Text of Marker:
Union Line
11AM October 21, 1864
Moonlight's Union cavalry brigade, with five guns and 1000 men, was driven from the Little Blue River by Marmaduke's and Shelby's 5000 Confederates of Price's army. Moonlight stopped here and was joined by Jennison's and Ford's brigades of Blunt's division with 10 guns and 2000 men. A defensive line was formed running north and south for a mile. Charges and countercharges continued until 2PM, when Blunt withdrew. Ford fought a series of delaying actions back into Independence, pursued by Shelby's dismounted troops.
West on Hy. 24, left on College, left on Main to Stop D
Funded by the City of Independence
From AmericanCivilWar.com
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"Price's march along the Missouri River was slow, providing the Yankees a chance to concentrate. Major General William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Department of the Missouri, proposed a pincer movement to trap Price and his army, but he was unable to communicate with Major General Samuel R. Curtis, commander of the Department of Kansas, to formalize the plan. Curtis was having problems because many of his troops were Kansas militia and they refused to enter Missouri, but a force of about 2,000 men under the command of Major General James G. Blunt did set out for Lexington.
He met the Confederate troops at Lexington on the 19th, slowed their progress, but was defeated and retreated. On the 20th, Blunt's troops arrived on the Little Blue River, eight miles east of Independence. The Union force prepared to engage the Confederates again in a strong defensive position on the west bank. Curtis, however, ordered Blunt into Independence while leaving a small force, under Colonel Thomas Moonlight, on the Little Blue. The next day, Curtis ordered Blunt to take all of the volunteers and return to the Little Blue.
As he neared the stream, he discovered that Moonlight's small force had burned the bridge as ordered, engaged the enemy, and retreated away from the strong defensive position occupied the day before, crossing the river. Blunt entered the fray and attempted to drive the enemy back beyond the defensive position that he wished to reoccupy.
The Yankees forced the Confederates to fall back, at first, but their numerical superiority took its toll in the five-hour battle. The Federals retreated to Independence and went into camp there after dark.
Once again, the Confederates had been slowed and more Union reinforcements were arriving.
Result(s): Confederate victory
Location: Jackson County
Campaign: Price's Missouri Expedition (1864)
Date(s): October 21, 1864
Principal Commanders: Major General Samuel R. Curtis [US]; Major General Sterling Price [CS]
Forces Engaged: 1st Division, Army of the Border [US]; Army of Missouri [CS]
Estimated Casualties: Unknown"