~50 34 | ||
1 mortally wounded, 8 wounded 2 killed, 5 seriously wounded, 17 captured | ||
The Battle of Fort Titus was fought on August 16, 1856, in Douglas County, Kansas, between about 50 Free-State Abolitionists under Samuel Walker and 34 Border Ruffians under Henry Titus inside Fort Titus. Walker's men captured the fort, forcing Titus and his men to surrender, resulting in a Free-state victory.
Aftermath
CAPTURE OF COL. TITUS-THE TREATY-THE EXCHANGE. The following was written by a correspondent of the New York Times dated Lawrence, Sunday, August 17, 1856.
"When the advance guard of the Free-State forces arrived at Judge Wakefield's, on the California road, they were fired upon by a company of Pro-slavery men under Col. Titus. The fire was returned, and Titus and his men retreated, leaving one of their number dead.
Colonel Titus's cabin was within two miles of Lecompton, and like the other brigand leaders, he fortified it against attack. Early in the morning a party of Free-State cavalry made a charge upon some tents near the cabin, the inmates of which ran for the cabin, and were followed by the horsemen, who went too near the cabin, when they were fired upon by those inside, wounding four one, Capt. Shombre, from Indiana, mortally. The cannon was then brought up, and Cpt. Bickerton cooly brought his piece to bear upon it. Seven balls had been fired into it, when Col. Titus showed the white flag, and surrendered. Seventeen prisoners, twenty-five stands of arms and a quantity of provisions were taken; the cabin was then burned. During the attack, the United States troops, who were encamped near by, took a position between the Free-State forces and Lecompton, directly upon the road. Unwilling to attack the troops, as they feared they would be compelled to, instead, of attacking Lecompton the Free-State men with their prisoners marched to Lawrence.