The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Battle of Blue Mills (Liberty) 1861

Just came across another newspaper account of the battle that I had filed away...this one from the Confederate viewpoint...
Maggie

("The New York Herald", (New York, NY) Monday, October 14, 1861; col A)

The Rebellion
No Change in the Position of the Army

THE BLUE MILLS FIGHT
GENERAL (EX-SENATOR) D. R. ATCHISON’S REPORT.
LEXINGTON, Sept. 21, 1861
GENERAL PRICE:--SIR--In pursuance of your orders I left this place on the 15th inst., and proceeded forthwith to Liberty, Clay county, Missouri, where I met the State Guard on the march from the northwest--one regiment of infantry, under command of Colonel Saunders, and one regiment of cavalry, under command of Colonel Wilfley, of the Fifth district, and one regiment of infantry, under command of Colonel Jeff. Patton, and one battalion of cavalry, under command of Colonel Childs, from the Fourth district. I delivered your orders to the above commands to hasten to this point (Lexington) with as much despatch as possible. They marched forthwith, and reached the Missouri river about four o’clock in the evening, when Colonel Boyd’s artilery and batallion and baggage were crossed to the south side, where he took his position, Captain Kelly planting his artillery so as completely to command the river. The crossing continued all night without interruption, every officer and man using his best exertions. We received news during the night that the enemy would be in the town of Liberty--about six miles distant from the Blue Mills ferry--at an early hour the ensuing morning. We were crossing in three small flats, and much time was necessary to move the large train of a hundred wagons. Colonel Childs, with his command, had taken post for the night about two miles from Liberty, on the road to the ferry. Here he engaged the enemy’s advance or pickets in the morning, killing four and wounding one, with no loss on our side. The enemy then fled, and we heard no more of them until three or four o’clock, when their approach was announced in large force, supposed to be 900 men, with one piece of artillery, a six pounder. The men of our command immediately formed--Col. Jeff. Patton leading the advance--to meet the enemy. After proceeding about three miles from the river, they met the advance guard of the enemy and the fight commenced. But the federal troops almost immediately fled, our men pursuing rapidly, shooting them down until they annihilated the rear of their army, taking one caisson, killing about sixty men, and wounding, it is said, about seventy. The federal troops attempted two or three times to make a stand, but ran after delivering one fire. Our men followed them like hounds on a wolf chase, strewing the road with dead and wounded, until compelled to give over the chase from exhaustion, the evening being very warm.
Colonel Saunders, Colonel Patton, Colonel Childs, Colonel Cundiff, Colonel Wilfley, Major Gause, Adjutant Shackelford, and all the other officers and men, as far as I know or could learn, behaved gallantly.
D. R. ATCHISON.

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Battle of Blue Mills (Liberty) 1861
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Re: Battle of Blue Mills (Liberty) 1861