When we left off, James H. Summers had just married his third wife, Sarah Marian Hisey, on April 2, 1861, in Decatur Co. Iowa. The Civil War was starting and James was a veteran of the Mexican War. This time he entered as an officer. The 5th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry was organized in July of 1861. The Muster Roll Cards show that James enrolled as a 1st Lieutenant on Aug. 12, 1861 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was promoted to Major on Sept. 10, 1861. The 5th Kansas operated in the Missouri theater of the early part of the War. At some point in the fall of 1861 James was severly injurred. His right arm was broken in several places, he claimed that he was struck on the arm by a confederate soldier using his rifle as a club. When the regiment settled into winter quarters at Fort Lincoln, the unit's morale crashed. Lt. Col. T. W. Scudder of the 5th recorded that, "...for a time it (the reg't) was commanded by Captain James Hunt, company E. He was relieved by MAJOR SOMERS. Lieutenant Colonel Powell Clayton assumed, in Febuary following, command. The regiment immediately began to improve under his able management. The notoriously incompetant field officers who have preceded him....had well nigh ruined the regiment...." I hope this incompetance didn't include James. However....James resigned his comission on March 16, 1862. I have a copy of the note where James' resignation was accepted. In July of 1862 James was still hanging around Fort Scott, Kansas. I have a copy of a letter from a major stating, "....J. H. Summers formerly Maj. KS 5th but now out of service, is imposing on you presenting himself as an officer now in service. If you are satisfied that he is acting ina manner unworthy of a gentleman or in any way annoying you or Com'd deal with him as you would deal with any imposter..." So James seemed to be in some kind of trouble, and the situation was more complicated than I shall ever know. Marrell's History of Mitchell Co. KS goes one further and says that James told a story that he was present at the Lawrence Massacre, but I don't see how that is possible. I think James went back to Iowa to recover. James' second daughter, Minnie B. Summers, was born on July 3, 1863. In 1864 James again joined the war, this time in service of Iowa. He enlisted as a Captain in the 48th Iowa Inf. Reg't. Co. C. on May 5, 1864. He is also recorded in the Adjutant General's Report, State of Iowa, also with a list of equipment he was responsible for. His regiment were refered to as "100 Day Men". It appears that they served at Rock Island, Illinois, a notorius Federal Camp for Confederate POWs. James was mustered out on Oct. 21, 1864 at Rock Island. I hope he was more than just a prison guard! His next daughter was Etta Imogene Summers, my great great grandmother, born on Oct. 19, 1865. A son named Orin L. Summers, variously called Orian, Orion, Orie and Ora, was born on Oct. 28, 1867. The family appears in the 1870 Census in Decatur Twp. Decatur Co. Iowa. An infant daughter named Hallie Summers is also shown, she died in infancy. My great grandmother, Hallie P. Kinney, was probably named after her. More children followed. Theresa Summers was born in 1872 and another son, James Harvey Summers Jr. was born on July 6, 1874. In 1878 James decided to leave Iowa and go west. So he set his sights on Mitchell Co. Kansas in 1878. To be continued.... -Mark Vernon Seattle, WA