Second Battle of Newtonia

Second Battle of Newtonia
Part of the American Civil War
Date October 28, 1864 (1864-10-28) Location Newton County, Missouri Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
James G. Blunt	Joseph O. Shelby
Casualties and losses
400	250

Map of Newtonia II Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

The Second Battle of Newtonia was fought on October 28, 1864, in Newton County, Missouri, as part of Major General Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition of the American Civil War.

Price's Confederate cavalry force was in full retreat following its expedition into Missouri. On October 28, 1864, it stopped to rest about two miles (3 km) south of Newtonia, Missouri. About 3:00 p.m., Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt's Union cavalrymen spotted the rear of Price’s supply train entering the woods south of town on the Cassville road. McLain's Colorado Light Artillery, supported by the 15th Kansas Cavalry, opened on the rebels.

Blunt formed the 16th Kansas Cavalry and 2nd Colorado Cavalry in two lines and personally led a charge behind a screen of skirmishers toward the fleeing supply train. Most of the rebel skirmishers were in no condition (physically or mentally) to resist, and they were soon tumbling backwards. Brig. Gen. Joseph O. (Jo) Shelby's mounted infantry division, including his "Iron Brigade", rode to the front, dismounted, and engaged the Union force. Shelby's men overlapped the flanks of the smaller Union force and forced it back into a large cornfield near the Matthew H. Ritchey estate. There, fighting raged until Federal cannon fire and reinforcements under Brig. Gen. John B. Sanborn finally caused the Confederates to retreat at nightfall. However, Shelby had accomplished his mission in holding up the Union pursuers. By morning, Price had retreated across the desolate prairie towards the Indian Territory.

Despite the duration and ferocity of the firefight, casualties were rather light (400 for the Federals versus 250 for the Confederates).

Today, most of the battlefield is in private hands. Twenty acres (81,000 m²), plus the Ritchey mansion, are owned by the Newtonia Battlefield Preservation Society.

References

• U.S. National Park Service CWSAC Battle Summary
• Civil War Sites Advisory Committee Update and Resurvey

Further reading

• Larry Wood, The Two Civil War Battles of Newtonia. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2010. Part of the History Press' Civil War Sesquicentennial Series. ISBN 1-59629-857-X

Missouri in the American Civil War
1861	Governor refuses to furnish quota of militia to the United States Seizure of United States Arsenal at Liberty Seizure of United States ordnance stores at Kansas City Capture of Camp Jackson Convention between Brig. Gen. William S. Harney, U. S. Army, and Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, Missouri State Guard Engagement at Boonville Skirmish at Cole Camp Engagement near Carthage Skirmish at Athens Martial law declared in St. Louis Battle of Wilson's Creek Action at Dry Wood Creek Siege of Lexington Action at Blue Mills Landing Destruction of Osceola Operations about Ironton and Fredericktown Action at Springfield Engagement at Belmont Missouri admitted as a member of the Confederate States of America Brig. Gen. John M. Schofield, U. S. Army, assumes command of the Missouri Militia Skirmish at Blackwater Creek Action at Mount Zion Church
1862	Action at Roan's Tan-Yard Operations at New Madrid Brig. Gen. Mosby M. Parsons, Mo. S. G., assumes command of the Missouri State Guard Action at Moore's Mill Action at Kirksville Action at Independence Action at Lone Jack Engagement at Newtonia Skirmish at Island Mound Action at Clark's Mill
1863	Engagement at Springfield Engagement at Hartville Action at Cape Girardeau Skirmish at Chalk Bluff Enrolled Militia of Missouri placed under command of Maj. Gen. Schofield Shelby's raid in Arkansas and Missouri
1864	Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, C. S. Army, assumes command of the expeditionary forces at Princeton, Ark. Price's enters Missouri Affair at Centralia Attack on Fort Davidson Action at Glasgow Action at Lexington Action at the Little Blue Action at Independence Action at the Big Blue Engagement at Westport Engagement at the Marmiton Engagement at Newtonia
1865	Negotiations for the surrender of the Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department Gen. E. Kirby Smith, C. S. Army, surrenders troops in Trans-Mississippi Department

Coordinates: 36°52′26″N 94°11′25″W / 36.8739°N 94.1903°W / 36.8739; -94.1903