Extracted from The Official Military History of Kansas Regiments During the War for the Suppression of the Great Rebellion by W. S. Burke. SUPPLEMENT TO THE HISTORY OF THE SECOND KANSAS CAVALRY
I. Squadrons A and D, under command of Major Fisk, having been ordered to proceed to Fort Lyon, Colorado, as an escort to Major Martin, Paymaster U.S.A., and other officers, left the headquarters of the regiment, at Fort Riley, May 20th, 1862, and marched west six miles, where a halt was made for two days. On the 22nd the detachment marched west eleven miles, on the 23rd nineteen miles, on the 24th twelve miles, on the 25th 14 miles, and crossed Clear Creek. On the 27th the detachment crossed the Smoky Hill, and marched southwest eleven miles; on the 28th crossed Plum and Cow Creeks, twenty miles; on the 29th to Walnut Creek, fourteen miles, and on the 30th by Pawnee Rock, and across Ash Creek to Pawnee Fork, twenty-four miles, and halted for three days near Fort Larned, having traveled a total distance of one hundred and fifty-six miles.
On the 2nd of June the detachment left Fort Larned, and proceeded, by the new military route, via the "cut off," to the Arkansas River, where Fort Dodge has since been erected, thence up that river, via the "Trading Post" and Bent's Fort, to Lyon.
At this place Major Fisk refused to go further, without written orders. The written instructions under which he started out directed him to report to Colonel Howe, Third United States Cavalry, and escort Major Martin, Paymaster, and other officers, to Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory, and having performed that duty, to return and rejoin his regiment, wherever it might be. The Major was willing to perform any military duty that might be lawfully required of him, but when orders could be given in writing as well as not, he was right in requiring them. Colonel Howe swore that he would not give a written order, and that the detachment should move without them, and accordingly placed Major Fisk under arrest, and directed Captain Crawford, who was next in rank, to assume command. Colonel Howe then directed the detachment to march at a certain hour, and he, as well as other officers, had their ambulances and cartridges in readiness and their horses saddled, but the escort did not move. He then sent a Lieutenant over to Captain Crawford to inquire the cause of delay. The Captain's answer was, "I am waiting for written orders," and the written orders were issued before the command moved. The Colonel was beaten, but his rage was unbounded. He found that not only every officer, but every soldier, in the detachment sustained the Major, and he accordingly yielded.
Major Fisk followed in rear of his command to Fort Union, which place was reached on the 22nd, and as soon as a letter could reach the Department Commander, and on answer returned, an order came for the Major's release from arrest and restoration to his command. On the 30th of June the detachment was mustered for pay by Major Walling, Seventh United States Infantry.
On the march from Fort Lyon to Fort Union the detachement passed "The Sinks" and "Hole in the Rock," crossed over the Rattoon Mountains, and passed the Canadian and Red rivers having marched a distance of five hundred miles from Fort Larned.
On the fifth day of July Major Fisk, with his command, having received orders to rejoin the Second, left Fort Union and returned to Fort Larned by the same route he had passed out, reaching the latter place, after a march of five hundred miles, on the 3rd of August, where they were joined by squadrons B and C, under command of Captain Whittenhall, who was in command of the Fort. Major Fisk at once relieved Captain Whittenhall from command of the post, and was in turn relieved on the 15th of August by Colonel Leavenworth, and Lieutenant Bassett being also relieved from duty as Post Adjutant. The four squadrons, A, B, C and D, started for Fort Riley via Council Grove, and reached the former place August 25th, having marched a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. On the 31st of August the detachment was mustered for pay by Major Fisk.
About the 5th of September the detachement marched from Fort Riley down the north side of the Kansas river to Topeka, thence down the south side to Lawrence, and from there as an escort for a battery of siege guns to Fort Scott, reaching the latter place September 20th, having marched two hundred and thirty miles.
The whole distance marched by squadrons A and D, since leaving the regiment, was one thousand five hundred and sixty-six miles, and the distance marched by squadrons B and C five hundred and sixty-six miles. The men were in excellent health and spirits, the horses in good condition, and no time was required to fit them for the field.
See also Major Fisk's report from Ft. Lyon Colorado to Brig-Gen. James G. Blunt on this detached service. Follow these links to read it from The War of The Rebellion Series I, Volume 13, Chapter 25, pages 479 and 480.
Back to The Second Kansas Cavalry