Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[599] they were all taken in and cared for, and then went into camp. The ground on which the fight took place, is a rolling prairie, extending west a long distance, covered with grass and intersected with deep ravines, gullies, on the banks of which grow willow bushes, sufficient to conceal any difficulty in crossing, but not sufficient to protect from observation; and in retreating, many of our men were overtaken at these ravines, and killed while endeavoring to cross. Major Curtis had become separated from the General, and while riding by the side of Lieutenant Pierce, his horse was shot and fell. All supposed he was taken prisoner by the enemy, being close upon them, and Lieutenant Pierce saw him alive in their hands. The next day his body was found where his horse had fallen, and he was, without doubt, killed, after having surrendered. Thus fell one of the noblest of all the patriots who have offered up their lives for the cause of their country. Major H. Z. Curtis was a son of Major-General Curtis, and served with his father during his memorable campaign through Arkansas, and was present with him at the battle of Pea Ridge, where he did good service as aid to his father. When General Curtis took command of the Department of Missouri, the Major remained with him as Assistant Adjutant-General on his staff, and when General Curtis was relieved of that command, the Major sought for and obtained an order to report to General Blunt as Assistant Adjutant-General, and in that position had done much toward regulating and systematizing the business of district headquarters of Kansas and the Frontier; and on General Blunt determining to take the field, Major Curtis accompanied him with alacrity, parting with his young and affectionate wife at Fort Scott, on the fourth of October, and met his horrible fate at Baxter's Springs, on Tuesday, sixth October. All who knew Major Curtis, acknowledged his superior abilities, and in his particular duties he had no equal. Beloved by the General and all his staff, his loss has cast a gloom over us, “whose business is to die,” unusual and heartfelt. In looking over the field, the body of Lieutenant Farr was found near to where the first attack was made, with marks of wounds by buckshots and bullets. The Lieutenant was unarmed at the time of the attack, and had been riding in a carriage, but had evidently jumped therefrom and attempted to escape on foot. Lieutenant A. W. Farr was a prominent young lawyer, from Geneva, Wisconsin, and had been a partner of General B. F. Butler, at Worcester, Mass. At the time of the breaking out of the rebellion he took a patriotic view of the difficulty, and although a strong Democrat, like General Butler, had accepted a position where he thought he could be of service to his country, and has fallen in the good cause. Well does the writer of this, remember the night before his death, while we were lying on the ground with our blankets over us, the Lieutenant said, it was not ambition nor gain, that prompted him to enter the army, but only that he might do his mite toward crushing the rebellion; that he did not seek promotion, but was willing to serve where he could do the most good. Truly, a patriot was lost when Lieutenant Farr was killed. Other dead, many of them brave and true men, were scattered and strewn over the ground for over a mile or two, most with balls through their heads, showing that they were killed after having surrendered, which the testimony of the wounded corroborates. They were told in every instance, that if they would surrender and deliver up their arms, they should be treated as prisoners of war, and upon doing so, were immediately shot down. Sergeant Jack Splane, company I, Third Wisconsin cavalry, was treated in this way, and the fiend who shot him, after taking his arms, said: “Tell old God, that the last man you saw on earth, was Quantrell.” Sergeant Splane is now alive, although he received five balls, one in his head, one through his chest, one through his bowels, and the other in his leg and arm. Private Jesse Smith was shot nearly as bad, and under the same circumstances; but he did not lose his consciousness, and says, that the rebel who shot him, and as he lay upon his face, jumped upon his back, and essayed to dance, uttering the most vile imprecations. Some unarmed citizens who were with us, were killed, and their bodies stripped of clothing. Take it all in all, there has perhaps not a more horrible affair (except the massacre at Lawrence, in Kansas) happened during the war, and brands the perpetrators as cowards and brutes. I will here also state that a woman and child were shot at the camp, but both will recover. It was done premeditatedly and not by random shots, and the brute who shot the child, was killed by a shot from the revolver of Sergeant McKenzie, company C, Third Wisconsin cavalry. I respectfully call your attention to the facts set forth in this report, in hopes that the Government will see fit to retaliate for the actions of this band of desperadoes, who are recognized and acknowledged by the confederate authorities, and whose report of this affair stated that the brutality of the beast, was exultingly published by the confederate papers, and approved by the confederate officials. Captain A. N. Campbell, Fourteenth Kansas volunteers, while a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, was in presence of this man Quantrell, and heard him say, that he never did and never would take any prisoners, and was boasting of the number of captured soldiers he had caused to be shot, stating particulars, etc. These facts should be published to the civilized world, that all may know the character of the people against whom we are contending. I would also respectfully call the attention of the General Commanding to the fact that passes in and out of the posts of Sedalia, Springfield, and Kansas City, signed by the commanders of the posts, and also permits to carry arms, were found on the bodies of a number of the rebels killed in the fight, and from them and