Coldwater Grove's Post
Encyclopedia
During the Civil War, Coldwater Grove existed 13½ miles east of Paola, Kansas
. It straddled the Kansas-Missouri border, being partly in both states. About June 1863 a Union military post was established on the Kansas side of the community and the post was put under the command of Lt. Col. Charles S. Clark. Clark also commanded four nearby posts.
On August 20, 1863, Clark learned that Confederate guerrillas under William C. Quantrill were camped nearby. Clark sent scouts to determine what Quantrill was doing and he ordered troops from two other posts to reinforce Coldwater Grove. Clark learned Quantrill moved into Kansas in the night and Clark left with a force of thirty men in a belated and hopeless attempt to pursue Quantrill. Quantrill was on his way to raid Lawrence, Kansas
. The Lawrence Massacre resulted.
Through at least June 1865 Coldwater Grove was maintained as a Union military post. Possibly a stockade was built to protect the post in or after August 1864. At times the post was temporarily vacated when its troops were deployed to defend other areas. Possibly in October 1864, during Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
's Missouri raid (see Price's Raid
), the post was abandoned. At least Union correspondence indirectly indicated this was the case.
Guerrillas were apparently still active in May 1865. Capt. A. J. Lumsden wrote in a report the troops from Colwater Grove killed one. The last known report concerning the post was dated June 3, 1865.
Paola, Kansas
Paola is a city in and the county seat of Miami County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,602.-History:...
. It straddled the Kansas-Missouri border, being partly in both states. About June 1863 a Union military post was established on the Kansas side of the community and the post was put under the command of Lt. Col. Charles S. Clark. Clark also commanded four nearby posts.
On August 20, 1863, Clark learned that Confederate guerrillas under William C. Quantrill were camped nearby. Clark sent scouts to determine what Quantrill was doing and he ordered troops from two other posts to reinforce Coldwater Grove. Clark learned Quantrill moved into Kansas in the night and Clark left with a force of thirty men in a belated and hopeless attempt to pursue Quantrill. Quantrill was on his way to raid Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
. The Lawrence Massacre resulted.
Through at least June 1865 Coldwater Grove was maintained as a Union military post. Possibly a stockade was built to protect the post in or after August 1864. At times the post was temporarily vacated when its troops were deployed to defend other areas. Possibly in October 1864, during Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
's Missouri raid (see Price's Raid
Price's Raid
Price's Missouri Expedition, also known as Price's Raid, was an 1864 Confederate cavalry raid through the states of Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War. While Confederate Major General Sterling Price enjoyed some successes during this campaign, he was decisively beaten at the Battle...
), the post was abandoned. At least Union correspondence indirectly indicated this was the case.
Guerrillas were apparently still active in May 1865. Capt. A. J. Lumsden wrote in a report the troops from Colwater Grove killed one. The last known report concerning the post was dated June 3, 1865.