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Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, USA
Brig. Gen. John S. Marmaduke and Maj. Gen. James F. Fagan, CSA
Each side had a cavalry division.
For 100 casualties, the Union inflicted about 1,200.
About six miles south of Trading Post, where the Marais de Cygnes engagement had occurred, the brigades of Col. Frederick W. Benteen and Col. John F. Phillips, of Alfred Pleasonton's Provisional Cavalry Division, overtook the Confederates as they were crossing Mine Creek. The Rebels were stalled by their wagons crossing the ford, and had formed a line on the north side of Mine Creek.
The Federals, although outnumbered, attacked boldly. Benteen spotted a key defect in the Confederate line: they had deployed on the back side of a ridge, so the Union charge would come as a surprise. Benteen mounted and hurled his brigade into action, and they did break the Confederate line. Reinforcements from Pleasonton arrived during the fighting, and kept the pressure on. They soon surrounded the Rebel rearguard, capturing about 750 men, ten guns, and two generals, Marmaduke and Brig. Gen. William L. Cabell. Marmaduke had been thrown from his horse in a melee, and was apprehended as he staggered westward. Private James Dunlevy of the 3rd Iowa brought in his prize and was immediately rewarded with a furlough for the rest of his term of service.
Price saved the rest of his army by sending the Iron Brigade into the fray yet again. The Union cavalry had trouble moving through the confusion of the Confederate wagon train, bogged down in the creek fords, and then through the woods south of the creek. Still, over time their numbers were enough to drive the Confederates further south, and there was more fighting at the Marmiton River.
Having lost this many men, Price's army was doomed. Retreat to friendly territory was the only recourse.
