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 residence in the city , the Community of Christ church ' s Temple , Auditorium and " Stone Church " ; and the headquarters of the Church of Christ ( Temple Lot ) . 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 . 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 . That earlier battle resulted in a Confederate victory . Background . In the fall of 1864 , Confederate Maj . Gen . Sterling Price was dispatched by his superior , Lt . Gen . Edmund Kirby Smith , to attempt to seize Missouri for the Confederacy . Unable to attack his primary objective , St . Louis , Price decided to execute Smith ' s backup plan for a westward raid through Missouri and into Kansas and the Indian Territory . Their ultimate goal was to destroy or capture Union supplies and outposts , which might negatively affect Abraham Lincoln ' s chances for reelection in 1864 . After victories at Glasgow and Lexington , Price continued his march westward , in the direction of Kansas City and Fort Leavenworth , headquarters of the Federal Department of Kansas . His army , which he termed the Army of Missouri , was organized with Brig . Gen . Joseph Shelby ’ s division in the lead , followed by Brig . Gen . John S . Marmaduke ’ s division , with Brig . Gen . James Fagan ’ s division bringing up the rear . Union forces opposing Price consisted of militia units and the XVI Corps of Maj . Gen . Andrew J . Smith , augmented by the cavalry division of Maj . Gen . Alfred Pleasonton , detached from William S . Rosecrans ' s Department of Missouri . In addition , the newly - activated Army of the Border under Maj . Gen . Samuel R . Curtis would engage Price ' s force . Curtis commanded the divisions of Maj . Gen . James G . Blunt ( cavalry ) , Maj . Gen . George W . Dietzler ( Kansas Militia Division ) , Pleasonton ' s cavalry , and two infantry divisions detached from Smith ' s Corps under Colonels Joseph J . Woods and David Moore — about 22 , 000 men in all . Prelude . Following their defeat at Lexington , the small detachment of Union troops engaged in this battle under General Blunt retreated west toward Independence . They set up camp on October 20 behind strong defensive positions on the west bank of the Little Blue River , about five miles east of town , and awaited the main Confederate force . However Blunt ' s superior , General Curtis , ordered him to abandon these positions save for a small blocking force under Colonel Thomas Moonlight , and return to Independence . October 21st . The Second Battle of Independence actually commenced as a connected engagement at the Little Blue River , in the rural easternmost boundaries of the city . It began on October 21 , when General Blunt was ordered to return to the Little Blue and reoccupy the same defensive positions he had been directed to abandon only the day before . Upon his arrival , he found that Colonel Moonlight had burnt the bridge over the river as previously instructed , after being attacked by Price ' s advance guard . One casualty of the first day ' s fighting was Confederate raider George M . Todd , who had participated in the First Battle of Independence in 1862 , where he was guilty of summarily executing two captured Union officers . Periodic gunfire continued throughout the night , as each side probed the other . Union troops continued their withdrawal to the Big Blue River , west of Independence . October 22nd . At dawn on the 22nd , Maj . Gen . Alfred Pleasonton ’ s Union force of 10 , 000 cavalry crossed the Little Blue River , and attacked Independence from the northeast ( and thus , from the rear of Price ' s force ) in company with the 2nd Arkansas Infantry ( Union ) . Two of Fagan ' s brigades were roughly handled by the attacking Federals , being pushed back through the city toward the west , where the main Union force lay . Yet another 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 . But final victory would elude the Union . 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 now shifted westward from Independence to Westport , in modern Kansas City . Aftermath . Although Price could claim a victory due to the bravery of Marmaduke and his men , Pleasonton ’ s bold actions greatly worried him . Concerned for the safety of his supplies , Price accordingly sent his wagon trains to Little Santa Fe on the Fort Scott Road , once he had crossed the Big Blue River . The following day , the 30 , 000 troops of both armies joined combat at the Battle of Westport , resulting in a decisive Union victory and the end of major Confederate military efforts in Missouri .