Two hundred yards east, stood a large two-story brick house, surrounded by sheds, elms and apple trees. They were alive with Confederate soldiers, firing from doors, windows, roofs, and from behind trees. We moved behind the stone fence, surrounding the place, and I piled some fence rails in front of me for a barricade. Then I pointed my long tom rifle across the toprail and began firing A corporal came along and jerked me down, cursing me for carelessness. He showed me how to reload lying on my back, using my feet to hold the stock of the rifle. The brick house was struck near the roof by a shell and the Confederates came from the doors and windows like grasshoppers, running into a cornfield filled with Yankees.
Ford’s report: On the morning of the 21st I received orders to march with the Second Colorado Cavalry, Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, and First Colorado Battery, to the support of Colonel Moonlight, commanding Second Brigade, First Division, who was reported as engaging the enemy at the crossing of the Little Blue on the Lexington road, leaving the Twelfth Kansas State Militia at Independence. The strength of my brigade was as follows: Second Colorado Cavalry, 284 men; Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, 400 men; Independent Colorado Battery, 116 men; five 3-inch rifled guns, and one mountain howitzer; total, 900 men and six guns. Left Independence at 10 a.m. and reached Colonel Moonlight’s rear, near the Little Blue (distance eight miles), in about one hour. I then received orders to place the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry on the left of Colonel Moonlight's brigade, the battery near the center of the line, and the Second Colorado Cavalry on the right. We immediately dismounted and advanced into the bluffs and became at once engaged, the enemy having crossed the stream before our arrival. We held our ground, advancing slightly for some time, and at one time drove the enemy in great confusion, but his force being too overwhelmingly large he threw a large body to our right, which compelled the right to give slowly back. The brigade was then ordered to fall back slowly to their horses, the battery receiving orders from division headquarters direct. After mounting I received orders to cover the retreat of the army to Independence with the Second Colorado Cavalry and Sixteenth Kansas, assisted by a portion of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, which I did by forming half of my command in line across the road on some favorable spot, and while [page 607 ends] that was engaging the enemy formed the remainder of the force in a similar manner in their rear, and when the first line became too hotly engaged marched it back by companies to the rear of the second line. I thus kept checking the enemy, giving the army time to pass through Independence safely, not reaching there myself until nearly sundown, when I was ordered to march my command across the Big Blue on the Kansas City road (distance six miles) and go into camp for the night; reached camp 9 p.m., the horses getting little or no forage and the men likewise to a great extent without food. The troops of my brigade behaved splendidly throughout the whole day and covered the retreat with the coolness of veterans. I have to mourn the loss of Major J. Nelson Smith, who was commanding the Second Colorado Cavalry, and Francis S. Gould, esq., volunteer aide upon the brigade staff, the former being killed instantly and the latter mortally wounded. They were brave, gallant men, and could ill be sparedReport of James Ford in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, pages 607-6082nd Colorado Cavalry: At the time of his death he was leading the advance line of the 4th Brigade - Colonel Ford commanding; the Second Colorado having been ordered to the support of a battery of howitzers brought from Independence and placed in position by Major R.H. Hunt (15th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry) Chief of Artillery, upon the staff of Major-General Curtis. Major Smith was on the right, and in advance of a farm house two miles from the bridge, in which the howitzer battery had been placed. Before them was an open field skirted by timber, which was occupied by the rebels. It is generally believed that the command immediately in front was the bushwacking force which had recently joined General Price, under the infamous George Todd; the same gang which, under Quantrell, Todd, Yeager, and others, participated in all the atrocities of Lawrence, Gbater’s Springs, the "Sam Gaty" massacre, and other affairs on the border.
Major Smith’s towering form and fine appearance attracted the rebels’ attention, and the fusilade in his direction became marked and dangerous. While the line was in this position (Colonel Moonlight, with the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, having moved to the front again in support of the artillery, forming on the left) Major Smith was pierced to the heart with a rebel bullet. He never spoke, but fell from his saddle dead. Hinton p. 330.
2nd Colorado Cavalry:
21st - We search from Independence towards Lexington six miles and meet the advance of the enemy. The fight commenced at 10 o clock with 3 to 4,000 on our side. Price s force about 30,000. We fall back to Independence not run. The enemy drive us from there on west. Stand was at Blue River. Lost one Major from our Regt. Loss on Rebels side not known. But I think the rebel loss to be at least 8 to 1 on our side, for they charged a second time and were repulsed. diary of Sgt. Francis M. Gordon of Company D: Diary of 2nd Colorado Cavalry Trooper
2nd Colorado Cavalry:
Having read several letters in the National Tribunes referring to the death of Major Smith, Second Colorado Cavalry, who was killed at the battle of the Little Blue near Independence, Mo., October 21st, 1864, the editor of the Times has concluded that his personal recollection of the affair might not prove uninteresting—especially to those who were engaged in the campaign known as the "Price raid."
I desire to preface this reminiscence by saying that Major Smith and myself had campaigned together in the Indian Territory and Arkansas in 1863, and that I felt proud to class his among my personal friends. Being temporarily detached from my regiment—which was at Fort Smith—and happening to be at Fort Leavenworth when the State of Kansas was called to arms by Price’s threatened invasion, I was ordered to report to General Blunt and was assigned to duty on his staff. It is needless to speak of Blunt’s movements prior to the battle of the Little Blue, any farther than to say that he had been at Lexington, and found Price, and had also found a good opportunity for some pretty sharp fighting, which he had improved in his usual spirited manner. On falling back from Lexington, General Blunt desired to establish his line on the Little Blue and dispute the crossing of the enemy, but was overruled by General Curtis, who ordered him back to Independence. General Blunt, however, obtained permission to have Colonel Tom Moonlight, with the Eleventh Kansas and a few squadrons from other regiments—which, by courtesy, was called Moonlight’s brigade—at the Blue as a corps of observation. The rest of the command moved on to Independence. Every one in that command who knew General Blunt or Colonel Moonlight felt there would be a "right smart of a scrimmage" before we fell back to the "Big Blue," where General Curtis desired the next stand should be made. That night Blunt and his staff stopped at a hotel in Independence and the writer retired to bed quite early, being worn out and half sick. Across the hall was a room in which Colonel Jennison and some kindred spirits were enjoying a game of "draw-poker." Shortly after turning in, Major Smith came to my room and wanted to know if it would disturb me if he did some writing there. I told him no, but asked, in a bantering way, why he was not engaged with the party across the hall. The Major returned an evasive answer, and seeing that he appeared to be greatly distressed, I joked him and tried to laugh away his blues. I shall never forget the way he looked, nor his manner, as he came and stood over me and asked if I believed in the forewarnings of death. It was vain to try to laugh the matter away, when he solemnly asserted that he believed there were would be a severe action the next day and that he would not live to see the result. He paced the floor for a while and then resumed his writing. I had been in the saddle all night the=2 0night before and dropped off to sleep, but the Major put in most of the night walking the floor and writing.Early the next morning Colonel Moonlight was attacked, and as he probably thought that it was the duty of a "corps of observation" to stand its ground and observe, he stood his ground until General Blunt came to his assistance. As we mounted we saw Major Smith, and, as it proved, for the last time alive. He was in good spirits and responded gaily to our salutations. The Second Colorado was pushed rapidly forward to relieve Moonlight, as we knew that his ammunition was nearly exhausted. After guiding Colonel Moonlight to the ammunition train, the writer was directed to take an order to Jennison and then to report to Colonel Ford. When I arrived in the rear of Ford’s line I saw some men coming out of the smoke of the action, leading a horse with a man’s body thrown across the saddle, the blood streaming from his head. It was hardly necessary to take a second look. Intuitively I knew that the Major’s premonition was not an idle fancy, and there amidst the hurtling bullets and the crash of battle, I bade all that was left of him a final adieu. I never knew to whom he delivered his papers until I saw a letter of Captain West, Company F, Second Colorado, in The National Tribute, who says they were given to him, and also says "I have always felt as though he had a premonition that this would be his last fight, as nearly all the=2 0night before he spent in arranging his papers and writing letters." The sensational story that Major Smith and George Todd killed each other simultaneously is unworthy of consideration. It is true they fell about the same time, and we learned from the Jerry Glathart and Samuel Fry, who had been prisoners in Price’s hands, that Todd was heading the charge against Smith’s command when he was killed, but whose particular bullet did the fatal work for either—when bullets were flying around like hail—‘twould take omnianience to tell.
"How Major Smith of the Independent Colrado Met His Death"
[From the Sedan (Kan.) Times] H. G. Ward National Tribune, March 29, 1883, page 3, column 7
McLain’s battery: About five miles out the advance guard engaged the enemy at the second ford of the Blue. We were ordered up at a trot, came into battery, supported by the 2d, at about 800 yards from the ford, did not fire. Limbered up, and pressed on, coming into battery in an open space, on the edge of a belt of timber, near the Blue. Soon we were well received by the enemy in a shape of a shower of ball and shell. Lieut. Eayre opened his guns on thier battery, which he soon silenced, and as we learned afterward from prisoners, drove the men entirely away from the guns. The enemy pressed us pretty hard, and came up within 50 yards of our guns. We fired canister at them at short range, and drove them back. Our flanks were falling back and we limbered to the rear, took a position again, and let them have McLain’s Pills at long range, but he was too strong for us - six to our one! So he would drive us a few hundred yards, when we would form in line and give him another round and check him. He drove us to Independence, and as his advance came up, we left the town, our rear skirmishing in the town, as we left. We left about sundown, and camped at the joint fords of the Blue. We only had one hundred in our company - Fred Daum was shot through the foot, Major Smith of the 2d was killed and Lieut. Spencer wounded. Our loss in the whole command was not more than 100 killed and wounded.
Confederate Accounts
Price’s Report: the morning of the 20th I moved west in the same direction as before to Fire Creek Prairie, a distance of twenty-two miles, where I encamped. Information reached me that the enemy had fallen back to the Little Blue. On the 21st I resumed my line of march to the Little Blue. On the 21st I resumed my line of march to the Little Blue on the Independence road, Major-General Marmaduke's division in the front, whose advance page 633 ends soon came upon the enemy's pickets, who, being driven across the Blue, destroyed the bridge as they crossed. A ford half mile below the bridge was seized by our troops and Marmaduke's division crossed it. His advance (Colonel Lawther's regiment) soon came upon the enemy, who were strongly posted behind a stone fence in superior numbers. Lawther's regiment was driven back and was hotly pursued by the foe, when they were re-enforced by Colonel Greene, with about 150 men. A fierce engagement ensued with varying success, Colonel Greene stubbornly contesting every inch of ground, when Wood's battalions arrived, and the enemy gave way, but being re-enforced again renewed the attack, when, as the ammunition of our troops engaged (who still manfully resisted with success the far superior numbers of the enemy) was about to become exhausted, Colonel Kitchen's regiment arrived to their relief. The enemy again fell back to their former strong position.
Hearing of the critical condition of Major-General Marmaduke's division, I had sent orders to Brigadier-General Shelby to march rapidly to his relief, who accordingly hastened to the scene of action with his division, and arrived there at the time when the enemy had taken refuge in their first position. An immediate attack was made upon them and a furious battle ensued, but the enemy were finally forced from their position and they retreated. Brigadier-General Shelby now taking the lead drove them in a stubborn running fight on foot (his men having been dismounted) for seven miles and beyond Independence. (For full particulars of this fight reference is made to the reports of Brigadier-Generals Shelby and Clark, and to that of Colonel Greene, accompanying the latter.)
In this action Major-General Marmaduke acted with distinguished gallantry, having not less than two horses shot under him. Brigadier-General Clark, of his division, also exhibited great bravery and skill, while Colonel Greene, by the manner in which he handled his regiment against vastly superior forces flushed with previous success, beating them back with his handful of men and stubbornly contesting every inch of ground until assistance came to his relief, as well as the personal courage exhibited by him, justly excited the admiration of his superior officers. Fagan's division under my orders supported Shelby, but were not immediately engaged.
I encamped that night in Independence, having marched twenty-six miles, the troops being engaged with the enemy most of the time and driving them before them. On the evening of the 21st Captain Williams, of Brigadier-General Shelby's division, who had been sent on recruiting by him, rejoined his command with about 600 men, capturing on his route the town of Carrollton with 300 prisoners, and armed his entire command. Report of Sterling Price in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, pages 634-635.
October 21 (Camp Numbers 49).-At Independence. At [Little] Blue met the enemy who had burned the bridge; Marmaduke in front; fought and drove them back through Independence. Shelby sustained Marmaduke on his left; loss between 40 and 50; twenty-six miles. Itinerary for Price’s Army OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, Page 645.
Marmaduke’s Brigade: not coming in contact with the enemy again until 21st at the crossing of Little Blue River, in Jackson Country. My brigade being in advance, Captain Stallard's escort (Marmaduke's advance guard), came upon the enemy's pickets one mile from the bridge on Little Blue on the Lexington and Independence road. Stallard soon drove them across the bridge, which they burned to prevent a rapid pursuit. Under instructions from General Marmaduke I sent Burbridge's regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Preston in command) to secure the ford one mile above the bridge, and Colonel Lawther with his regiment to secure the ford one-half mile below, who soon reported the lower crossing clear, the enemy retiring toward Independence. I moved the brigade to the lower ford, but found the crossing very difficult and slow. Hearing quick firing to the front I hastened forward with Greene's regiment, leaving orders for the command to follow as rapidly as possible, and found that Colonel Lawther had indiscreetly attacked a very heavy force of the enemy posted behind some stone fencing which ran at right angles to the road and afforded complete protection against small-arms. He was driven back and in his turn assailed by the enemy, when I arrived with Greene's regiment. General Marmaduke h aving ordered Captain Stallard to support Lawther's regiment, Colonel Greene formed his regiment in line of battle, flanked by two pieces of artillery from Pratt's battalion, which was soon hotly engaging the enemy, Lawther having fallen to his rear [page 682 ends] in confusion. Owing to the difficulties of crossing at the ford Greene's regiment fought at great odds unsupported, but they contested every inch of ground with stubbornness until the arrival of Wood's battalion, when the enemy gave way, but receiving re-enforcements drove us again to our original position. We were almost out of ammunition and the day seemed lost, but Kitchen's regiment, including Davies' battalion (Davies' absence from his regiment not accounted for), came up at this moment in as gallant style as veteran infantry and turned the tide of success, the enemy breaking and falling back toward his first position. A part of Shelby's division (Gordon's regiment, I believe) joined on the left of Kitchen and pushed hotly after the enemy, who, taking position behind the rock fencing spoken of, stubbornly contested the advance of Marmaduke's and Shelby's divisions for at least an hour, but finally gave way, Shelby in pursuit. In this action Major Pratt, with one section of his artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Williams, did excellent service, and at a time of great emergency manned the guns themselves. Company B, Greene's regiment (Captain Polk), behaved with distinguished gallantry, resolutely supporting the artillery with only one round of ammunition for close quarters with the enemy. Colonel Greene distinguished himself above any other officer in the engagement. Loss in this action:-killed, -wounded. Report of Gen. John B. Clark Jr. in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1 pages 682-683.Lawther’s 10th Mo. Cav. marching on in the direction of Independence, engaging a Federal force under command of General Blunt at the crossing of the Little Blue; drove him back through Independence. My loss was 1 man killed, 1 officer and 12 men wounded, and 6 men Report of Col. Robert Lawther in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1 page 699.
10th Mo. Cav.: We dash on down the road, cross the stream at the mill and find the regiment dismounting. They have been repulsed from the ridge in front. The horses are left on the river bank. We form and move up the timbered slope. The enemy greet us with a heavy fusillade of small arms. We can just see their heads. A little further on, the road, running parallel with the enemy’s position, is reached. It is considerably washed. Using this old road as rifle pits, we open a galling fire upon the enemy, which causes him to fall off a few points in his aim. But now the enemy opens up a right and left oblique fire from each flank. Our position is getting uncomfortably warm. Again now the scene changes. The rest of the brigade had crossed the river, and our guns open up on the left flank of the enemy. In two minutes more the Battle of Little Blue Mills is ended, the Federals retreating by way of Independence. Our horses coming up we mount and press on after the retreating enemy. As we gain the top of the timbered ridge on which the battle has been fought we discover that the enemy has been protected by a stone fence. Along this fence, and scattered through the field which i t surrounded, we passed dead Federals, victims of our sharpshooter and Pratt’s artillery. Pressing the enemy closely in his rapid retreat, he occasionally turns and gives us a spiteful, spasmodic shower of rifle balls. Passing through Independence we camp three miles out on the Kansas City Road. "Gen Price’s Raid Followed from Glasgow to the Kansas Line" by Henry Luttrell in St. Louis "Missouri Republican," March 6, 1886, p. 9.
Shelby's brigade leads out this morning, driving the enemy before him, Clark's brigade covers the rear which is threatened by a column of the enemy who has been following steadily since we left Glasgow. Small pox has broken out in the army, several cases having been reported. About noon I am taken with another jerking cramping chill, but I keep my place in ranks until the fever begins to rise. I turn blind and dizzy and pile off the side of the road. When the rear guard comes up they pass on declaring that I have got the small pox. Whether they are really afraid of me on account of the dread disease which is reported in the army, or whether they do not want to be bothered with me, I do not know. however, they leave me to my fate. The n ext I remember is a woman's voice, saying, Are you sick or wounded. (It goes on when a woman finds him and he gets back on his horse and finds the column) Diary of Henry Luttrell
3rd Mo. Cav.: On the morning of the 21st, the brigade being in advance, cannonading announced that the enemy whom General Shelby had driven from Lexington had made a stand, and about midday my regiment was turned from the main road to the right for the purpose of crossing Little Blue River below the bridge which was destroyed. I moved rapidly across the river, and had marched a short distance when it was ascertained that Lawther's regiment was routed. I dismounted about 150 men, formed across the road, and immediately engaged the enemy, who was right upon us. Williams' three-gun battery was unlimbered fifty yards behind my regiment. The enemy, who was in greatly superior force, vigorously pressed his advantage. He was twice repulsed, when he began to flank me both on the right and left. The moment was critical; no supports arrived. Directing my wings to fire by the right and left oblique I took charge of the battery, firing Nos. 1 and 3 on my flanks, and then ordered rapid volleys of blank cartridges to be fired (the position of my men prevented the use of missiles). It produced the desired effect. The enemy fell back and was charged by us. He now rallied and opened with artillery; again advanced and was again repulsed. The fight was t hus continued between unequal numbers, my ammunition was exhausted, the fortitude of my men severely tried, when Kitchen's regiment reached the field. I put it into line and directed it to fire by volley. The enemy fled to return no more.
Great credit is due to Captain Charles K. Polk, of Company B, who held the enemy in check on the left. Sergeant Woolsey, Company G, was conspicuous for gallantry during the action, and Private Shepherd, Company F, deserves especial notice for rallying his company and leading a charge against the battery. Report of Colton Greene, 3rd Mo. Cav. In OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1 page 690.
Wood’s Battalion:. . . after meeting the enemy at Lexington and driving them before us our brigade took the advance, and at Little Blue, eight miles east of Independence, late in the after noon of Friday, October 21st, we met the enemy strongly posted behind stone walls built as fences around farms. We encountered in this strong position the 15th Kansas Cavalry and the 11th Kansas Cavalry and the 2nd Colorado Cavalry and we found them among the most stubborn and hardest fighters that we had ever encountered in our experience in the war.
As we dismounted and ran to our position on the right of the road, and on the right of Clarke’s Brigade, we hadn’t any more than got in line when our skirmishers were thrown out and they hadn’t gone more than thirty yards when they came running back and said: "Boys, they are coming." The Union troops had dismounted and were fighting on foot and came out from their well concealed position and fought us on the blue grass ridges with but little protection and came within thirty yards of our line where both sides fought like demons. I had a position behind a large linn tree, three or four feet through, with another tree, a foot in diameter, comin g up from the root of the old tree, with a space of about twelve inches between the two. From this position I fired with my breech loading gun into four or five Union troops thirty steps from me who stood behind an oak tree two feet in diameter. I remember distinctly that I was under the impression [page 21 ends] after I fired, that they would come on and be right up to us before we could re-load so I jerked out my Remington revolver and shot with a rest from the tree right into the crowd of four or five men seeking shelter behind the oak tree but they soon discovered where my bullets were coming from and I had a personal experience that I will never forget.
A Union trooper with a light complexion and blue eyes with about four weeks growth of beard on his face stood behind that tree alone while both of us were trying to shoot the other. I remember that after my revolver was empty I re-loaded my gun and took deliberate aim from the side of this tree with a rest and tried to hit his elbow which I could see plainly, but whether I succeeded in wounding him or not I do not know as we were ordered to fall back.
I had the occasion to go over the battle ground after the battle and in front of our battalion men lay in piles two or three across each other where they had fallen. Our line was broken in the center to our left and driven back 80 to 100 yards where they made another stand, and just as we got the orde r to fall back on our line, I saw the Colonel’s horse jump as he was shot in the right stiffle with a minnie ball and the Colonel dismounted. We fell back 100 yards or so and left faced and closed up the gap between us and the center and marching through an apple orchard my brother and myself had been at the head of our line, and as we left faced we were in the rear and as the command struck a trot we walked and were practically left alone with a line of dismounted Federal cavalry shooting at us with carbine and shooting with a rest from an old field fence.
As we marched side by side my brother, at my left, received a minnie ball through his hips and my first thought was to go on and protect myself, but I decided in an instant and turned him over on his back and asked him if he was seriously hurt and he said that he was not, so I took him up, as he was younger and smaller than myself, and carried him under my right arm with my gun under my left and marched through a shower of bullets 30 or 40 yards where we got protection from a log house and Gen. Marmaduke was sitting there on his horse and I afterwards understood that he had had two horses killed from under him in that engagement. I succeeded in carrying my brother off of the field and after seeing our doctor dress his wounds we laid him in a feather bed in a log cabin by the side of the road with his feet to the fire and I mounted my horse and rode over th e battle field and every wounded and dead man had whiskey in his canteen and I have always thought this accounted for their desperate charge and this desperate fighting that Friday afternoon. Reminiscence of James H. Campbell’s Experiences During the Civil War, pp. 21-23.
Kitchen’s 7th Mo. Cav.: 21st - We found the enemy occupying a very strong position behind some stone fences on an eminence at Little Blue Mills. Our brigade was in front of the command and our regiment in rear of the brigade. The Federals had burnt the bridge and we had a desperate road to pass over. We was dismounted as soon as we passed the creek one-half mile from the field of battle and double quicked up the hill to the scene of action, here we met our men retreating, their ammunition having given out. Our battery was coming down the hill as fast as it could, the road was filled with the wounded and the enemy was charging after our battery with a fair prospect of capturing it, everything was in confusion when we was hastily brought into action. We soon checked the enemy and drove them back to their stone fences. More troops was soon brought up and drove them from every position they occupied and pursued them to Independence on foot that night. Distance this day was 27 miles. Diary of Lt. Curtis Ballard 7th Mo. Cav.
Davies' Battalion:
21st, marched to Little Blue, where the enemy tried to stay our progress, but after a very severe fight we drove the enemy and followed him to Independence, where we camped, having marched twenty-four miles; seven miles of this distance we marched on foot. In this fight Davies' battalion, attached to this regiment, behaved very gallantly; saved one piece of Pratt's [Hynson's] battery, and driving the enemy from his position. Report of Lt. Col. J.F. Davies in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, p. 696.
4th Mo. Cav.
The next morning our march was resumed for Lexington, passing near the town, in pursuit of Federal forces under Blunt, arriving at Independence, Mo., on the 23rd [21st] of October. Report of John Q. Burnridge in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, p. 694.
Clark's Casualties
3rd Mo. Cav. 4 killed 27 wounded = 31 Greene’s Report in OR p. 692
7th Mo. Cav. 2 killed 13 wounded = 15 Davies’ Report in OR p. 697
10th Mo. Cav. 1 killed 13 wounded 6 captured = 20 Lawther’s Report in OR p. 699
Total: 7 killed 53 wounded 6 captured = 66
Shelby’s Division: General Marmaduke in advance on the 21st of October engaged the enemy heavily at the ford, and finally drove him far enoguh from it to effect a crossing; but the work had just begun. From behind their rock walls, trees, and hill tops the Federals poured in tremendous volleys. General Marmaduke led his steady division to the attack again and=2 0again, until three horses had been killed beneath him and his regiment had suffered much. Still he would not bear back an inch, and yrged on impetyuously the bloodly conflict. Then General Price sent hasty word to Shelby in the extreme rear to gallop to the front and reinforce General Marmaduke. Right and left upon the roadside the troops of Fagan’s division, charged [page 420 ends] with guarding the trains, turned from the way, and the men dashed ahead with cheers to where the firing every moment grew hotter and louder. It was soon over when Shelby formed on Marmaduke’s left. Leading their united divisions squarely against the first line of rock fences everything went down before them, and the Federals, pressed for life, rallied no more until reinforcements met them five miles from the crossing. General Marmaduke’s division having exhausted its ammunition by three hours of severe fighting, halted until the wagons came up with new supplies, and Shelby, on conjunction with Freeman’s brigade, of Marmaduke’s division, pressed the Federals fast and furious into and through Independence. During the retreat two Colorado regiments were often encountered, but fighting well, and rather new at the business of meeting regulars, they suffered heavy losses. Captain Todd, of the bushwakers, was also killed, while recklessly exposing himself in the very front of danger. . . Shelby and His Men, pp. 420-421.
Shelby’s Division: On the morning of the 21st rapid and continuous firing in my front warned me that Marmaduke, who wa s in my advance, was hotly engaging the enemy. Closing up my command well and passing a command in front, I arrived in time to receive General Price's order to support General Marmaduke immediately. I dismounted my entire command, except Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols' regiment, of Jackman' brigade, and crossed Little Blue by wading. Finding General Marmaduke hard pressed and greatly outnumbered, I threw forward Thompson's brigade swiftly on the left, Jackman's supporting, and the fight opened fast and furious. The enemy held a strong position behind hastily constructed works of logs and earth, stone fences, and deep hollows and ravines. My division fought splendidly. From stand to stand the Federals were driven, and soon began to waver and retreat. After great difficulty and hard work my artillery got over the stream and opened a heavy fire from a beautiful position. Sending the cavalry regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols upon their left flank, which made a brilliant and desperate charge, and pressing forward immediately in front, the enemy was driven clearly from the field; and now taking the advance, I pushed him in a stubborn running fight beyond Independence, where a large [page 657 ends] hospital was filled with his wounded and dying. That evening Captain Williams, of my advance, who had been sent north of the Missouri River to recruit, returned with 600 men after having captured Carrollton with a garrison of about 300 and arming his entire command. Report of Joseph Shelby in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, pages 657-658
Iron Brigade: On the 21st we moved in the center of the column, Marmaduke's division in front. On approaching the Little Blue River the enemy was found in position to dispute our passage. We were ordered to the left of Marmaduke's division, and having dismounted we soon forced the crossing in our front, and following the enemy from position to position, several of which were very strong and well defended, we drove him toward the town of Independence. I met General Marmaduke several times during this day's fighting, but his troops were so far to our right that I made no movement in immediate co-operation with them, but steadily drove the enemy with the Shelby brigade until nearly night, and entered the town in line of battle just at dark, having fought dismounted for seven miles. The brigade on this day displayed patience, perseverance, and true courage, for mounted men generally dislike these long fights on foot. The officers all did their duty and the men deserve especial credit. Report of Gen. M. Jeff Thompson in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, Page 666
Iron Brigade:
We had hardly commenced the march on the morning of the 21st when a courier came with an order to proceed to the front. We took our customary trot, and many witty things were said by the men as they passed the long column waiting for us to drive the enemy from the Blue, that they might proceed to Independence.
Marmadukes command were on the direct road and met determined resistance. We were ordered to try an upper ford. As we quietly approached it the busy blows of axes and fast falling trees proved the enemy were there. I forget which battalions were in the front this day for all were so good that I had no favorites among them, and each took the advance in its turn, but whatever it was, at the order to dismount and cross to the enemy, they did not lose an instant, and in ten minutes the firing began, and as each regiment, as it came up was dismounted and ordered across soon the whole brigade, except the horse holders or every fourth man, was over and in the fight. The movement was so prompt that the enemy could not resist us, and we scarcely halted except at stout fences, until we drove them to and through Independence, a distance of seven miles. We formed in the streets of Independence, and wait our horses which at last
at last reached us and we went to the outskirts of town on the Kansas City road, to bivouac. The Shelby brigade was certainly too tired to pillage that night, and if any mischief was done it was some other command did it. Memoir of Jeff Thompson p. 299.
Jackman’s Brigade: On the morning of the 21st we were in the saddle at sunrise, and moved to the crossing of Little Blue, at old Camp Holloway, where, by order, my whole command, with the exception of Nichols' regiment, was dismounted and thrown across the creek into line. This part of my command pressed forward eagerly, but did not succeed in reaching the enemy. The regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols made a spirited charge upon the enemy's line, breaking and driving it back in confusion. The conduct of himself and men was highly praised by all who witnessed it. Report of Col. Sidney Jackman in OR Vol. 41, Pt. 1, page 675.
Jenkins’ Book:
The bridge across the stream in front of this line of battle had been burned, as the last detail of all, by Major Martin Anderson and two companies of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, who the night before had hauled a huge wagon load of hay upon the bridge and fired it as soon as the Confederates came in sight. General Marmaduke reports that his Engineer Company under Capt. J.T. Hogane rebuilt or improved another bridge, but the bulk of his command did not wait for this, and made their way to the western side of the little stream and opened fire on the waiting Federal line. . (page 57 ends) The fearlessness with whic h General Curtis exposed himself in the face of the enemy, while directing the action and endeavoring to hold his not over-steady militiamen to their work, may be inferred from the fact that of the forty mounted men of his personal escort fifteen had their horses shot under them. During the resistance to Marmaduke’s attack here, Major Hunt opened with the two howitzers attached to Curtis’ escort, from the shelter of a little group of trees, houses, and a blacksmith shop. The Confederates promptly turned both artillery and musketry on the spot and two of the battery horses fell at the first volley. The sergeant in charge, a notorious bully of Fort Leavenworth, promptly took to his heels, when Major Hunt, Major Ross of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry (later Senator Ross of Kansas), and an orderly named Bloomer, united in cutting the harness from the dead horses and saving the gun, Major Hunt being hit in the head by a piece of exploding Confederate shell while thus engaged. Jenkins, The Battle of Westport, pp. 57-59.