The Battle of Compton's Ferry (also known as Little Compton Ferry) was an action during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, occurring August 11, 1862, along the Grand River

Grand River (Missouri)

The Grand River is a river that stretches from northernmost tributary origins between Creston and Winterset in Iowa approximately to its mouth on the Missouri River near Brunswick, Missouri....

.

Colonel

Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...

 John A. Poindexter

John A. Poindexter

John A. Poindexter was a colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He and Joseph C. Porter were the primary recruiting commanders in northern Missouri during 1862.-Early life and career:...

 and his force of 1200 to 1500 Confederate

Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...

 recruits were caught at Compton Ferry along the Grand River

Grand River (Missouri)

The Grand River is a river that stretches from northernmost tributary origins between Creston and Winterset in Iowa approximately to its mouth on the Missouri River near Brunswick, Missouri....

 by forces under Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 Col. Odon Guitar

Odon Guitar

Odon Guitar was a general in the Union Missouri State Militia during the American Civil War. He was noted for his successful campaign against Joseph C. Porter and John A. Poindexter’s recruiting commands in northern Missouri.-Early life and career:Odon Guitar was born in Richmond, Madison County,...

. Here the Federals caught the rebels in the act of crossing the river, causing great havoc and sending them into headlong retreat. Two Union artillery pieces fired a total of eight rounds producing the rout. A large amount of materiel

Materiel

Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....

 was recovered.

The converging Union forces of Guitar and Benjamin Loan continued to pursue Poindexter's men immediately after this action, dealing them a crippling blow at Yellow Creek. The wounded Colonel Poindexter was captured September 1—wearing civilian clothing.

The result of this battle and campaign was the effective suppression of Confederate recruiting efforts and major guerrilla operations

Guerrilla warfare in the American Civil War

Guerrilla warfare in the American Civil War followed the same general patterns of irregular warfare conducted in 19th century Europe. Structurally, they can be divided into three different types of operations—the so-called 'People's War', 'partisan warfare', and 'raiding warfare'...

 north of the Missouri River

Missouri River

The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...

in the northwest portion of the state.