Ken... This brief biography is called "John Ritchie: Portrait of an Uncommon Man" by the Shawnee County Historical Society, Bulletin No. 68, November 1991. 74ppgs. I will try to fill in any holes it references below:

1.) Col. John Ritchie assigned command of 2nd IHG, June 22, 1862.

2.) Action at Shirley's Ford, September 20, 1862.

4.) With Salomon's Divison at Prairie Grove/Rhea's Mill, December 7, 1862.

Col. John Ritchie, 2nd IHG (Indian Home Guard), was arrested after his expedition from Baxter Springs to Shirley's Ford MO but was not dismissed.

5.) Excommunicated from the Congregational Church, March 1863.

In April 1863, Lt.Col. Fredrick W. Schaurte takes command of the 2nd IHG at Ft Gibson and says Ritchie is on detached service in Kansas.

6.) Action at Fort Gibson, May 14, 1863 vs. Major Joseph Carroll, Cooper's Division. (states "including Ritchie and his Indians")

7.) Action at Cabin Creek, July 2, 1863 vs. General Stand Watie. (states "Ritchie had four men killed and five wounded")

8.) Action at Honey Springs, July 16, 1863. (states "Ritchie's" [Indians])

9.) March 1864 "word reached Col. Ritchie of the death of his brother, Dr. Powers Ritchy, at Louisville, Kentucky, where he had been serving as surgeon for the Illinois troops. Dr. Ritchy died in an army hospital of typhoid/marlarial fever."

In March 1864, Blunt/Curtis put Ritchie back in command of the 2nd IHG and send him to Mackey's Salt Works (where the Ft Smith-Ft Gibson Road crosses the Illinois River about 10 miles from the mouth).

10.) The very next paragraph states "Colonel John Ritchie went north with Gen. Blunt, both serving under Gen. Samuel Curtis of the Kansas Department, Ritchie as an aide to Curtis. For the Iowa records, Curtis wrote, "My voluneer aides, Hon. Senators Lane and Pomeroy, were earnest and very effecient in the field and of much service everywhere. Col. Crawford, Col. Roberts, Col. Richey, and Col. Cloud, of my volunteer aides, all of whom had experience and zeal, were active, efficient, and useful throughout the campaign."

In Oct. 1864, Ritchie is 'volunteer aide-de-camp' to Curtis in Kansas and is arrested by Maj Gen Pleasonton but released at Curtis' request.

11.) A reference is made through a recollection by Mrs. H. C. Root: "While his regiment was on duty in Missouri, he received certain orders from Gen. Blunt which did not meet with his approval, so he positively refused to obey. For this act of disobedience Colonel Ritchie was court-martialed and confined to prison for some time. Through the influence of Senator James Lane, he was afterwards paroled and never tried for this offence, the charges dismissed before the war ended."

12.) "Dr. Andrew J. Ritchie, John's brother and surgeon for the 2nd Indian Regiment of Home Guards, was mustered out on April 23, 1865. John's release came May 31, 1865."

Where was Ritchie in between these dates? Is anyone aware of any biographical information on him? Who were his political connections that kept him from being dismissed from the army?

13.) Some references used in this bulletin:

"Witness of the Times", Wallace & Bird, 1976, SCHS (Shawnee County Historical Society)

"A Few Incidents in the Life of General John Ritchie", April 1903, in a paper read before the Native Sons & Daughters of Kansas by Mrs. H.C. Root (Mrs. Root's mother was Emily Ritchey Douthitt, John's niece.) Ritchie's speech at Leavenworth, quotation from Bodwell, re church building.

"Topeka Tribune", May 19, 1859, Rep. Convention

"The Union Indian Brigade in the Civil War", Wiley Britton, 1922, pub in Kansas City. Has the incident at Shirley's Ford.

"The Cherokees", Grace S. Woodward, 1963.

"Annals of Iowa", Campaign Against Price, Volume 8