Battle of the Little & Big Blue.

Battle of LITTLE BLUE.

General Price did not reach the Little Blue until the morning of the 21st of October. Because of the attitude of Governor Carney, General Curtis did not intend that any general engagement should be fought there. The Eleventh Kansas had been left at the crossing with orders to detain the enemy as long as it could do so with safety, then burn the bridge and retire in the direction of Independence. Colonel Moonlight's resistance was much more stubborn than had been expected of him. He held the line as long as possible, setting the bridge on fire and falling back slowly only when Price's cavalry had appeared in force on both his flanks. At this juncture General Blunt came on the field with reinforcements and made an effort to halt the advance of General Price. A part of the field taken from Moonlight was regained. General Curtis and General Lane both went to the front, but Curtis was induced to return to Independence.

All that day Price was slowly pushing Blunt back, and it required almost his entire army to do it. General Blunt had but thirty-five hundred men of all arms - perhaps not so many. They hugged fences, sought skirts of timber, utilized ditches and highways, and stood behind stone walls. For some time the Eleventh Kansas was out of ammunition and held its position by defiant cheers. Two miles back from the Little Blue a stand was made at the Massey farm. There the Eleventh was fiercely attacked, lost a number of men, and Major Ross had a horse killed. While supplying the Major with another horse, Captain B. F. Simpson saw Plumb with a company of skirmishers far out in advance of the battle-line. A strong position was taken at the Saunders farm, three miles west of Massey's and this was held until night.

From this point General Blunt sent Lane to Independence to tell Curtis that the Big Blue would have to be the line on the 22d Late at night the Union forces crossed the Big Blue and took position in such defensive works as had been constructed there. The line extended south from the Missouri River to Hickman's Mills along the west bank of the Big Blue River, although the main body of the army covered a space of some six miles only.

Note. This link will show you a map of the battle, this map can be enlarged.

Map of Battles of Little Blue, Big Blue & Westport

BATTLE OF BIG BLUE.

In 1864 Byram's Ford, on what is now Sixty-first Street, Kansas City, was the principal crossing on the Big Blue. It was the most important point held by the Union army, and it should have been guarded by a good soldier. By the intrigues then distracting the councils of the Army of the Border, Colonel C. R. Jennison, Fifteenth Kansas, had secured command of the First Brigade, and he was put in command of the troops defending Byram's Ford on the morning of the 22d of October. About noon he was attacked by a heavy force, and before three o'clock he was driven back. and lost the key to the Union position. His failure to hold Byram's Ford lost the day to General Curtis, as its capture turned the right flank of his army, crushed the right wing and caused it to take a now position just outside of Kansas City. General Price camped on the south side of Brush Creek, a small stream running east a mile south of Westport. The Eleventh Kansas was holding a ford above that guarded by Colonel Jennison. Seeing the Confederate army pouring through the gap made in the line by his defeat, and, knowing there was nothing to prevent its entering Kansas, Colonel Moonlight marched by double-quick to the State-line, south of Westport. There he formed to check the Confederate advance. Colonel Plumb, with four companies of the Eleventh Kansas, drove back Jackman's brigade, and did it in a manner that called forth compliments from all who saw it. It was dusk. In speaking of it many years later Colonel Moonlight said:

This charge was under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel Plumb, of the Eleventh Kansas Cavalry, with one wing of the regiment, and it was one of the neatest and prettiest movements of the campaign. The charge was made with a line almost as straight as on dress parade, and with a dash and vim, the boys cheering as they flew along the prairie into the ranks of the enemy.

This charge was considered an event in the annals of the Eleventh Kansas, and is thus described by a Comrade of Colonel Plumb.

Jackman's brigade was marching through the gap and had to be stopped else the Confederate army would pour over the State-line into Kansas. To check this advance was now the work of the Eleventh Kansas. The Confederates marched steadily northwest until they came in view of the Eleventh. At that instant Colonel Plumb with four companies was beginning his advance towards the rebels. Seeing this the Confederates stopped short and formed a line of battle facing Plumb, who took his men across the State-line to a little valley, and when his men were directly opposite the enemy, he halted them, faced about, formed his line and charged up the hill, his men cheering and firing at will after the first volley. The flashes of Plumb's guns were like fireflies on a damp night in summer. Jackman's brigade was swept from the field, and no further attempt was made by the enemy in that quarter.

Here is a list of the men of the 11th., that were either wounded or killed at the battle of the Blue.

11th Regiment Kansas Volunteers--Cavalry.

Company A.

George W. Edwards, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company A., enlisted July 22, 1863, mustered in same day, home Easton. Killed in action, Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Company B.

James B. Kyle, Sergeant, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company B., enlisted Aug. 18, 1862, mustered in Aug. 30, 1862, home Holton. Killed in action, Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

William P. Cole, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company B., enlisted Dec. 30, 1863, mustered in Jan. 20, 1864, home Leavenworth. Killed in action Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Company D.

William C. Todd, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company D., enlisted Aug. 25, 1862, mustered in Sept. 13, 1862, home Oskaloosa. Died Dec. 3, '64, Independence, Mo., of wounds rec'd in action Oct. 22, '64., Little Blue, Mo.

Company F.

John H. Hydorn, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company F., enlisted Aug. 23, 1862, mustered in Sept. 11, 1862, home Garnett. Mustered out with company August 31, 1865; wounded in action Oct 22, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Frederick Lochterman, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company F., enlisted Aug. 14, 1862, mustered in Sept. 11, 1862, home. Killed in action Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Company H.

Philip Johnston, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company H., enlisted Aug. 18, 1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home Topeka. Must. out with company Sept. 13, '65; wounded in action Oct. 24, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

James Forsythe, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company H., enlisted Aug. 31, 1863, mustered in Nov. 10, 1863, home Tecumseh. Mustered out with company Sept. 13, 1865; W. in action, Sept. 26, 1863, Little Blue, Mo.

Company I.

John H. Crumb, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company I., enlisted Sept. 3, 1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home Burlingame. Promoted Corporal January 1, 1865; wounded in action October 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Washington M. Elliott, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company I., enlisted Aug. 28, 1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home Grasshopper. Mustered out with company Sept. 26, 1865; W. in action Oct. 24, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Daniel Weiser, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company I., enlisted Sept. 6, '1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home Grasshopper. Mustered out with company Sept. 26, 1865; W. in action Oct. 4, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

David M. Chapell, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company I., enlisted Aug. 2, 1864, mustered in Aug. 13, 1864, home Lawrence. Mustered out with company Sept. 26, 1865; W. in action, Oct. 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Company K.

Henry Hoover, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company K., enlisted Aug. 28, 1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home Vienna. Mustered out with company Sept. 13, 1865; W. in action Oct. 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Selden Smith, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company K., enlisted Aug. 26, 1862, mustered in Sept. 15, 1862, home St. George. Died of typhoid fever, Leavenworth, Kan., April 18, '65; W. in act'n, Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Company M.

John C. Paine, Corporal, , 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted Feb. 22, 1864, mustered in same day, home Topeka. Killed in action Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

William Evans, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted March 26, 1864, mustered in March 31, 1864, home Lawrence. Died, October 25, 1864, Independence, Mo., of wounds received in action, Oct. 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Joseph H. Jones, , Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted March 29, 1864, mustered in March 31, 1864, home Centropolis. Must. out on det. roll, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., July 14, 1865; wounded in action, October 21, 1864, Little Blue, Missouri.

William H. Lapham, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted March 27, 1864, mustered in same day, home Wabaunsee. Killed in action, October 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Moses L. Thomas, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted Feb. 24, 1864, mustered in same day, home Chelsea. Killed in action, Oct. 21, '64, Little Blue, Mo.

Allen R. Wilson, , Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted Feb. 26, 1864, mustered in same day, home Centropolis. Mustered out with company Sept. 26, 1865; Wounded in shoulder in action Oct. 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.

Walter H. Wiscombe, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted Feb. 26, 1864, mustered in same day, home Marion. Disc. for dis. Feb. 27, '65, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., on account of wounds received in action, October 21, 1864, Little Blue, Missouri.

Frederick Whaley, Private, 11th, Kansas Cavalry, Company M., enlisted Feb. 29, 1864, mustered in same day, home Lawrence. Killed in action, October 21, 1864, Little Blue, Mo.