onsequently, when the civil authorities
placed themselves in direct opposition to those of the military, by
arresting and confining the men of the command on the most frivolous
charges, and indicting their commanders for crime, such as unlawfully
restraining persons of their liberty, &c., by enforcing proper military
discipline, he ignored the right of the civil authorities to interfere
with his military actions in a military capacity and under proper
authority.

"On the 28th of October, 1862, a command consisting of detachments from
Captain Seaman's and Captain William's recruits, were moved and camped
near Butler. This command--about two hundred and twenty-five men, under
Captain Seaman,--was attacked by a confederate force of about five
hundred, commanded by Colonel Cockrell but after a severe engagement the
enemy was defeated with considerable loss. The negro loss was ten killed
and twelve wounded, including Captain A. J. Crew; a gallant young
officer, being among the first mentioned. The next morning the command
was re-enforced by a few recruits under command of Captain J. M.
Williams, when the enemy was pursued a considerable distance but without
further fighting. This is supposed to have been the first engagement in
the war in which colored troops were actually engaged. The work of
recruiting, drilling and disciplining the regiment was continued under
the adverse circumstances until the 13th of January, 1863, when a
battallion of six companies, formed by the consolidation of Colonel
Williams' recruits with those of Captain Seaman, was mustered into the
U. S. service by Lieutenant Sabin, of the regular army. Between January
13th and May 2nd, 1863, the other four companies were organized, when
the regimental organization was completed, appears by the roster of the
regiment.

[Illustration: PHALANX SOLDIERS REPELLING AN ATTACK.]

"Immediately after its organization, the regiment was ordered to Baxter
Springs, where it arrived in May, 1863, and the work of drilling the
regiment was vigorously prosecuted.

"Parts of two companies of the regiment, and a detachment of cavalry,
and one piece of artillery, made a diversion on Shawnee, Mo. attacked
and dispersed a small opposing force and captured five prisoners.

"While encamped here, on the 18th of May, a foraging party, consisting
of twenty-five men from the Phalanx regiment and twenty men of the 2nd
Kansas Battery, Major R. G. Ward commanding, was sent into Jasper