Battle of Mine Creek

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Mine Creek
partof=the American Civil War


caption=
date=October 25, 1864
place=Linn County, Kansas
casus=
territory=
result=Union victory
combatant1= flagicon|USA|1863 United States (Union)
combatant2= flagicon|CSA|1863 CSA (Confederacy)
commander1=Alfred Pleasonton
commander2=John S. Marmaduke
James F. Fagan
strength1=2,600Kennedy, p. 384.]
strength2=7,000
casualties1=100
casualties2=1,200|

The Battle of Mine Creek, also known as the Battle of the Osage, was a cavalry battle that occurred in Kansas as part of Price's Raid during the American Civil War.

About six miles south of Trading Post, site of the Battle of Marais des Cygnes, the brigades of Col. Frederick W. Benteen and Col. John F. Phillips, of Union Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton's Provisional Cavalry Division, overtook the Confederates as they were crossing Mine Creek. The Confederates, stalled by their wagons crossing the ford, had formed a line on the north side of Mine Creek, with Brig. Gen. James F. Fagan's division on the left, John S. Marmaduke's on the right, and eight cannons on the prairie.

The Federals, although outnumbered, commenced the attack as additional troops from Pleasonton's command arrived during the fight. Benteen attacked Marmaduke's center in a column of regiment's, mounted. Supported later by Philips who hit Fagan's left. The speed of the attack did not allow time for the cavalrymen to dismount, making this one of the largest mounted cavalry fights of the war. Although the Confederates had numerical superiority, they were overwhelmed by the rapid attack and greater Federal firepower, which included revolvers and breechloading carbines. The battle lasted only 30 minutes, resulting in the capture of about 600 men and two generals, Marmaduke and Brig. Gen. William L. Cabell. The Confederate casualty figure of 1,200 includes those captured as well as soldiers injured during the retreat. Having lost this many men, Price's army was doomed. Retreat to friendly territory was the only recourse.

References

* [http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/ks003.htm National Park Service battle description]
* Kennedy, Frances H., ed., "The Civil War Battlefield Guide", 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998, ISBN 0-395-74012-6.
* William Forse Scott "The Story of a Cavalry Regiment", G P Putnam's Sons, New York, The Nickerbocker Press, 1893. pp 250-301.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.kshs.org/places/minecreek/index.htm Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site]