1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment


The 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. On August 10, 1861, at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri, the regiment suffered 106 soldiers killed in action or mortally wounded, one of the highest numbers of fatalities suffered by any Union infantry regiment in a single engagement during the American Civil War.

Service

The 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Lincoln near Leavenworth, Kansas from May 20 to June 30, 1861, the greatest number of men being recruited between May 20 and June 3. It then mustered in for three years' service under the command of Colonel George Washington Deitzler. The regiment moved to Wyandotte County, Kansas, then to Kansas City, Missouri and Clinton, Missouri, to join General Lyon, June 7-July 13, 1861.
Action at Dug Springs, Missouri August 2. At Springfield, Missouri, until August 7. Battle of Wilson's Creek August 10. March to Rolla, Missouri, August 11–22, then to St. Louis, Missouri, and duty on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad until October. Duty at Tipton, Missouri, guarding the Missouri Pacific Railroad, October 1861 to January 1862. Expedition to Milford, Missouri, December 15–19, 1861. Shawnee Mound, Milford, December 18. At Lexington, Missouri until February 1862. Moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in anticipation of General Curtis' New Mexico Expedition April and May. Service with McPherson's Brigade. Ordered to Columbus, Kentucky, and duty guarding Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Headquarters at Trenton, Tennessee, until September. Brownsburg September 4. Trenton, September 17. Moved to Jackson, Tennessee, and duty there until November. March to relief of Corinth, Mississippi, October 3–5. Pursuit to Ripley, Mississippi October 5–12. Actions at Chewalla, Tennessee and Big Hill October 5. Moved to Grand Junction, Tennessee November 2. Operations on the Mississippi Central Railroad to the Yocknapatalfa River November 1862 to January 1863. Service in Vicksburg Campaign and Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Moved to Moscow, Tennessee, then to Memphis, Tennessee, and to Young's Point, Louisiana, January 17, 1863. Regiment mounted February 1, 1863. Moved to Lake Providence, Louisiana February 8, and provost duty there until July. Actions at Old River, Hood's Lane, Black Bayou, Mississippi and near Lake Providence February 10. Pin Hook and Caledonia, Bayou Macon, May 10. Expedition to Mechanicsburg May 26-June 4. Repulse of attack on Providence in Battle of Lake Providence June 9. Baxter's Bayou and Lake Providence June 10. Bayou Macon June 10. Battle of Richmond, Louisiana, June 15, 1863. Richmond, Louisiana June 16. Battle of Goodrich's Landing near Lake Providence June 29. Moved to Natchez, Mississippi July 12–13, and duty there until October. Expedition to Harrisonburg, Louisiana, September 1–8. Cross Bayou September 14. Moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi, October, and duty at Big Black River and near Haynes' Bluff until June, 1864. Skirmish at Big Black River, October 8, 1863. Scout from Bovina Station to Baldwyn's Ferry November 1. Scout to Baldwyn's Ferry January 14, 1864. Expedition up Yazoo River April 19–23. McArthur's Yazoo City Expedition to Yazoo City, Mississippi May 4–21. Benton, Mississippi May 7–9. Luce's Plantation May 13. Ordered to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, June 1, 1864. Attacked on riverboat W. R. Arthur near Columbia, Arkansas, June 2. Mustered out June 19, 1864. Additional Service by veteran volunteer companies. Veterans on duty in District of Vicksburg, Mississippi, until August 1864. Ordered to Morganza, Louisiana, July 29. Operations in vicinity of Morganza September 16–25. Near Alexandria, Louisiana September 20. Skirmish near the Atchafalaya River October 4, 1864. Atchafalaya October 5. Ordered to White River, Arkansas, October 7, then to Little Rock, Arkansas, December 7. Duty there as Headquarters Guard and escort, Department of Arkansas, until August 1865. Veteran volunteers mustered out August 30, 1865.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 252 men during service; 7 officers and 120 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 3 officers and 122 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders