Battle of Westport
Conflict	American Civil War
Date	October 23, 1864
Place	present day Kansas City, Kansas
Result	Union victory
Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Samuel R. Curtis Sterling Price Strength Army of the Border (22,000) Army of Missouri (8,500) Casualties 1,500 1,500
Price's Missouri Expedition Fort Davidson – Glasgow – Lexington II – Little Blue River – Independence II – Byram's Ford – Westport – Marais des Cygnes – Marmiton River – Mine Creek – Newtonia II

The Battle of Westport sometimes referred to as the Gettysburg of Missouri was a decisive turning point during Price's Missouri Expedition in 1864. After Westport, Confederate forces retreated from Missouri and were never again able to mount an offensive that would reach even a boarder state.

Contents

1 Westport 2 Price's Missouri Expedition 3 Forces 4 The Battle 5 Results

Westport

Westport (which is now within the boundaries of present day Kansas City) was already a historical city by the time Union and Confederate forces clashed there in 1864. The Oregon, California and Santa Fe Trails had all passed through the town on their way West.

Price's Missouri Expedition

In September of 1864 General Sterling Price began his raid into Missouri. Suffering a setback at the Battle of Fort Davidson, Price's Army of Missouri had enjoyed a successful campaign, steadily driving back Union forces. Avoiding Jefferson City which he feared to be to heavily defended, Price turned and moved towards Kansas City, defeating Union forces at the Battle of Glasgow.

Forces

By October Confederate forces were down to 8,500. The Army of Missouri was made up of Confederate cavalry in three divisions under distinguished Confederate cavaliers, General Joseph Shelby, Gen. James F. Fagan and Gen. John S. Marmaduke. The main Union force opposing Price was the Army of the Boarder was under the capable command of General Samuel R. Curtis. Curtis had not yet engaged Price with his main force because had had a major problem. 1/3 of his army was Kansas State Militia, under Gen. George Dietzler. Dietzler's militia refused to fight anywhere except on Kansas soil. While Curtis persuaded the militia to join in the fight he sent his cavalry division under Gen. Alfred Pleasonton and the 1st Division under Gen. James G. Blunt to delay Price. Only when Price's army arrived along the Kansas-Missouri boarder did the Kansas militia agree to fight, bringing Curtis' army to three divisions and a total of 22,000.

The Battle

Curtis set up Blunt's division in a defensive position along Brush Creek with Dietzler's Militia on the right flank. Price hoped to defeat Curtis' main force before Pleasonton joined him. He planned to strike Blunt's division with Shelby and Fagan while Marmaduke was to guard Byram's Ford across the Big Blue River to prevent Pleasonton from joining Curtis. At dawn on October 23 Price attacked and dove back the Union forces. Curtis counter-attacked and drove the Confederates back across Brush Creek. For four hours the fighting see-sawed back and forth across Brush Creek. Finally Dietzler's militia found their way through a small ravine and hit Price's exposed left flank. The Confederates fell back to a new defensive line, with Curtis now taking the offensive. At this time Pleasonton arrived and routed Marmaduke's force at Byram's Ford. Another Union cavalry force had been sent south and was now attacking Price's rear guard. The Union army was converging on three sides and Price was forced to retreat.

Results

The Battle of Westport was one of the largest battles west of the Mississippi River with over 30,000 troops involved and roughly 1,500 casualties on both sides. The Union victory put an end to Price's threat to Missouri. The greatly contested boarder state of Missouri was now firmly in Union control. Price continued to fight mostly rear guard actions on his retreat to Arkansas where his expedition officially ended November 1, 1864. This was the last campaign in the Trans-Mississippi Theater and the last Confederate threat to any northern states.