Eight days later they attack the Rebels for a second time.
August 1863
In New Hope Township, Quantrill disbands his command after their raid on Lawrence.
Order # 11 issued by Brig. General Thomas Ewing. Lawlessness is now legalized.
September 1863
Combined Federal efforts to control all Rebel activity and to vacate all residents of Bates County.
On the 28th, Captain Earl, 9th Kansas Cavalry, reports Butler burned to the ground with no structures left standing, as per orders.
Jennison’s Monuments abound – chimney’s dot the countryside.
November 1863
Bates County sets up a temporary government at Johnstown.
December 1863
Fort Scott, Kansas newspaper reports not one family left in Bates County.
July 1864
County government moved from Johnstown to Pleasant Gap. Martial Law still in effect.
1865
Bates County is no-man’s land – total desolation.
March 1866
The County government is moved back to Butler, from Pleasant Gap.
Source: This time line is taken from research conducted by Harold “Sonny” Wells.
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