Of the brigades listed below, only Philips' and Benteen's brigades, and a small part of Sanborn's brigade from the Union Army of the Border fought in the Battle of Mine Creek of the American Civil War. The Confederate order of battle is listed separately. The entire organization of the Army of the Border is shown.
Command disputes
By order of MG James G. Blunt (General Field Orders No. 2) the militia regiments of William H. M. Fishbeck, Brigadier General of Militia, were placed under the command of Charles W. Blair, Colonel of Volunteers; Fishbeck was infuriated that his command had been subordinated to a volunteer officer. Because Kansas law stated that militia should be kept under the command of militia officers, Fishbeck disregarded Blunt's order. Blunt had Fishbeck arrested and held until released by order of MG Samuel Curtis. Upon his release, Fishbeck resumed command of the Kansas Militia regiments, with orders to obey directives that came from MG Blunt. This rather cumbersome arrangement had BG Fishbeck in direct command of the militia units attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, and Col Charles Blair in overall command of the brigade. Howard N. Monnett describes the arrangement as a "brigade within a brigade". Blair and Fishbeck led the militia into action at Westport (accompanied onto the field by MG George W. Dietzler), and then in the subsequent pursuit of Price until MG Curtis ordered the militia to return home.
Abbreviations used
Military rank
- MG = Major General
- BG = Brigadier General
- Col = Colonel
- Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel
- Maj = Major
- Cpt = Captain
- Lt = 1st Lieutenant
- 2Lt = 2nd Lieutenant
Army of the Border
Escort:
- 2nd Kansas Cavalry (battalion): Maj Henry Hopkins
- Company G, 11th Kansas Cavalry: Cpt C. L. Gove
- Company H, 15th Kansas Cavalry
- Mountain howitzer battery: Lt Edward Gill
| Division | Brigade | Regiments and Others |
|---|---|---|
|
First Provisional Cavalry Division
|
1st Brigade |
|
| 2nd Brigade
|
| |
| 3rd Brigade
|
| |
| 4th Brigade |
|
| Division | Brigade | Regiments and Others |
|---|---|---|
|
Second Division
|
1st Brigade |
|
| 2nd Brigade
|
(Brigade arrived after conclusion of the Battle of Mine Creek, but was in the Battle of Little Osage and the Battle of Marmiton River immediately following the Battle of Mine Creek) | |
| 3rd Brigade |
(Battery L, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery fought at the Battle of Mine Creek, remainder of Brigade arrived after conclusion of Battle of Mine Creek) | |
| 4th Brigade |
|
Notes
The list shown is the entire Army of the Border. Of this army, only Philip's and Benteen's Brigades were present at this battle. Other brigades from this army fought other battles during Price's Raid.
- Official Records: Series 1, vol 41, Part 1 (Price's Missouri Expedition) p. 337
- Monnett p.44-45
- Official Records, Series 1, vol 41, Part 1 (Price's Missouri Expedition), p. 539
References
- Buresh, Lumir F. October 25 and the Battle of Mine Creek (Kansas City, MO: The Lowell Press), 1977. ISBN 0-913504-40-8
- Monnett, Howard N. Action Before Westport: 1864 (Niwot, CO: University Press of Colorado), 1995.
- Hinton, Richard Josiah. Rebel invasion of Missouri and Kansas, and the campaign of the army of the border against General Sterling Price, in October and November, 1864 (Chicago: Church and Goodman)
External links
- Artist Rendition of Battle
- Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site
- Sanborn, General John B.; The Campaign in Missouri in September and October 1864
| Kansas in the American Civil War | |
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