Featured Article Summary #22

The Second Battle of Independence took place on October 22, 1864, during Price's Raid in the American Civil War. Confederate General Sterling Price led his troops into Missouri to try to stir up support against the Union and influence the presidential election. Union forces led by General Samuel R. Curtis and General Alfred Pleasonton opposed Price's advance. The Confederates won the Battle of Little Blue River and occupied Independence. However, the Union forces pushed them back across the Big Blue River the next day. The Confederates were ultimately defeated in the Battle of Westport and forced to retreat to Texas. The battlefield has since been developed, making preservation difficult. In the American Civil War, Missouri did not choose a side initially due to political divisions. Union Army forces under Nathaniel Lyon fought against Confederate and pro-secession Missouri State Guard forces, resulting in the Union gaining control of Missouri in 1862. In 1864, with the Confederacy losing chances of victory, Confederate General Kirby Smith planned an invasion of Missouri led by General Sterling Price with the goal of inciting a popular uprising against Union control. After suffering heavy losses at the Battle of Pilot Knob, Price's army decided not to attack St. Louis and instead headed west towards Jefferson City. However, they found Jefferson City too strong to attack and ultimately decided to abandon the idea of occupying Missouri. They then moved west towards Kansas, gathering recruits and supplies along the way. Price's force, the Army of Missouri, consisted of around 12,000 or 13,000 cavalrymen and 14 cannons. They were poorly armed and lacked proper weaponry. They were organized into three divisions, each commanded by different generals. On the other side, the Department of Missouri, led by Major General Rosecrans, had 10,000 men, many of whom were scattered throughout the state. They were reinforced by the XVI Corps and a Union cavalry division. Another Union army, the Army of the Border, was formed under Major General Curtis and consisted of soldiers and militia from Kansas. However, political forces in Kansas prevented the militiamen from going further into Missouri. Blunt occupied Lexington, Missouri, but Price's army attacked and captured the town. Blunt then retreated to Little Blue River and tried to hold the position, but was forced to fall back to Independence. After a battle at Little Blue River, Blunt retreated further to the Big Blue River.