the State
into the Union, Governor Robinson took the oath of office, and on the
15th of April President Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand
volunteers. The first regiment responded to the call by the close of
May; others speedily followed, until Kansas had in the field 20,000
soldiers. Of the regiments and companies which represented this State in
the Federal army, several were composed of negroes, with a slight
mixture of Indians.

It has been no easy task to learn about these regiments, but, after a
long search, the writer has been enabled, through the patriotic efforts
of Governor Crawford, of Kansas, who is also ex-Colonel of the 2nd
Kansas Regiment, to find Mr. J. B. McAfee, late chaplain of the same
regiment and Adjutant-General of Kansas, now engaged in business in
Topeka. With the finding of Mr. McAfee came another difficulty; the
report of the Adjutant-General, containing an account of the regiments
in the war, had been accidentally burned before leaving the printing
office. This difficulty was overcome, however, by the consideration ever
shown the negro by Mr. McAfee, who kindly loaned his only volume of the
"Military History of Kansas."

The service rendered by the Phalanx soldiery of Kansas stands second to
none upon the records of that State. Their patriotism was nothing less
than a fitting return for the love of liberty shown by the Free State
men in rescuing Kansas from the clutches of the slave power. The
discussions at the national capitol pointed Kansas out to the negro as a
place where he might enjoy freedom in common with all other American
citizens. He regarded it then as he does now,[24] the _acme_ of
Republican States. Those negroes who enjoyed and appreciated the
sentiment that made her so, were determined as far as they were able, to
stand by the men who had thus enlarged the area of freedom.

Without comment upon the bravery of these troops, the report is
submitted of their conduct in camp, field, on the march and in battle,
as made by those who commanded them on various occasions.

"On the 4th day of August, 1862, Captain James M. Williams, Co. F, 5th
Kansas Cavalry, was appointed by Hon. James H. Lane, Recruiting
Commissioner for that portion of Kansas lying north of the Kansas River,
for the purpose of recruiting and organizing a regiment of infantry for
the United States service, to be composed of men of African descent. He
immediately commenced the work of recruiting by securing t