© 2003 Robert O. Banks, Jr. All Rights Reserved
The second battle of Newtonia was one small incident near the end of Price's Raid, which involved a running battle across most of Missouri and generated over 400 pages of reports in the OR. This page contains excerpts from the following:
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI,
Springfield, Mo., November 13, 1864.
. . . . On the morning of the 27th I left Fort Scott with my command and one section of Montgomery�s battery, under Lieutenant Smiley, with the hope of striking the enemy one more blow in the vicinity of Newtonia or Neosho, as it was probable that he would make a short stay there to obtain supplies before entering the desert region of Northern Arkansas. I marched sixty-two miles that day, keeping the artillery and teams along, and reached Newtonia on the 28th about 4 p. m., having marched 104 miles with artillery and a train in thirty-six hours. I found General Blunt heavily engaged with the enemy, his line slowly receding, and the enemy�s line extending much beyond his on both flanks, advancing rapidly upon the right and left. General Blunt directed me to form upon his left, and if possible to turn the enemy�s right. The horses being exhausted and the fields intersected with stone walls and other obstacles, I was induced to dismount my command and the regiments were ordered to advance as fast as they could dismount and form. The Sixth Cavalry Missouri State Militia was the first to meet the advancing force of the enemy. This regiment advanced most gallantly, and had fired two or three volleys in rapid succession, when a triumphant cheer from the line announced that the enemy had turned and was falling back. All the regiments of the brigade behaved with equal promptness and vigor, and the enemy was driven back some three miles, when darkness, the flight of the enemy, and the exhaustion of our troops closed the battle and the pursuit. . . .
JOHN B. SANBORN,
Brigadier-General, Commanding
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 385-393 at 392.
HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARKANSAS CAVALRY,
Springfield, Mo., November 2, 1864.
. . . .The regiment rested and recruited at Fort Scott, and with others of the brigade left on the 27th, passing through Lamar, and on the road McNeil�s brigade, near the trail leading to the Osage Agency. A bivouac was at last reached on Buck Creek, five miles from Johnson�s Mills, on Spring River.
The next day, following the Neosho road and passing through Granby, the brigade arrived at Newtonia, unexpected but most welcome. Blunt had there engaged the enemy, and was being signally defeated; his forces badly cut up and without ammunition were giving way, while the enemy, pouring in re-enforcements, were determined to pursue their advantage and reap it as [fast as] possible. But the arrival of the Third Brigade changed the aspect of affairs. In a moment the regiments were dismounted and thrown in line toward the most threatened point. Steadily they kept advancing; at their approach the enemy�s artillery was withdrawn, and soon after their cavalry, heedless of the bugle that called to the charge, filed off by platoons, and left the historical field of Newtonia in Federal hands. The brigade remained in line until 9 p. m., amid the darkness. Thus in thirty-six hours they marched 104 miles and by their unexpected appearance turned a defeat into a victory. . . .
JOHN E. PHELPS,
Colonel Second Arkansas Cavalry, Commanding Regiment
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 400-406 at 405.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, January __, 1865.
. . . I continued the march that night, halting at 3 a. m. October 28, at the ruins of Carthage. Here we rested three hours for breakfast and foraging. I found exhausted rebels had been left here in a starving condition, one or two having died of hunger. I again hurried forward my own weary troops, confident of soon overhauling the enemy�s rear. . . . The advance again moved forward through Granby, approaching Newtonia about 2 p.m.
General Blunt being in advance, gave permission to Colonel Moonlight to halt his brigade about 1 p. m. to feed his horses in corn-fields, which were seen about half a mile on the right of the road. General McNeil coming up at this time in rear of Colonel Moonlight, and we supposing General Blunt�s whole division had made the same divergence, halted his brigade, and with other troops joined Colonel Moonlight in feeding their weary horses. But I soon found that General Blunt had gone on with only Jennison�s and Ford�s brigades, and apprehending that he might overhaul the enemy with his small force I directed General Sanborn, who at this moment arrived with his brigade, to move on as fast as possible, following myself and directing General McNeil also to resume the march as soon as possible. Meantime the enemy had halted near Newtonia, and as General Blunt approached was ready to receive him with all arms of the service. General Blunt deployed his brigades and immediately engaged the enemy, the forces moving forward and back alternately, but retaining general position and doing great damage on both sides. I arrived with General Sanborn�s brigade near sundown, and saw our troops, some of them hard pressed and giving away. McLain�s battery, badly cut up, was falling back for safety, under orders, and some stragglers also, for the first time in this campaign, were ordered to face about and return to the support of our comrades. Captain McLain, under my direction, immediately turned his guns upon the enemy and the stragglers turned back with a shout. General Sanborn threw his forces immediately into line on General Blunt�s left and poured in a heavy fire. This was the occasion of new energies on the right, and a general advance of our forces routed the enemy, who retreated, leaving his dead and wounded in great numbers scattered over the field. It was now too dark to follow through the timber, and, the rebels scattering considerably, continued their flight, a small detachment going toward Cassville, but the main force changing their direction westward, taking the road toward Pineville. . . .
S. R. CURTIS, Major-General
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 464-523 at 507-508.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF KANSAS,
Fort Leavenworth, December 13, 1864.
. . .[A]t Newtonia the advance, under Colonel Ford, came upon [the enemy] again. General Blunt came up immediately, about 3 o�clock, and ordered a charge, which was made by the Second Colorado and Sixteenth Kansas, the general leading in person. McLain�s battery opened on the enemy at the same time, supported by the Fifteenth Kansas, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt. This developed their whole line, which now threatened to turn both our right and left flanks. Orders were sent back to McNeil, who was supposed to be in our immediate rear, and to Moonlight, who had not yet come up, but both these commands had been halted to feed, and did not reach the ground in time to take part in the action. With the Second Colorado, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Kansas, altogether less than 1,000 men, we fought the whole of Shelby�s division, and had succeeded in driving them in the center of their line, when General Sanborn unexpectedly arrived, and, rapidly forming on the left, charged the enemy�s right, and our victory was complete. Night coming on pursuit was impossible, and the command returned to Newtonia, where the remainder of our column had already arrived and gone into camp. . . .
C. S. CHARLOT,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 523-530 at 528.
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF SOUTH KANSAS,
Paola, December 24, 1864.
Early on the morning of the 26th, in pursuance of orders, I marched with the First, Second, and Fourth Brigades of my division in pursuit of the retreating enemy, striking his trail near Shanghai, Barton County, Mo. Moving by way of Lamar, Carthage, and Granby, I came up with the enemy at Newtonia at 2 p. m. of the 28th. The rebel forces had encamped in the timber south of the town, on the Pineville road, with the view of remaining there until the following day, thinking that the pursuit of our forces had been abandoned, but on discovering my advance coming in view on the high ground overlooking the town of Newtonia from the northwest, they hastily broke camp and attempted to move off. To cover this movement they deployed a force of about 2,000 men upon the prairie to protect their rear. Being convinced of their intention to avoid a fight, if possible, I determined to attack them at once. The First and Fourth Brigades were with me in the advance. I had directed the Second Brigade to halt early in the day to procure forage for their horses to enable me to put them in the advance to press the pursuit at night; consequently I did not rely upon them to participate in the early part of the engagement. I had supposed that General McNeil�s brigade, of General Pleasonton�s division, was close up in my rear, and sent back to hurry it forward, while the First and Fourth Brigades of the First Division were quickly deployed in line, and under the cover of the fire of the First Colorado Battery, posted upon the bluff, they swept across the plain at gallop until within musket-range of the enemy�s line. Skirmishers were rapidly deployed, and but a few moments elapsed until the engagement became general. I now ordered forward the First Colorado Battery, which, with a section of howitzers attached to the Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry, and under command of Sergeant Patterson, of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, poured a destructive fire into the enemy�s ranks. It soon became evident that I was engaging all the available force of Price�s army, which outnumbered me more than eight to one. Their superiority of numbers enabling them to press upon my flanks with a large force compelled me to fall back about 500 yards from my first line, which was done in good order, and the line reformed in the face of a terrific fire. The enemy pressed forward their center, but were promptly checked by the canister from the First Colorado Battery. It was now near sundown, and my command had been engaged near two hours and their ammunition nearly exhausted, while a large force of the enemy were passing under cover of a corn-field around my left flank, and my force being too small to extend my line in that direction, I was about to direct my line to fall back and take position on the bluff, when very unexpectedly the brigade of Genera1 Sanborn, of General Pleasonton�s command, came up. I immediately placed them in position on my left, directing General Sanborn to dismount his men and advance through the corn-field, which was promptly executed, repulsing the flanking column of the enemy, who now abandoned the field and retreated rapidly under cover of the night in the direction of Pineville, leaving their dead and wounded in our hands. In this engagement (battle of Newtonia) the disparity in numbers made the contest unequal, and the fighting on the part of my command was the most heroic that I ever witnessed. Near one-eighth of my force engaged were killed and wounded, while the enemy�s loss was at least three times greater than ours. To Colonel Ford, commanding Fourth Brigade of the First Division, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hoyt, commanding First Brigade (in the absence of Colonel Jennison), great credit is due for their coolness and courage and the excellent manner in which they handled their troops on the field. Also among those coming under my personal observation as deserving of special mention for their gallantry were Maj. James Ketner, of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, Capt. W. D. McLain, of First Colorado Battery, Capt. J. B. Pond, commanding battalion Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and Sergt. George Patterson, of the Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, commanding section of howitzers.
JAS. G. BLUNT,
Major-General
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 571-581 at 577-578.
HDQRS. 1ST BRIG., 1ST DIV., ARMY OF THE BORDER
Fort Scott, November 23, 1864.
Leaving Fort Scott about 11 a. m. on the 26th, we reached Shanghai, Mo., the same night and encamped, having passed General Pleasonton�s command during the day. Leaving this point, the brigade took up a line of march southward, through Barton and Jasper Counties, Mo., reaching Carthage early on the morning of the 27th, and going into camp some five miles south of the town, the brigade having then the extreme front of the pursuing column, and being only a few miles behind the rear guard of the enemy. Indeed so closely was he pressed that one squadron of his cavalry retreated only upon the appearance of our advance at the point designated as our encampment. The rebel army was then only four or five miles before us, his rear having passed about 4 o�clock in the afternoon. Here we met a number of paroled prisoners of the Kansas State Militia who had been released during the afternoon, after having been stripped of their clothing, shoes, &c., and robbed of anything valuable about their persons. These were compelled to walk barefoot and almost naked twelve miles until they reached the advance of our lines, where they were as well cared for as our circumstances would permit. On the morning of the 28th the march was resumed, the brigade being then under command of Lieutenaut-Colonel Hoyt, passing the Granby Lead Mines, Newton County, about 2 p. m., the Colorado Second being in the advance with the Colorado battery. When within about three miles of Newtonia messengers passed along the lines from the front with intelligence that our advance had overtaken the rebel army at the latter place, and was then engaged. The command "forward," "trot," "gallop," "march," was given, and never with more hearty alacrity obeyed, and the brigade swept on through almost impenetrable clouds of dust to the open ground north of the town, where our artillery was already posted, and had opened fire with shell upon the enemy�s lines, then distant more than a mile, and evidently striving to get into the timber. Reaching the crest of the hill upon which the battery was posted, the order was given, and the First Brigade moved rapidly toward the enemy, by this time engaged by Colonel Ford�s brigade. The First Brigade was immediately formed by direction of the general commanding on the right of the line, commencing a spirited and determined fire at a range of about 500 yards, the howitzers, under Sergeant Patterson, doing more efficient execution than at any previous action during the campaign. In this connection I would mention with particular recommendations to favor Sergeant Patterson, Fourteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, an experienced and capable artillerist of long service in the Army of the Potomac and elsewhere. During the whole campaign he remained in the faithful discharge of his duties as sergeant of the howitzer battery, which fired the first gun at Lexington and almost the last at Newtonia.
For further details of the battle permit me to extract from the report of Lieutenant Colonel Hoyt, Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, as follows, he being in command of the First Brigade by reason of temporary disability of myself caused by accident:
******
On the 28th of October Price was attacked by General Blunt with the brigades of yourself and Colonel Ford (Second Colorado Cavalry) at Newtonia, Mo. In this engagement it was my privilege to lead your brigade, of which I can only say, none could have fought more nobly or with more determination, standing under fire a long time without a cartridge to return the galling fire of the enemy, having expended sixty rounds to the man, the celerity of our movements rendering it impossible for the ammunition train to keep up. I desire to mention Lient. Joseph Mackle, acting assistant adjutant-general, First Brigade, and Lieut. W. H. Bisbee, Company F, Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, acting regimental adjutant, for their praiseworthy conduct in the last-named and, in fact, in all the engagements in which this regiment was employed. Of the officers of my command and their men it is not possible for me to specify particular names, for all were brave and none were cowardly or incompetent, maintaining its line of battle unbroken until some time after dark. The First Brigade, in obedience to orders from the general commanding, encamped for the night in the town of Newtonia having brought in all its wounded, who were properly cared for and bestowed in the houses of the town.
C. R. JENNISON,
Colonel, Fifteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry
Comdg. First Brigade, First Division, Army of the Border
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 581-591 at 577-578.
FORT RILEY KANS.,
December __, 1864
. . . . At Fort Scott on the morning of the 26th instant, I reorganized my brigade, a great many of the horses having given out in the last two days. I left one section of the battery there, putting eight horses to the guns and caissons which I took with me. Again commenced the pursuit about noon, the time being consumed in drawing horses for the battery from Major Hunt, chief of artillery, Army of the Border.
From this time until the afternoon of the 28th we continued marching night and day, with but short halts and small feeds, following at all times the trail of the enemy. About 10 a. m., my brigade being in the advance, we discovered the enemy�s rear in the edge of the woods north of Shoal Creek. I sent two companies of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry into the woods as skirmishers, who soon reported that the party was about 200 strong and retreating fast. I then pressed rapidly forward, and, upon reaching Granby, ascertained that they had just passed through and that Price�s whole army was doubtless at Newtonia, distant five miles. The advance soon reported that the enemy�s train was in sight and but few men visible. I hurried forward at a gallop, and when within two miles of the town saw the rear of the rebel train entering the woods beyond town on the Cassville road. The battery was immediately planted on the bluffs and commenced throwing shell, while the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry and Second Colorado Cavalry were formed in two lines and ordered to charge down toward the enemy�s train, the charge being led by the major-general commanding First Division in person. We advanced at a gallop, with skirmishers in front, until we came upon the main body of the enemy, who was formed three lines deep and the front line dismounted. The action was commenced in earnest, and for three hours with less than 900 men (my brigade consisting of less than 600 men) we contended with an enemy of ten times our number, and closed the day by driving him from the field, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands. During the hottest of the engagement the enemy threw a large body of men upon our left, their fire telling fearfully upon our small force, but the left, commanded by Major Ketner, commanding Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, never wavered nor flinched, but answered shot for shot. The brigade remained upon the field until 9 p. m., when it went into camp in the town of Newtonia. . . .
J. H. FORD,
Colonel, Second Colorado Cavalry, late Commanding
Fourth Brigade, First Division, Army of the Border.
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 606-611 at 609-610.
WASHINGTON, ARK., December 28, 1864.
On the next morning [October 26], after destroying many wagons with broken-down teams that could not be replaced, I took up my line of march at 2 o�clock, there being but little forage in the neighborhood of my encampment. We marched over beautiful prairie roads, a distance of fifty-six miles, and encamped at Carthage, on Spring River, the nearest point that forage could be procured, as I was informed by Major-General Fagan and Brigadier-General Shelby, who earnestly desired me to reach Spring River, as no forage could be procured short of it. The Federal prisoners I had with me became so much exhausted by fatigue that out of humanity I paroled them. (For full particulars of this action see the several reports of Brigadier-Generals Shelby and Clark and other accompanying reports.) On the next morning at 9 o�clock, after giving the men and animals time to rest and feed, I resumed my line of march and encamped on Shoal Creek, a distance of twenty-two miles. During the march a number of desertions took place among the Arkansas troops and new recruits. No enemy having appeared the morale of the troops had considerably improved.
On the morning of the 28th I resumed my line of march in the direction of Newtonia, Brigadier-General Shelby in advance, Major-Generals Fagan�s and Marmaduke�s divisions (the latter now commanded by Brigadier-General Clark) in the rear. On approaching Newtonia the advance of our forces was discovered by the Federal garrison, who commenced a retreat. On seeing this Shelby�s advance endeavored to intercept them. The distance they had gained, however, was too great for this to be effected. They succeeded in killing the Federal Captain Christian, a notorious bushwhacker, as it is termed -- that is, robber and murderer -- noted for his deeds of violence and blood. After passing over the prairie about four miles beyond Newtonia, Brigadier-General Shelby halted his command at the edge of the prairie in a skirt of timber and there encamped for the night. The other divisions of the army passed on beyond him and encamped in the proper positions they were to assume in the line of march the following day. Ere long our scouts brought the information the enemy were crossing the prairie in pursuit of us. Preparations were immediately made to receive him, and about 3 o�clock General Blunt, with 3,000 Federal cavalry, moved rapidly across the prairie in pursuit of us and made a furious onslaught upon our lines. He was engaged by Shelby, supported by a portion of Fagan�s command. A short but obstinate combat ensued, when Blunt was repulsed and driven across the prairie three miles with heavy loss. This was the last we saw of the enemy. . . .
STERLING PRICE
Major General, Commanding
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 625-640 at 637-638.
HEADQUARTERS SHELBY'S DIVISION,
December __, 1864.
On the night of the 24th [25th], on the Marmiton River, Colonel Jackman, by order, burned that portion of the train devoted to the sacrifice, and brought up the rear all that day and night to Carthage, where we encamped on the night of the 25th [26th]. On the evening of the 28th, while comfortably resting a few miles south of Newtonia, a large Federal force drove in our outlying pickets quite briskly and came charging on with their usual vitality. Dismounting every man of my division, I formed my line of battle just in time to meet the onset. Jackman held the right and protected two pieces of Collins� artillery, which opened immediately with good effect. Thompson and Slayback were on the left, and I sent a good detachment under Major Gordon to watch well my extreme left flank, and then moved steadily forward with a loud and ringing cheer. The men never hesitated from the first, but drove the enemy all the time before them and advanced two miles into the prairie, exposed to a heavy artillery fire from the first, and if I had had a mounted regiment of my own command I could have charged and taken their splendid battery. Two detached companies of Thompson�s brigade (Captains Langhorne�s and Adams�) did excellent service on the extreme right.
Night closed the contest, and another beautiful victory had crowned the Confederate arms. This success was of eminent advantage to our army, fought as it was when some were urging the old and horrible cry of demoralization, re-enforcements, and no ammunition. That night about 12 o�clock I withdrew, leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Erwin to watch well the enemy�s movements until the next day. He left at 8 o�clock the following morning, and our retreat was continued to Cane Hill unmnolested and undisturbed. . . .
JO. O. SHELBY,
Brig. Gen., Commanding Division
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 652-662 at 661.
HEADQUATERS SHELBY'S BRIGADE
Bonham, Tex., November 24, 1864.
On the 27th we left Carthage at noon and marched to Shoal Creek, and got into camp late at night on account of a mill-race which had delayed the whole army, each man his portion of the time. On the morning of the 28th my brigade was given the advance, and we were directed to move on Newtonia and attack the force stationed there. We were delayed by the duty of checking the stragglers from our army passing to the front; but we entered the prairie in which Newtonia is situated without being discovered and moved up toward the town. When the advance guard came in sight there was great commotion among the garrison, and they soon took to flight, and the advance, under Captain Williams and Colonel Erwin, attempted to intercept them, but the distance was too great, and they only succeeded in overtaking and killing the commanding officer (one Captain Christian), who was noted for his bloodthirsty brutality. The brigade soon reached the town, but passed through to camp some two miles south. Colonel Erwin was directed to remain near the road to Cassville, upon which the enemy had retreated. We had been in camp but a few hours when our scouts reported that the main body of the enemy were approaching on the same road we had come. I was ordered to form the brigade on foot and proceed to meet them. I did so, and advanced into the prairie to a fence we were directed to form on; but soon we were notified that it was a false alarm and returned to our camps. We had scarcely commenced the ordinary duties of camp when we were again ordered out, and proceeding to the same place found the enemy drawn up before us on the opposite side of the small field. The firing commenced immediately, and in a few minutes our line bravely crossed the fence and advanced upon the enemy, crossing the field under a hot fire of artillery and small-arms and drove the enemy into the open prairie. Not stopping at this second fence an instant, we advanced into the prairie and continued to drive the enemy, never letting them form to charge, which they endeavored to do. There was some mounted men on our right, but no supports near our rear, and I halted the line after we had advanced so far that we were exposed to flanking. We remained in this position until the enemy had retired their line, when we fell back toward our camp, receiving several shots from the enemy�s artillery as we retired.
It would be invidious to speak of the courage and gallantry of any officer where all did their duty so fully; but it would be neglect not to mention George Collins, the color-bearer of Gordon�s regiment, who carried his flag as high as both hands would reach in the front of the line. While crossing the second fence in the advance the brave Colonel Smith leaped upon it to cheer his men on, and he was wounded in three places at the instant, and was left at our hospital and fell into the hands of the enemy.
M. JEFF. THOMPSON,
Brig. Gen., Missouri State Guards, Comdg. Shelby's Brigade
SOURCE: OR, Series I, Volume 41, Part I, Pages 663-670 at 669.
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© 2003 Robert O. Banks, Jr. All Rights Reserved