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Rufus Gilpatrick-Abolitionist-Killed-1863

Dr. Rufus Gilpatrick (1813-63) Kansas Free State Leader and Union Spy who was eliminated by rebels in 1863.  Below is a very rare image of Rufus Gilpatrick.        

Dr. Gilpatrick led Anderson County men who fought under John Brown at the Battle of Osawatomie. He was also the uncle of Union General James G. Blunt (1826-81). The cdv has a backmark of A. C. Nichols, of Leavenworth Kansas. Apparently taken shortly before his death. Removed from an album, this cdv comes with the portion of the cdv album mount that housed the cdv which reads: "Gilpatrick who was killed while acting as spy Under Genl. Blunt." Gilpatrick was born in Maine and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1834. He practiced and taught medicine (Starling Medical College) in Ohio until 1855. One of his medical students was his nephew, James Gilpatrick Blunt, who became a Union General. While in Ohio Gilpatrick was active in the Underground Railroad, forwarding slaves from Cincinnati to the Canadian Border. In 1855 he moved to Kansas Territory, becoming one of the first settlers of Anderson County. That same year he joined John Brown's Pottawatomie Rifle Company. Gilpatrick identified Brown as the leader of the "Pottawatomie Massacre" at a "Conciliation Meeting" in Osawatomie following the massacre. In 1856, during the Battle of Osawatomie, Gilpatrick led a company of Anderson County men in relief of John Brown's forces. Afterwards, a group of Missouri Border Ruffians set out to capture and hang Gilpatrick, but abandoned their objective when they learned of the capture of their own camp. In 1858 he was elected a judge for the county. He was a delegate to the Osawatomie convention in May 1859 that organized the Republican Party in Kansas Territory. In 1859 he was elected Anderson County Superintendent of Public Instruction. In 1860 he was elected a member of the Kansas Territorial Legislature and was still a member when the war started. He then began service as an informal soldier in the Union Army on the border, a "secret detective, " and was at the Battle of Webbers Falls in Cherokee Territory in April 1863. He went outside the lines to treat some wounded Confederate serving under Cherokee General Stand Watie and while treating their wounds a squad of rebels rode up, called him out and shot him dead, his body pierced by a dozen bullets. He was buried at Fort Gibson. James G. Blunt, his nephew, graduated from the Starling Medical College in 1849 (where his uncle Gilpatrick taught). He followed his uncle to Anderson Co, KS in 1856, where he helped his uncle with the underground railroad, even helping John Brown harbor freed slaves on one occasion. At the start of the war he joined James Lane's Brigade where, as Lt. Colonel, he commanded the cavalry. In April 1862 he was made Brigadier General and commanded the military Dept. of Kansas, and in Nov. 1862 he was made Major General of Vols.

Patrick Marquis ©Quantrillsguerrillas.com "Permission should be requested and agreed to before using this copyrighted essay." 

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