Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site
Battle of Mine Creek Site | |
Nearest city | Pleasanton, Kansas |
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Coordinates | 38°08′27″N 94°43′52″W / 38.14083°N 94.73111°W |
Area | 180 acres (0.73 km2) |
Built | 1864 |
NRHP reference No. | 73000762[1] |
Added to NRHP | December 12, 1973 |
The Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site, located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southwest of
In 1970, the Kansas legislature approved the acquisition of a 160-acre (65 ha) parcel of the battlefield area. The battlefield was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973,[1][2] and an additional 120 acres (49 ha) were purchased in 1974. A visitor center opened on October 24, 1998, the 134th anniversary of the eve of battle. As of mid-2023, the American Battlefield Trust and its partners have preserved 326 acres of the battlefield.[3]
History
On September 19, 1864, General
Price's three divisions moved toward
As word of Price's movements spread, Kansans prepared for an invasion. Governor
Crossing into Kansas in Linn County on October 24, Price's army camped near Trading Post. Before dawn on October 25, it was overtaken by the pursuing Federal force. A running battle commenced, lasting the entire day; however, the decisive engagement came late in the morning. General John S. Marmaduke, one of the Confederate division commanders, was forced to fight a rear-guard action on the north bank of Mine Creek to protect Price's fleeing wagon train. He was supported by General James Fleming Fagan's division, which had already crossed the creek. The two Confederate divisions contained about 7,000 men. Although the Union advance under Pleasonton numbered less than 2,500, the rebels were crushed by a furious cavalry charge.
Colonel
Continuing his retreat, Price was forced to abandon plans to attack Fort Scott. His troops purposely destroyed most of the wagon train carrying their supplies and booty. After a short rest, Generals Curtis and Blunt followed in pursuit. On October 28 they handed Price his final defeat at Newtonia, Missouri. The rebel army recrossed the Arkansas River on November 8. For all practical purposes, the Civil War in the West was over.[4]
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Richard Pankratz (June 28, 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Battle of Mine Creek Site". National Park Service. Retrieved May 31, 2017. With four photos from 1973.
- ^ "Mine Creek Battlefield". American Battlefield Trust. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ Kansas State Historical Society Archived 2006-06-18 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011-08-10.
External links
- Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site - Kansas State Historical Society
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mine Creek Battlefield Park