Price's Raid - Battles

Battles

Price departed on his horse, "Bucephalus", from Camden, Arkansas, on August 28, 1864. The following day he linked up with two divisions in Princeton, and a third in Pocahontas on September 13. His combined force entered Missouri on September 19; though Missouri militia skirmished with the invading force almost daily, Price's first full battle did not come until September 27, at Pilot Knob, southwest of St. Louis in Iron County.

Battle of Fort Davidson (September 27, 1864)

Union Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Jr. moved with reinforcements down the railroad from St. Louis to Ironton to retard Price's advance. On the morning of September 27, Price attacked, driving the Federals back into their defenses anchored by Fort Davidson, near Pilot Knob. After maneuvering elements of his army onto the hills surrounding the fort, Price finally launched repeated assaults in the late afternoon hours, suffering horrific casualties. During the night, the Federals evacuated the structure and blew up its powder magazine. Price had paid a high price in lives and gave Union forces the necessary time to concentrate and oppose his raid, while gaining little of any lasting military value.

That same day, west of St. Louis, a band of Confederate guerrillas led by Lieutenant William "Bloody Bill" Anderson sacked Centralia, murdering several unarmed Union soldiers in the infamous Centralia Massacre. Anderson, an associate of the notorious Col. William C. Quantrill, was accompanied by Frank and Jesse James. In response to these events, XVI Corps was moved to St. Louis, reinforced by Pleasonton. Seeing that his primary target–St. Louis–was too strong to take, Price veered westward toward Jefferson City. However, he discovered that the state capital was also too heavily fortified for him to take; he bypassed it and continue further west, toward Kansas City, Missouri and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Fourth Battle of Boonville (October 11)

Price's army arrived in Boonville, a small town on the Missouri River, on October 10. Though the town was largely sympathetic to the Confederacy and turned out to welcome him, Price's troops engaged in a two-day orgy of looting that caused a delay in their advance, gave Federal commanders time to plan a strategy to defeat them, and turned local opinion against them. Federal Brig. General John S. Sanborn, whose brigade formed a part of Rosecrans' force, had been pursuing Price from Jefferson City, and collided with his rear guard on the outskirts of town on October 11. He was repulsed by Marmaduke and Fagan, and withdrew south of Saline Creek. Price and his troops abandoned the town the next day.

On October 11, the same day as the skirmish between Sanborn and Price, Bloody Bill Anderson and his bushwackers arrived in Boonville with Union scalps dangling from their horses' bridles. Appalled by this atrocity, Price ordered Anderson to remove the scalps immediately and refused to speak to him until he did. Once Anderson complied, Price ordered him and his command northward to break up the North Missouri Railroad. However, Anderson's activities earlier that summer (including the massacre at Centralia—see above), together with those of George Todd, had already brought rail traffic to a halt. Anderson's men accordingly attacked and looted small towns and depots north of the river, killing soldiers and civilians, but this had no positive effect on Price's operation. Todd's guerrilla unit was engaged by Price to be scouts and outriders for his main army, rather than being given missions of their own that might have used their mobility to harass and "spread out" Federal forces, retarding their ability to concentrate against him.

Battle of Glasgow (October 15)

Price decided to send a detachment under Generals Shelby and John Bullock Clark, Jr. to Glasgow to "liberate" weapons and supplies in an arms storehouse purported to be there. Before dawn on October 15, Confederate artillery opened up and Shelby's troops advanced on Glasgow, forcing the defender to fall back toward their fortifications on nearby Hereford Hill, where they formed a defensive line in the face of the relentless Confederate advance. Convinced that he could not defend against another attack, Union Col. Chester Harding surrendered around 1:30 p.m.. Although Harding was able to destroy some stores, Price's men were still able to locate rifles, overcoats, and horses. The Confederates remained in town for three days before rejoining the main column marching on Kansas City. The victory and captured materiel proved a boost to Price's army's morale, but Price's dalliance at Glasgow, together with his slow rate of movement along the Missouri River, gave his enemies valuable time to organize their forces and to close the gap between themselves and him.

Battle of Sedalia (October 15)

While Shelby and Clark were engaged in Glasgow, Price sent Brig. General M. Jeff Thompson and elements of Shelby's Iron Brigade—around 1500 men in all—to attack the town of Sedalia, Missouri. This force overpowered Missouri militia guarding the town from two fortified redoubts, and began to sack the town. Upon realizing what his men were doing Thompson ordered them to stop, keeping only weapons, equipment and horses he had already seized while paroling the captured defenders. Thompson and his force then abandoned Sedalia to rejoin Price's main force, leaving the town once more in Union hands, where it would remain for the rest of the war.

Second Battle of Lexington (October 19)

As Price continued to crawl westward, Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans (commanding the Department of the Missouri) proposed a pincer movement to trap his army. However, he was unable to communicate with Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis (commander of the Department of Kansas) to formalize his plan. Curtis was having problems of his own, because many of his troops were Kansas militia and they refused to enter Missouri. However, a force of 2,000 men under the command of Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt did finally set out for Lexington, Missouri, about thirty miles east of Kansas City. On October 19, Price's army approached Lexington, collided with Union scouts and pickets about 2:00 p.m., drove them back, and engaged in a battle with the main force. The Federals resisted at first, but Price's army eventually pushed them through the town to the western outskirts and pursued them along the Independence Road until nightfall. Without Curtis's entire force, the Yankees could not stop Price's army, but they did further retard their slow march. Blunt also gained valuable information about the size and disposition of Price's army.

Battle of Little Blue River (October 21)

On October 20, Blunt's retreating troops arrived on the Little Blue River, eight miles (13 km) east of Independence. The Union force turned to engage the Confederates again, using a strong defensive position on the west bank. General Curtis, however, ordered Blunt to return to Independence while leaving a small force, under Col. Thomas Moonlight, on the Little Blue. The next day, Curtis ordered Blunt to take all of his volunteers and return to the river. As Blunt neared the stream, he discovered that Moonlight’s brigade had engaged Price's advance guard just after sunup, burning the bridge as previously ordered. Price's main force had arrived by this time and was fiercely engaging Moonlight's unit, which was stubbornly guarding every available ford in the area. Blunt quickly entered the fray, attempting to drive Price back beyond the defensive positions he wished to reoccupy. A five-hour battle ensued, as Union troops forced the Confederates to fall back at first, entrenching themselves behind several rock walls as they awaited an inevitable Southern counterattack. Although witnesses reported that the outnumbered Federals compelled their enemy to fight for every inch of ground, Confederate numerical superiority slowly took its toll. Gradually, the Northerners were forced to retreat, and the focus of the battle shifted to Independence itself.

Second Battle of Independence (October 21–22)

As Blunt's forces at the Little Blue retreated westward toward Kansas City, they passed through Independence, where Union rearguard units attempted to cover their retreat by engaging Price's oncoming troops in the city streets. Brisk fighting raged throughout the town all afternoon, with the Federals slowly being forced to give way. On the night of October 21, Price camped along an unfinished railroad cut just west of Independence, having taken the city itself. However, Price was by this time being pursued by 10,000 Union cavalry under Maj. Alfred Pleasanton, who caught up with Price in Independence at dawn the following day. Pleasanton crossed the Little Blue and attacked the city from the northeast, thus hitting Price in his rear as he undertook to continue his westward march. Two of Fagan's brigades were roughly handled by the attacking Federals, being pushed back through the city toward the west, where the main Union force lay. Yet another Confederate brigade attempted to stem the onslaught on the grounds of what is now the Community of Christ's Independence Temple, but was practically annihilated by Pleasonton's force, with only a few Rebels escaping. Nevertheless, victory would elude the Union. Marmaduke’s division engaged Pleasonton about two miles west of Independence, managing to push the Federals back and hold them until the morning of the 23rd. The focus of activity now shifted westward from Independence to Westport, in modern Kansas City.

Battle of Byram's Ford (October 22–23)

The Battle of Byram's Ford actually comprised two separate skirmishes, one fought on the 22nd of October, and the other the next day. As Price neared Kansas City, he learned that General Curtis' Army of the Border had assembled in and around Westport, and was blocking his way west. Furthermore, Pleasanton's cavalry division was pressing Price's rear, and indeed was heavily engaged with elements of his force in Independence on the 22nd (see above). Price had nearly 500 wagons with him, and he required a good ford over the Big Blue River to facilitate the passage of his supplies. Byram's Ford was the best in the area, and thus became a strategic point during the fighting that was about to ensue around Westport. On October 22, Blunt's Union division held a defensive position on the Blue River's west bank. Around 10:00 a.m., parts of Shelby's division conducted a frontal attack on Blunt's men. This attack was a ruse because the rest of Shelby's men flanked Blunt's hasty defenses, forcing the Federals to retire to Westport. Price's wagon train and about 5,000 head of cattle then crossed the Blue River at Byram's Ford, and headed southward toward Little Santa Fe and temporary safety.

The second skirmish at Byram's Ford took place on the 23rd, forming a part of the larger Battle of Westport, which was raging nearby. Having dislodged Blunt's division the day before, Confederates under Marmaduke now held the west bank of the Big Blue to prevent Pleasanton from attacking Price's rear. Pleasonton began his assault on Byram's Ford around 8 a.m. Initially the Confederates held their own. One of the Union brigade commanders, Brig. Gen. Egbert B. Brown, stalled his attack and was arrested by Pleasonton for disobeying orders. Another of Pleasonton's brigade commanders, Col. Edward F. Winslow, was wounded and succeeded by Lt. Col. Frederick Benteen, who later rode to fame at the Little Bighorn. Despite these setbacks, Federal troops gained the west bank by 11 a.m. and Marmaduke retired. Price now faced two Federal armies, one to his front, and one to his rear, each of which outnumbered his beleaguered force. The outcome of the Battle of Westport was sealed, although the fighting would continue until that evening.

Battle of Westport (October 23)

Spurning the idea of any retreat southwards, Price decided that he would deal with Curtis and Pleasonton, to his front and rear respectively, by attacking them one at a time. Pleasanton was coming hard after the previous day's fighting in Independence (see above), so Price decided to strike Curtis' Army of the Border at Westport first, then turn to deal with Pleasanton. However, Curtis held strong defensive positions and despite numerous charges during the four-hour battle, Price was unable to break the Union line. Once Pleasanton had crossed the Blue River at Byram's Ford (see above; "second skirmish"), Price's fate was sealed. His army retreated south through Kansas, pursued by Pleasanton's cavalry; it would never recover. This battle, known afterwards as "the Gettysburg of the West", effectively ended Price's campaign.

Battle of Marais des Cygnes (October 25)

Price withdrew south, and Pleasonton pursued him into Kansas. He caught up with Price's army as it camped on the banks of the Marais des Cygnes River, near Trading Post in Linn County, Kansas. After an artillery bombardment that began at 4:00 a.m., Pleasonton's men launched a furious assault. Price ordered his troops to cross the swollen river, leaving Fagan to hold off the Federals until he could get his wagon train across. Although the Union captured two cannon and several prisoners, they were unable to prevent the escape of Price's force. Pleasanton continued his pursuit of Price, catching up with him again later that morning, at Mine Creek (see below).

Battle of Mine Creek (October 25)

About six miles (10 km) south of Trading Post, the brigades of Col. Frederick W. Benteen and Col. John Philips, of Pleasonton's division, overtook Price's Confederates as they were crossing Mine Creek. The Southerners had been stalled as their wagons crossed the swollen ford, and they formed their line of battle on the north side of Mine Creek. Although outnumbered, the Federals commenced a mounted attack which one participant described as bursting upon the Confederates "like a thunderbolt", causing Price's line to disintegrate "like a row of bricks". Superior Union firepower and the ferocity of their attack made up for their inferior numbers, and Pleasanton's cavalry forced Price to retreat once more. Approximately 600 of Price's men and two of his generals, Marmaduke and Brig. Gen. William L. Cabell, were captured, together with six cannon.

Battle of Marmiton River (October 25)

Price continued his cartage towards Fort Scott, Kansas. In the late afternoon of October 25, Price's supply train had difficulty crossing the Marmiton River ford and just as at Mine Creek earlier that afternoon, Price had to make another stand. Brig. Gen. John McNeil, commanding two brigades of Pleasonton's cavalry, engaged troops that Price and his officers had rallied from the earlier battles, including a sizable contingent of unarmed men. Observing the large Confederate force and not knowing that many were unarmed, McNeil refrained from an all-out assault. After about two hours of skirmishing Price recommenced his retreat, while McNeil could not mount an effective pursuit. Price's army was utterly broken by this time; now it was simply a question of whether he could escape, and how many men he could successfully evacuate to friendly territory.

Second Battle of Newtonia (October 28)

The tattered remnants of Price's army stopped to rest about two miles (3 km) south of Newtonia, Missouri. Soon afterward, Blunt's Union cavalry surprised the Confederates and engaged them. With many of Price's troops in pell-mell retreat, Jo Shelby's division–including his Iron Brigade–rode to the front, dismounted, and engaged the Federals while the remaining Southerners retreated towards the Indian Territory. Brig. Gen. John Sanborn later appeared with Union reinforcements, convincing Shelby to retire. Union troops had once again forced the Confederates to retreat, but failed to destroy or capture them. This would prove to be the final battle in Price's Missouri campaign.