First Battle of Independence
Encyclopedia
The First Battle of Independence was a minor engagement of the American Civil War
, occurring on August 11, 1862, in the city of Independence
, located in Jackson County, Missouri
. Its result was a Confederate
victory, continuing the Southern domination of the Jackson County area during the early years of that conflict.
This battle should not be confused with the Second Battle of Independence
, which was fought in 1864. That battle also resulted in a Confederate victory.
recruiters were dispatched northward from Arkansas
into Missouri to replenish the depleted ranks of Trans-Mississippi
forces. Among these were Captain Jo Shelby, Colonel Vard Cockrell, Colonel John T. Coffee
, Upton Hays
, John Charles Tracy, John T. Hughes
, Gideon W. Thompson and DeWitt C. Hunter.
Various guerrillas and bushwhackers, most notably those under William Quantrill
, had gathered in Missouri and assisted these recruiters as they worked in the region. For example, Upton Hays was aided by thirty men from Quantrill's command under the brutal George Todd
. By August 1, Hays was camped near Lee's Summit
with 150 men. Additional Confederates continued to infiltrate the area throughout the days that followed.
Union forces, meanwhile, were bivouacked in Independence, the county seat of Jackson County. These were led by Lt. Col. James T. Buel. Like many towns in that part of Missouri, Independence had a number of sympathizers from both sides residing in it.
Colonel Hughes intended to cross the Missouri River
, to recruit around his hometown of Clinton County, Missouri
. He and Gideon Thompson rode to Hays's camp with 75 men; 25 additional men with Quantrill soon arrived. The officers conferred. Desperate for ammunition, and needing a victory to stir their recruiting efforts, they determined to make a surprise attack against Buel before he could attack them. Cole Younger
and another man conducted a successful reconnaissance of the town on the day prior to the Confederate attack.
Lt. Col. Buel for his part had sent one of his officers, a Captain Breckenridge, scouting for eleven days, but Breckenridge found nothing. Buel became aware of Hays's camp, however, and prepared to attack it. On the evening of August 10, several citizens warned Buel of an impending assault on the city; many Union residents had already fled. Buel ignored these warnings, but another of his officers, a Captain Rodewald, did not.
The Federals were positioned in three main concentrations: their camp near a rock wall, the bank serving as Buel's headquarters, and the county jail.
leader William Quantrill, attacked Independence before dawn, in two columns using different roads. They drove through the town to the Union Army
camp, delivering a deadly volley to the sleeping men. Captain Breckenridge suggested surrender, but Captain Jacob Axline formed the Federal troops behind a rock wall and a nearby ditch while the Confederates rifled through their camp, looking for ammunition. The Rebels made several attacks against Axline's wall, but never succeeded in taking it. Here Colonel Hughes was killed, while Thompson and Hays were wounded.
Lt. Col. Buel attempted to hold out with part of his force in the bank building he used as his headquarters. He was forced to surrender after an adjacent building was set afire. Through a flag of truce, Buel arranged a meeting with the new Confederate commander, Col. Gideon W. Thompson, who had replaced Colonel Hughes, killed earlier. Buel surrendered, and about 150 of his men were paroled; the remainder had escaped, hidden, or been killed.
Most of the Union command in Independence was captured, with only a few units making good their escape. The Confederate victory was costly, however, resulting in the death of ten experienced officers, among them Colonel John T. Hughes, and the wounding of Colonels Hays and Thompson. Having taken Independence, the Confederate force headed for Kansas City
, which they were unable to take due to heavy Union fortification.
Although the Southerners had won a victory at Independence, they were unable to follow it up in any significant fashion. Confederate dominance in the Jackson County area would continue—but not for long.
Lt. Col. Buel's performance and his failure to heed warnings of impending attack by prominent citizens were widely condemned. Captain Breckenridge's inability to find any guerrillas in the preceding eleven days, together with his eagerness to surrender, were also considered disgraceful. Both men were court-martialled and the soldiers who had been captured were mustered out of service. Since the two officers had been dismissed with their men, nothing ultimately came of the court martial proceedings.
Independence would become the site of a second Civil War battle
, in October 1864, as part of General Sterling Price
's Missouri Campaign
that culminated in his defeat at the Battle of Westport
.
CSA Col./Acting Brigadier John T. Hughes
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 on August 11, 1862, in the city of Independence
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, located in Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
. Its result was a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
victory, continuing the Southern domination of the Jackson County area during the early years of that conflict.
This battle should not be confused with the Second Battle of Independence
Second Battle of Independence
The Second Battle of Independence was a minor engagement of the American Civil War October 21–22, 1864 centered in Independence, Missouri, with some of the fiercest fighting taking place at the present-day United Nations Peace Plaza; the "Harry Truman" Railroad Depot; George Caleb Bingham's...
, which was fought in 1864. That battle also resulted in a Confederate victory.
Background
During the summer of 1862, many Confederate and Missouri State GuardMissouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
recruiters were dispatched northward from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
into Missouri to replenish the depleted ranks of Trans-Mississippi
Trans-Mississippi
The Trans-Mississippi was the geographic area west of the Mississippi River during the 19th century, containing the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas, and the Indian Territory . The term was especially used by the Confederate States of America as the designation for the theater of...
forces. Among these were Captain Jo Shelby, Colonel Vard Cockrell, Colonel John T. Coffee
John T. Coffee
John Trousdale Coffee was a Missouri politician and Confederate officer in the American Civil War.-Early life:Coffee was born in Smith County, Tennessee where he taught himself law...
, Upton Hays
Upton Hays
Upton Hays, sometimes spelled Hayes, was a colonel of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life, career, and border warfare:...
, John Charles Tracy, John T. Hughes
John T. Hughes
John T. Hughes was a colonel in the Missouri State Guard and Confederate Army during the American Civil War...
, Gideon W. Thompson and DeWitt C. Hunter.
Various guerrillas and bushwhackers, most notably those under William Quantrill
William Quantrill
William Clarke Quantrill was a Confederate guerrilla leader during the American Civil War. After leading a Confederate bushwhacker unit along the Missouri-Kansas border in the early 1860s, which included the infamous raid and sacking of Lawrence, Kansas in 1863, Quantrill eventually ended up in...
, had gathered in Missouri and assisted these recruiters as they worked in the region. For example, Upton Hays was aided by thirty men from Quantrill's command under the brutal George Todd
George M. Todd
George M. Todd was a Confederate guerrilla leader during the American Civil War who served under the infamous William C. Quantrill...
. By August 1, Hays was camped near Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Cass. As of the 2010 census found the population at 91,364 making it the sixth-largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the sixth-largest city in Missouri...
with 150 men. Additional Confederates continued to infiltrate the area throughout the days that followed.
Union forces, meanwhile, were bivouacked in Independence, the county seat of Jackson County. These were led by Lt. Col. James T. Buel. Like many towns in that part of Missouri, Independence had a number of sympathizers from both sides residing in it.
Colonel Hughes intended to cross 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...
, to recruit around his hometown of Clinton County, Missouri
Clinton County, Missouri
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,979 people, 7,152 households, and 5,299 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 7,877 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
. He and Gideon Thompson rode to Hays's camp with 75 men; 25 additional men with Quantrill soon arrived. The officers conferred. Desperate for ammunition, and needing a victory to stir their recruiting efforts, they determined to make a surprise attack against Buel before he could attack them. Cole Younger
Cole Younger
Thomas Coleman "Cole" Younger was an American Confederate guerrilla during the American Civil War and later an outlaw with the James-Younger gang...
and another man conducted a successful reconnaissance of the town on the day prior to the Confederate attack.
Lt. Col. Buel for his part had sent one of his officers, a Captain Breckenridge, scouting for eleven days, but Breckenridge found nothing. Buel became aware of Hays's camp, however, and prepared to attack it. On the evening of August 10, several citizens warned Buel of an impending assault on the city; many Union residents had already fled. Buel ignored these warnings, but another of his officers, a Captain Rodewald, did not.
The Federals were positioned in three main concentrations: their camp near a rock wall, the bank serving as Buel's headquarters, and the county jail.
Battle
Col. John T. Hughes’s Confederate force, including the partisanPartisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
leader William Quantrill, attacked Independence before dawn, in two columns using different roads. They drove through the town to the Union Army
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...
camp, delivering a deadly volley to the sleeping men. Captain Breckenridge suggested surrender, but Captain Jacob Axline formed the Federal troops behind a rock wall and a nearby ditch while the Confederates rifled through their camp, looking for ammunition. The Rebels made several attacks against Axline's wall, but never succeeded in taking it. Here Colonel Hughes was killed, while Thompson and Hays were wounded.
Lt. Col. Buel attempted to hold out with part of his force in the bank building he used as his headquarters. He was forced to surrender after an adjacent building was set afire. Through a flag of truce, Buel arranged a meeting with the new Confederate commander, Col. Gideon W. Thompson, who had replaced Colonel Hughes, killed earlier. Buel surrendered, and about 150 of his men were paroled; the remainder had escaped, hidden, or been killed.
Murders committed by George Todd
Realizing that they would be quickly overwhelmed, the Federal troops defending the jail fired a volley and fled. Confederate guerilla leader George Todd freed the prisoners at the jail, among them City Marshal James Knowles, jailed for the killing of a rowdy citizen. Todd also captured a Union Captain named Thomas at this same time. These two men had successfully ambushed Todd's command in an earlier engagement, killing several of them. Todd and his men summarily executed Knowles and Thomas. Ironically, George Todd would later be killed at the Second Battle of Independence, in 1864.Casualties and aftermath
The First Battle of Independence resulted in approximately 344 known Union casualties; total losses for the Confederate side are unknown.Most of the Union command in Independence was captured, with only a few units making good their escape. The Confederate victory was costly, however, resulting in the death of ten experienced officers, among them Colonel John T. Hughes, and the wounding of Colonels Hays and Thompson. Having taken Independence, the Confederate force headed for Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, which they were unable to take due to heavy Union fortification.
Although the Southerners had won a victory at Independence, they were unable to follow it up in any significant fashion. Confederate dominance in the Jackson County area would continue—but not for long.
Lt. Col. Buel's performance and his failure to heed warnings of impending attack by prominent citizens were widely condemned. Captain Breckenridge's inability to find any guerrillas in the preceding eleven days, together with his eagerness to surrender, were also considered disgraceful. Both men were court-martialled and the soldiers who had been captured were mustered out of service. Since the two officers had been dismissed with their men, nothing ultimately came of the court martial proceedings.
Independence would become the site of a second Civil War battle
Second Battle of Independence
The Second Battle of Independence was a minor engagement of the American Civil War October 21–22, 1864 centered in Independence, Missouri, with some of the fiercest fighting taking place at the present-day United Nations Peace Plaza; the "Harry Truman" Railroad Depot; George Caleb Bingham's...
, in October 1864, as part of General Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
's Missouri Campaign
Price's Raid
Price's Missouri Expedition, also known as Price's Raid, was an 1864 Confederate cavalry raid through the states of Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War. While Confederate Major General Sterling Price enjoyed some successes during this campaign, he was decisively beaten at the Battle...
that culminated in his defeat at the Battle of Westport
Battle of Westport
The Battle of Westport, sometimes referred to as the "Gettysburg of the West," was fought on October 23, 1864, in modern Kansas City, Missouri, during the American Civil War. Union forces under Major General Samuel R. Curtis decisively defeated an outnumbered Confederate force under Major General...
.
Order of battle
USA Lt. Col. James T. Buel- 7th Missouri Cavalry (2 companies)
- 2nd Battalion Missouri Provisional Militia (3 companies) - Capt. Jacob Axline
- 6th Regiment Missouri Enrolled Militia (1 company) - W.H. Rodewald
CSA Col./Acting Brigadier John T. Hughes
- Hughes Recruiters
- Hays Regiment
- Quantrill's Guerrillas