Battle of Mine Creek

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Date	October 25, 1864
Location	Linn County, Kansas
Result	Union victory

Combatants

United States of America

Confederate States of America

Commanders

Alfred Pleasonton

John S. Marmaduke
James F. Fagan

Strength

2,600^[1]

7,000^[1]

Casualties

100

1,200

Price's Missouri Expedition
Fort Davidson – Glasgow – 2nd Lexington – Little Blue River – 2nd Independence – Byram's Ford – Westport – Marais des Cygnes – Mine Creek – Marmiton River – 2nd Newtonia

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 and Philips 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.

[edit] References

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.