LOYAL LEGION HISTORICAL JOURNAL The Publication of The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the

VOL. 65, No. 2 SUMMER 2008 The Indian Campaign of the stop all business, The Battle of Buffington forcing every man Winter of 1864 to 1865 to enter that ranks Island By Karl F. Schaeffer, 57th -in-Chief (Part II) and open the line of communication. [Commander-in-Chief Karl F. Schaeffer, the Military [This article was written in 1877 and was read by I have now a city Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, made Major General Grenville M. Dodge, Past Commander- organization of this presentation at the Battle of Buffi ngton Island in in-Chief of MOLLUS to the Colorado Commandery about 100 men Portland, Ohio on Saturday, July 19, 2008.] of the MOLLUS at Denver, Colorado on April 21, 1907. It has been transcribed by Douglas Niermeyer, organized into Past Commander-in-Chief, with the assistance of companies, so The Battle of Buffi ngton Island, also Rev. Barry Howard, Council-in-Chief Member.] that in case of an known as the St. Georges Creek Skirmish, attack here I would was an engagement in HEADQUARTERS, DISTRICT have something Meigs County, Ohio, on July 19, 1863, dur- COLORADO Major General Grenville M. ing Morgan’s Raid. It was the largest battle Dodge tangible to lay enver, Colorado Territory, February in Ohio during the war, Buffi ngton Island D2, 1865. hold of and make a fight. I have had a contributed to the capture of the famed “The Indians are bold in the extreme. great deal of trouble in this matter, as Confederate Cavalry raider, Brig. Gen. They have burned every ranch between there is no concert of action, every man , who was seeking to suspecting his fellow of some chicanery. Julesburg and Valley Station, and nearly escape Union Fort Lyon is being rapidly fortifi ed, so all the property at latter place; driven off army pursuers that 200 men can defend it against 2,000 all stock, both public and private. These across the Ohio Indians. Militia companies are being Indians are led by white men, and have River at a ford organized all over the settled parts of the complete control of all the country outside opposite Buff- country (under penalty of being pressed into my district, so that I am hemmed in. ington Island. service) to defend the frontier settlements The weather has been very severe here Delayed over- southward, and could I get but a regiment for nearly three weeks; the thermometer night, Morgan here now I could keep things in a running 30 degrees below zero, with quite a fall was almost sur- triangle until the arrival of sufficient of snow on the ground. I have tried every rounded by Fed- force to make a campaign. The Indians means in my power to raise volunteers eral cavalry the are now determined to make it a war of for three months’ state service, but as next day, and extermination and nothing short of 5,000 yet have not succeeded, owing to the the resulting battle ended in a Confeder- factional spirit existing in the community. men can make it extermination for them. Major Wynkoop informed me from ate rout, with over half of the 1,700-man The Legislature took the matter in hand Confederate force being captured. General of my suggestion, appropriating so much Fort Lyon that many warriors were on the headwaters of the Smoky Hill and Morgan and some 700 men escaped, but the money, Territorial bonds, to give the men a daring raid fi nally ended on July 26 with bounty and purchase horses to mount them intended attacking all the settlements as well as Denver. Provisions, owing to the his surrender after the Battle of Salineville. on, as I have none, but the members cannot Morgan’s Raid was of little military conse- agree on the spoil, likely in their estimation transportation line being cut off, are at a exorbitant price, as well as labor and for