Colonel Edward Daniels of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry on Engagements at Chalk Bluff, Arkansas, and Southeast Missouri, May 1862

There were many more smaller engagements in the Civil War than major battles, and that was especially true in certain states like Missouri. In the middle of May 1862, the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry was busy with three engagements in southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas.

Col. Edward Daniels 1st Wisconsin Cavalry

The 1st Wisconsin Cavalry was mustered into service in March 1862, under the command of Colonel Edward Daniels. The regiment was ordered to Missouri, first to St. Louis, and then to Cape Girardeau. Daniels was appointed commanding officer of the Post of Cape Girardeau, which was part of the military district of Southeast Missouri.

Daniels, an aggressive fighter, didn’t wait long to take his cavalrymen into action. On May 9th, he left Cape Girardeau for Bloomfield, a town about 50 miles away, and attacked the Rebel camp there early in the morning of May 10th, capturing it. He filed this brief report on the engagement:

Bloomfield, May 13, 1862.

Left Girardeau Friday, May 9, with six squadrons of my regiment for Bloomfield. Arrived Saturday 5 p. m. Fell upon Colonel Pheelan’s main camp, 10 miles out, Sunday morning early. The enemy fled and scattered through the swamp. Killed 1, captured 11 prisoners, a quantity of horses, oxen, camp equipage, arms, and ammunition, the horses of Colonel Pheelan and two lieutenants. His chest, with all his papers and books, fell into our hands. There were four companies. We are picking them up hourly. Enemy in force of 600 at Chalk Bluff and Poplar Bluff. They are impressing every able-bodied man, and sweeping all the horses, cattle, and supplies south. I shall follow them at once to their nests. We found the country in a state of terror perfectly indescribable.

E. Daniels,
Col. First Wisconsin Cav., Comdg. Post at Cape Girardeau.

General Ketchum, Saint Louis.

Having learned of the presence of the enemy at Chalk Bluff, Daniels and his regiment headed south to the Missouri-Arkansas border. Chalk Bluff was on the Arkansas side of the St. Francis River, which was the border of the western side of the Missouri Bootheel. The 1st Wisconsin crossed the river and attacked on May 15th:

Headquarters First Wisconsin Cavalry,
Chalk Bluff, May 16, 1862.

General: Learning that the rebels were here, under Colonel Jeffers, impressing every able-bodied man and collecting supplies for shipment south, I marched with 300 men from Bloomfield, a distance of 40 miles, reached this point at daylight, seized the ferry, and crossed under the enemy’s fire; attacked, routed, and pursued him 6 miles into Arkansas. My loss is 2 lieutenants wounded, 1 mortally, 1 private killed and 6 wounded. The enemy lost 11 killed and 17 wounded; the wounded taken prisoners. We fought dismounted with rifles. Have taken prisoners, horses, and arms. Enemy fled to the woods and swamps. My men behaved most gallantly. Large stores are secreted near here still.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. DANIELS,
Colonel, Commanding Post Cape Girardeau.

Brig. Gen. W. K. Strong,
Commanding District Cairo.

In a supplement to his report, Daniels stated “I do not know but I have gone beyond my district, but I could not reach the enemy and destroy him otherwise.”

Daniels then took the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry back across the St. Francis River into Dunklin County, Missouri and attacked another Rebel camp, following that up with the capture of a small steamboat with supplies and soldiers on board.

Headquarters,
Near Chalk Bluff, Ark., May 20, 1862.

Sir: I have pursued and broken up another formidable band of rebels found in Dunklin County. By a rapid march with 150 men and one piece of artillery, wading swamps and threading our way through cattlepaths, I surprised their camp. They fled, but several of them were taken prisoners.

Hearing that the steamer Daniel E. Miller was 20 miles below, with sugar and molasses and taking on stores of provisions and a company of troops for Memphis, I immediately started with 82 picked men and the 6-pounder, and by sending out scouts captured the pickets of the boat and reached the landing before they had time to get out of rifle-shot of the shore. I immediately brought my piece to bear and commanded her to lay to. She kept moving and a volley was fired upon us by men on the deck. I then gave the command to fire, and put two balls through her, one just below the water line, the other through the wheel-house. The advanced guard of my column also fired a few rifle-shots. The boat then hove to and surrendered. We took 30 prisoners, among them one colonel, and all their stores. We killed Lieutenant Erwin [Lewis?], of the cavalry, and 1 private, and wounded 3. None of my command were hurt.

I have seized all the teams in the vicinity, and am shipping the stores northward, as I am only 35 miles from Fort Pillow. I will hold the boat, if possible, till our forces take Memphis. If compelled to abandon, I will burn her.

I suppose I have strayed beyond my proper district, but I have left all right behind me, and I have come here in pursuit of the enemy, who have caused my coming here at all. If I have trespassed upon ground beyond my proper district, I trust it will be attributed to my zeal to do my work thoroughly and quickly.

I will send prisoners up soon. I have liberated on parole about 100 men, who were clearly impressed into service.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. DANIELS,
Colonel First Regt. Wisconsin Cav., Comdg. Forces in Field.

General W. Scott Ketchum.

Daniels and the 1st Wisconsin had had a productive few days, which the Colonel used as a justification for straying outside his assigned territory. But Daniels took that too far when he launched a much longer and riskier raid deep into eastern Arkansas in July and August. When the Department commander found out about it (after it was underway), Daniels was ordered to report to headquarters and explain why he had left his assigned post and territory, and the regiment was ordered to return to the post. Colonel Daniels never returned to the regiment, and resigned his commission on February 5th, 1863.

The 1st Wisconsin Cavalry continued to serve until the end of the war, participating in the Battle of Chickamauga, and the Atlanta Campaign, in addition to conducting raids and scouting expeditions. Late in the war, the regiment fought in the Battle of Selma, Alabama, and in perhaps its most well known action, participated along with the 4th Michigan cavalry in the capture of Jefferson Davis.

Sources:

A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer

The Military History of Wisconsin in the War for the Union by E.B. Quiner

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 13.

Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-65. Wisconsin Adjutant Generals Office.