page_title: Second Battle of Independence
section_title: October 22
hierarchical_section_title: Second Battle of Independence / October 22
caption_attribution_description: English: Confederate battle line during Second Battle of Independence, 1864
context_page_description: 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 residence in the city, the Community of Christ church's Temple, Auditorium and "Stone Church"; and the headquarters of the Church of Christ. The Second Battle of Independence was actually two separate battles, the first day resulting in Price's army driving Blunt's army west, out of Independence, and the second day resulting in Pleasonton's cavalry driving Price's army west, out of Independence.
  This clash opened the decisive phase of Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's 1864 Missouri Campaign, and culminated in his defeat at the Battle of Westport the next day, and the Battle of Mine Creek on the 25th. It was the most dramatic American Civil War action involving Jackson County, Missouri since the Union's devastating "Order No. 11" a year earlier.
  The battle should not be confused with the First Battle of Independence, fought in August 1862.
context_section_description: On the 22nd, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton's advance force ran into the rear guard of Price's troops (Fagan, with 4500, and Marmaduke with 2500) at the Little Blue River.
  At 5 AM, the division moved to the crossing of the Little Blue, where the bridge was found to have been destroyed.  A temporary bridge was constructed, and at dawn, Brig. Gen. John McNeil's 2nd brigade, followed by Brig. Gen. John Sanborn's 3rd brigade, of Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton's Union force of 7,000 cavalry crossed the Little Blue River, and engaged Price's rear guard.
  Around 2 PM, McNeil's troops began pushing nearer the town.  McNeil ordered the 5th Missouri State Militia out as skirmishers, and then dismounted two of his brigades, the 17th Illinois. and 13th Missouri.  The Confederates were supported by artillery until about 3 PM.
  At about 3 PM, Pleasonton arrived, and recognized that Cabell's Confederate troops were in a difficult situation due to the number of streets entering Independence, providing possible avenues of attack.  Sanborn's troops attacked the town from the north and northeast (and thus, from the rear of Price's force),  his cavalry on foot.  McNeil's troops then attacked from the east, forming about one quarter mile from town, and charging the town on horseback,  Seven companies of Catherton's 13th Missouri regiment formed into a column of fours, and attacked with sabers,.  Other troops in these Brigades included the 7th Kansas, the 17th Illinois, and the 2nd Arkansas cavalry regiments, the 2nd leading the attack by Sanborn's troops.  Two of Fagan's Confederate brigades (Arkansans) were roughly handled by the attacking Federals, being pushed back through the city toward the west, where the main Union force lay.  The Confederates were supported at this time by Parrott guns.  An additional Confederate brigade attempted to stem the onslaught on the grounds of what is now the Community of Christ's Independence Temple, but was practically annihilated by Pleasonton's force with only a few Rebels escaping.
  During the battle, the Union captured two rifled cannon, formerly used by the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery (US), 40 dead, also capturing 300 Confederates from Cabell's and Slemon's Brigades.  Union casualties were 14 killed, 58 wounded and 11 missing, for a total of 83.  Confederate officers captured during the attack included officers from the following regiments; 45th Arkansas, the 10th Missouri State Guard, Coffey's, Lowther's,  Crabtree's, Freeman's, Gordon's, Slayback's, Elliott's, Jeff Thompson's and Goodwin's.
  Marmaduke's division engaged Pleasonton about two miles west of Independence, managing to push the Federals back and hold them until the morning of October 23. The focus of combat then shifted westward from Independence to Westport, in modern Kansas City.
caption: Fagan's battle line, on grounds of the modern Independence Temple
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