Battle of Dry Wood Creek

Battle of Dry Wood Creek
Part of the American Civil War
Date September 2, 1861 (1861-09-02) Location Vernon County, Missouri Result Missouri State Guard victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	Missouri State Guard
Commanders and leaders
James H. Lane	Sterling "Pap" Price
Units involved
Kansas Brigade	Missouri State Guard
Strength
600 [1]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
14 total	20 total 4 killed 16 wounded

The Battle of Dry Wood Creek (also known as the Battle of Big Dry Wood Creek or the Battle of the Mules) was fought on September 2, 1861 in Vernon County, Missouri during the American Civil War. The Missouri State Guard troops were successful in their campaign to force the Union Army to abandon southwestern Missouri and to concentrate on holding the Missouri Valley.

Background

Following his victory at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Major General Sterling "Pap" Price and his Missouri State Guard occupied Springfield, Missouri. Price then headed northwest with 6,000 poorly trained and under-equipped guardsmen to capture Fort Scott, Kansas. Kansas "Jayhawker" and senator Colonel James H. Lane led a 600-man battalion of Union cavalry from Fort Scott to learn the whereabouts of the rumored Missouri State Guard force.

The battle

Lane's battalion soon encountered Price's men near Big Dry Wood Creek, roughly 12 miles from the fort. Lane surprised the Confederates, but the Southerners' numerical superiority soon determined the encounter’s outcome. After a sharp skirmish lasting two hours, they forced the Union cavalry to retire to Fort Scott and captured their mules. Lane secured the fort, then proceeded towards Kansas City. The Missouri State Guard continued on towards Lexington, while Price recruited more guardsmen.

Casualties

Federal losses were 14 men. Missouri State Guard losses were 4 killed and 16 wounded, all in Brigadier General James S. Rains' Eighth Division, Missouri State Guard.

Location

The battle site is just south of Deerfield, Missouri, on Highway 54 between Nevada and Fort Scott.

References

• National Park Service Battle Summary
• CWSAC Report Update
• U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 70 volumes in 4 series. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901. Series 1, Volume 3, Part 1, pages 162–165.

External links

• Diary of a Union cavalryman present at Dry Wood Creek

Missouri in the American Civil War Pre-war History of slavery in Missouri Missouri Compromise Dred Scott Decision Bleeding Kansas Armed Neutrality Secession crisis and divided government Missouri secession Missouri Constitutional Convention Camp Jackson Affair Gamble's Provisional Government Liberty Arsenal St. Louis Arsenal Missouri State Guard Price–Harney Truce Governor on the Run List of Missouri Civil War Confederate units 1861 Grant's First Command Battle of Boonville Battle of Cole Camp Battle of Carthage Battle of Athens Battle of Wilson's Creek Frémont Martial Law Battle of Dry Wood Creek Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy Sacking of Osceola Battle of Liberty Siege of Lexington Battle of Fredericktown First Battle of Springfield Department of the Missouri Battle of Belmont Gratiot Street Prison Burning of Platte City Blackwater/Milford Battle of Mount Zion Church 1862 Army of the West Battle of Roan's Tan Yard Battle of Island Number Ten Battle of Moore's Mill Battle of Kirksville First Battle of Independence Battle of Lone Jack First Battle of Newtonia Palmyra Massacre Skirmish at Island Mound Battle of Clark's Mill 1863 Second Battle of Springfield Battle of Hartville Battle of Cape Girardeau Battle of Chalk Bluff General Order No. 11 Shelby's Raid 1864 Centralia Massacre Army of Missouri Price's Raid Battle of Fort Davidson Battle of Glasgow Battle of Albany Second Battle of Lexington Battle of Little Blue River Battle of Byram's Ford Second Battle of Independence Battle of Westport Battle of Marmiton River 2nd Newtonia 1865 Lincoln's Vaughn Pardon Reconstruction James-Younger Gang Bald Knobbers

Kansas in the American Civil War Pre-War Kansas–Nebraska Act Bleeding Kansas Sacking of Lawrence Pottawatomie massacre Battle of Black Jack Battle of Osawatomie Marais des Cygnes massacre Wakarusa War September 1861 Battle of Dry Wood Creek Sacking of Osceola August 1863 Lawrence massacre General Order No. 11 (1863) October 1863 Baxter Springs massacre October 1864 Battle of Marais des Cygnes Battle of Mine Creek

Coordinates: 37°49′11″N 94°29′10″W / 37.8197°N 94.4862°W / 37.8197; -94.4862