Extracted from The Official Military History of Kansas Regiments During the War for the Suppression of the Great Rebellion by W. S. Burke. MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SECOND KANSAS CAVALRY, 1865

      Company C was mustered out January 10th, 1865, with First Lieutenant Henry S. Jenks, and Second Lieutenant Alfred B. Hopkins; Captain Edgar A. Barker, with the recruits and veterans, being retained in the service. Company I was mustered out January 10th, with Captain Charles Dimon; Second Lieutenant Edward Ross, with the recruits and veterans, being retained in the service. Company G was mustered out January 13th, with Captain Austin W. Matthews; Second Lieutenant Philander W. Straw, prisoner of war, and the veterans and recruits, being retained in the service. Major Henry Hopkins was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth January 13th, for reason that by the reduction of his regiment he had been rendered a supernumerary. Company D was mustered out January 14th, Captain John A. Lee and First Lieutenant George W. Stabler, with the veterans and recruits, being retained in the service. Company F was mustered out January 18th, with Captain James C. French; First Lieutenant George W. Morgan, with the veterans and recruits, being retained in the service. Colonel William F. Cloud was mustered out January 19th at Fort Leavenworth, for the reason that by the reduction of his regiment he had been rendered supernumerary. Company E was mustered out January 26th, with Captain John Gardner and Second Lieutenant Augustus T. Lovelette, the veterans and recruits being retained in the service.
      On the 17th of January, 1965, Lieutenant Colonel Bassett, under instructions of the District Commander, gathered together all the enlisted men who were on detached service in the several staff departments, numbering twenty (20) or more, and being relieved from duty as Chief of Staff, and joined by Captain Gunther with his company H, left Fort Smith on the steamboat Annie Jacobs, and proceeded, with three other boats, down the Arkansas River, under orders to cause the officers and men to report to regimental headquarters at Clarksville, and proceed with the fleet to Little Rock, and report in person at department headquarters.
      The fleet proceeded down the river, and a few miles above Roseville the Annie Jacobs stopped to wood; one boat passed on, the other two remained behind. After wooding, the Annie Jabobs again moved down, and as she passed Roseville the advanced boat was seen lying at the shore on the south side, and a few moments afterwards was discovered to be on fire. Whether the boat had landed for wood, or had been caused to round to by guerrillas, was not known; whether the fire was the result of accident, or the work of rebels, could not be determined. Numbers of persons were discovered upon the bank, but as the boat had more than a hundred refugees on board, that circumstance was not in itself sufficient to indicate the facts. The Annie Jacobs' speed was increased, and not until she had arrived within half a mile of the burning boat was a rebel seen, and then a large force, with two pieces of artillery, opened fire. The channel at that point crossed from the north to the south bank of the river, and to follow the channel the boat would have to steer directly towards the rebel battery, which was considerably less than half a mile distant. To attempt to run the gauntlet was almost certain to result in destruction. The rebel artillery was rapidly handled, and served with spherical case, and a single shot might disable the machinery, and should the boat become unmanageable, or take fire, those on board would have had no chance for escape, except to surrender to the enemy; but, by turning the boat around, there was a chance of getting to the north shore, and save the capture of the troops, even though the boat should be destroyed. The engines were therefore at once reversed, but before the Jacobs, which was a stern-wheel boat, could be turned, she drifted down within less than a quarter of a mile of the rebel artillery. Although one shell exploded in the furnace, and two in the engine room, yet the machinery continued to work until the boat had gained sufficient headway to run ashore, and then the explosion of a third shell in the engine room disabled her. As she struck the sand a cable was thrown out and made fast to a tree on the bank, and in a few moments all on board gained the shore. Just at that moment the third boat came around the bend of the river, running under full head of steam, and the rebels abandoned the attack on the Jacobs, moved up the river, and opened fire on that boat; but one piece of their artillery became disabled, and she run her prow into a sand bar just above the Jacobs, and escaped with but five shots. The fourth boat had struck on a sand bar several miles back, and not getting down until next morning, escaped notice.
      The four boats had over six hundred (600) refugees on board. The Jacobs had two hundred (200), and also fifty (50) soldiers and officers, and although more than forty shots were fired at her, twenty-three of which passed into and through her, and seven of which exploded on the boat, yet, with but a single exception, no one was hurt, although many were very much terrified. On the third boat were also about two hundred (200) refugee negroes, and about one hundred (100) colored troops, and although but five shots were fired at her, and but one shell exploded on her, yet seven (7) persons were killed and a number wounded.
      Vincent Osborne a private of company A, Second Kansas Cavalry, who had been for a year or more on detached service as Orderly at District Headquarters, and who was returning to duty with his company, deserves special mention. When the Jacobs landed and the cable was thrown out, he, with a few others, seized it and carried it to the bank, for the purpose of making the boat fast, and although the fire of the enemy's musketry was heavy and concentrated on and over the bow of the boat, and every other man sought cover, he alone stood his post, and as he was giving the cable the last turn it required in securing it, he received a musket ball through his right thigh, breaking the bone and causing amputation. He lost his leg, but the courage he displayed excited the admiration of all, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he lost it in the performance of his duty.
      The boats remained at the place where attacked for two days, and then proceeded to Little Rock. Lieutenant Colonel Bassett reported at Department Headquarters, and on the 26th of January was mustered out of service, by reason of expiration of term.
      About the 15th of January Captain Stover, with his company B, having some time previously been assigned temporarily to a four-gun battery, was sent, with other troops, to Dardanelle, where the rebel Colonel Brooks was encountered with eight hundred (800) men, and defeated. Captain Stover and some of his men received a flattering notice in the report of that action. The same rebel force was afterwards engaged in the attack on the fleet of boats near Roseville, hereinbefore mentioned.
      During the month of February the Second remained at Clarksville, and on the 28th of that month was mustered for pay by Major Fisk. First Lieutenant David E. Ballard, H company, resigned February 15th. On the 3rd of March the Second left Clarksville and reached Lewisburg on the 7th. Company H was sent to Little Rock, and mustered out March 18th, with Captain Arthur Gunther and Second Lieutenant John K. Rankin, and the veterans and recruits were assigned to L company, Captain Cosgrove commanding.
      Company C (new company) was organized on the 18th of March, from veterans and recruits of squadrons C and I, with Captain Edgar A Barker, First Lieutenant George W. Stabler, and Second Lieutenant Edward Ross. Company D (new company) was organized on the 18th of March, from veterans and recruits form D, F and G, Captain John A Lee, First Lieutenant George W. Morgan, and Second Lieutenant Philander W. Straw; and the recruits and veterans of company E were assigned to company L, Captain Cosgrove commanding.
      During the months of March and April the Second remained at Lewisburg employed in the trenches. The war was considered virtually ended, although some hard fighting was done afterwards; still, it was evident that the "Anaconda" had put his last coil about the rebellion, and but one more effort was required to crush it; yet, for the first time the Second was to be employed in building fortifications, and that, too, at a point which had never been threatened by more than a hundred men at any time, and probably would not be again by one-half that number.
      Company A was sent to Little Rock April 14th, and mustered out with Captain John Johnston, First Lieutenant Samuel K. Cross, and Second Lieutenant Charles A. Archer. The veterans and recruits were assigned to company B, Captain Stover commanding. Company K was sent to Fort Leavenworth, and mustered out April 17th, with Captain John M. Mentzer and First Lieutenant Barnett B. Mitchell. The recruits were not assigned to another company, but remained as a separate detachment under command of [the sentence is not complete in book].
      On the 18th of April Major Julius G. Fisk and Surgeon Joseph P. Root were mustered out at Little Rock, by reason of expiration of term and reduction of the regiment, so as to render them supernumerary, and the command of the regiment devolved upon Captain Barker, new company C.
      On the 21st of April Second Lieutenant Robert D. Watts was mustered into B company. He had received a commission many months before, but had no opportunity of being mustered, having been as a private soldier on duty in another department.
      On the 1st of May First Lieutenant George W. Morgan, new company D, resigned, and on the 8th Second Lieutenant Edward Ross, new company C, resigned.
      On the 11th of May Major John Johnstone, late Captain of A, was mustered in, and assumed command of the regiment.
      On the 13th of May the Second, having been ordered to proceed to Fort Gibson, Cherokee Indian Nation, officers and men embarked upon a steamboat, and bade good-bye to the city of Lewisburg. The Second proceeded on, and reached Fort Gibson on the 20th of May, and there learned that another "Indian Expedition" was to be undertaken. The contemplated expedition, however, was soon abandoned, and the Second received the gratifying intelligence that their labors were ended.
      On the 23rd of May Captain Edgar A. Barker resigned, and on the 9th of June Captain George W. Stabler was mustered in to fill the vacancy. On the same day Second Lieutenant Nathan W. Mott was mustered into now company C, vice Ross, and First Lieutenant Henry L. Isbell was mustered into the same company, vice Stabler, and on the 14th Second Lieutenant Philander W. Straw, who, as prisoner of war, had been released on parole, tendered his resignation, which was accepted.
      Company B was mustered out on the 22nd of June, at Fort Gibson, with Captain Elias S. Stover, First Lieutenant William P. Phillips, and Second Lieutenant Robert D. Watts, their services being no longer required. Company C (new company) was mustered out on the 22nd of June at Fort Gibson, with Captain George W. Stabler, First Lieutenant Henry L. Isbell, and Second Lieutenant Nathan W. Mott, their services being no longer required. Company D (new company) was mustered out on the 22nd of June, at Fort Gibson, with Captain John A. Lee, their services being no longer required. Company L was mustered out on the 22nd of June, at Fort Gibson with Captain Pat Cosgrove, First Lieutenant John Hutchinson, and Second Lieutenant John Miller, for the reason that their services were no longer required, and the recruits of company K were also discharged at that same time and place, for like reason.
      Major John Johnstone, First Lieutenant and Quartermaster Clarence J. Williams, and Assistant Surgeon Valentine V. Adamson, having been rendered supernumerary by the mustered out of the last squadron of the regiment, were also mustered our, and the men were placed en route for Lawrence, Kansas, where they were to be discharged. They left Fort Gibson on the 2nd of July, and reached Lawrence on the 14th, where they were delivered, and final payment made by Major J. Bowen. First Lieutenant Henry L. Isbell was subsequently, by order of the Secretary of War, mustered as Adjutant, to date March 26th, 1865, and mustered out, to date August 11th.
      Thus is closed this brief history of the Second Kansas Cavalry---a regiment which did as much hard service and as good fighting as any other cavalry organization west of the Mississippi; a regiment which was noted for being always in the front, and ever ready for action; which furnished a larger clerical force for the staff departments, and more than its proportion of acting staff officers, and whose list of promotions from the ranks is in excess of any other Kansas organization, and the only cavalry regiment in the West that captured a battery. These facts indicate courage and intelligence, both of which are required in a good soldier.

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