Henry Z. Curtis was born in Mansfield, Ohio in October 1836. Henry was the son of Union General Samuel R. Curtis.1 After moving to the Nebraska territory in late 1860, he established the first daily newspaper in Omaha, the Daily Telegraph. Curtis managed the newspaper until the summer of 1861 when he left to join the U.S. Volunteers. Within a couple months, he was promoted to captain and would later be commissioned a major of volunteers in 1862.2

Curtis wrote to his uncle from Batesville, Arkansas in June 1862 asking for a favor. He believed the war would soon be over and he wanted to join the regular army at the end of hostilities. Curtis asked his uncle to send a letter of recommendation to aid in his pursuit of an officer’s commission.3 Henry knew his father General Curtis would not support these plans, so he asked his cousin not to mention it to Samuel.4

While in Batesville, Curtis made an interesting observation regarding the political views and class divisions of the townspeople.

…the most intelligent of the wealthy are sound Union – even though slave-owners & devoted to the south.  The ignorant rich are the meanest kind of Secessionists.  The poorer people are as a rule a very low, weak, unhealthy people physically & mentally, and entirely of that class who “think as others think.”

Henry Z. Curtis Letter to H.B. Curtis – Jun. 17, 1862

He also commented in his letter the nice conditions of Batesville and said that, “the most intelligent of the wealthy are sound Union.”4

A year after the letter was written, Curtis was serving with General James G. Blunt who was traveling from Fort Scott, Kansas to Fort Smith, Arkansas on October 6, 1863. The group was ambushed near Baxter Springs by William Quantrill and his Raiders. This southern-sympathizing band of guerrilla fighters terrorized both soldiers and civilians along the Kansas-Missouri border during the course of the war. Curtis was among nearly 100 casualties in what became known as the Baxter Springs Massacre.

Contributed by the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

View this collection

1. “Henry Zarah Curtis.” WikiTree. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Curtis-8539.
2. “Curtis, Henry Z.” Community and conflict photo archive. https://ozarkscivilwar.org/photographs/curtis-henry-z/.
3. Curtis, Henry Z.  Letter to H.B. Curtis.  17 Jun. 1862.  WICR 30867. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Republic, Missouri. Pg. 3.
4. Curtis, Henry Z.  Letter to H.B. Curtis.  17 Jun. 1862.  WICR 30867. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, “The Day of Conflict.” Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum. http://www.baxterspringsmuseum.org/Civil-War.html.
5. “The Day of Conflict.” Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum. http://www.baxterspringsmuseum.org/Civil-War.html.