The First To Serve

The 1^st Kansas Colored Infantry was mustered January 13^th 1863 into the Union Army.

Six companies or one battalion of the 1^st Kansas Colored Infantry was mustered into Union service January 13^th 1863 at Fort Scott, Kansas.  They were place under the command of Colonel James M Williams of the 5^th Kansas Cavalry.  The regiment was recruited without Union authorization by James H Lane a Union recruiter for the Kansas territory.  It took only 60 days to raise the 500 men.

The 1^st saw duty with the Department of Kansas, participating in actions at Cabin Creek, Island Mound, Baxter Springs, Elk Creek, Honey Springs, and Steele’s Camden Expedition among others.  They were also attached to Armstrong’s Battery of Light Artillery.  No other Kansas regiment saw more casualties then the 1^st.  They had 178 men killed and 166 die of disease.

The 1^st Kansas Colored Infantry stopped being on December 13^th 1864, when it became the 79^th United States Colored Infantry.

If you’re interested, this web site has more information on the First Kansas,  First to Serve

Saved By Cotton Bales

In Arkansas the Battle of Pine Bluff was fought on October 25th 1863.


Union troops under the command of Colonel Powell Clayton took the town of Pine Bluff Arkansas on September 17th 1863. He garrisoned the town with the 1st Indiana and 5th Kansas Cavalries of about 600 men. At 8am on October 25th 1863 Confederate Brigadier General John S Marmaduke split his force of about 2500 into three and attacked the town, in an attempt to retake it. With the support of about 300 freed slaves, the Union soldiers put up a barricades with cotton bales around the courthouse square, and backed it up with nine cannon. Marmaduke attacked several time, but was unsuccessful in taking the square.

Confederate casualties were reported at around 40 killed or wounded. The Union lost 56 men. Marmaduke did take about 250 horses and bales of cotton.

Elba Arkansas

Union troops under Colonel Powell Clayton engaged a strong Confederate force on March 30th 1864 during the Battle of Elba in Arkansas.

A Union force under Colonel Powell Clayton left Pine Bluff, Arkansas March 27th 1864 planning to attack a Confederate force leaving Monticello at the time. The Union men consisted of the 18th Illinois, 28th Wisconsin, 1st Indiana Infantries, and the 5th Kansas, 7th Missouri Cavalries, with four howitzers and two cannon. This force of Union soldiers arrived in Mount Elba on the Saline River on the afternoon of March 28th 1864. They drove off some Confederate pickets in the area. Putting up a pontoon bridge they crossed the river. Clayton left the infantry to protect the bridge, and advanced with most of the cavalry south of Mount Elba.

The men left at the Saline River dug in on the north side. A scouting party sent out on the morning of March 30th 1864 toward Monticello returned to report a large party of Confederate cavalry headed their way. The Confederates under command of Brigadier General Thomas Dockery were held up by the 28th Wisconsin for two hours, giving the forces at the river time to prepare their defenses. With about 1,500 Confederate cavalry, Dockery was able to advance, driving the Wisconsin men before them. Shortly after Clayton returned and with his cavalry drove the Confederates out. The Union side lost 4 men killed or missing, the Confederates lost 135 men.