Hartville

Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective December Issue: 1989 Twenty Years On: The End of Communism and the Fate of Eastern Europe eHistory Book Reviews November Review: 428 AD: An Ordinary Year at the End of the Roman Empire MultiMedia Histories Featured History: Ghosts of the Garden

		THESE ARE ARCHIVED PAGES OF THE OLD EHISTORY SITE click here for the NEW eHistory site These pages are not actively maintained and may have errors in content and functionality


eHistory > American Civil War > Battles > Hartville	Search


Articles

Battles

Biographies

Books

Book Reviews

Civil War Daily

Essays & Papers

Glossary

HistoryLists

Images

Interactive

Letters & Diaries

Maps

Medicine

Newsletter

Official Records

Periodicals

Regimental Units

Timeline

Hartville (1863)

War:

American Civil War

Date(s):

9 Jan 1863 - 11 Jan 1863

Location:

Wright County, Missouri, US

Outcome:

Confederate victory

Description:

Col. Samuel Merrill, USA
Brig. Gen. John S. Marmaduke, CSA

Merrill had about 700 in his all-arms force; the Confederates had a cavalry division.

US losses were around 80, Confederate about 330.

John S. Marmaduke led a Confederate raid into Missouri in early January 1863. This movement was two-pronged. Marmaduke led one column to the west, while Col. Joseph C. Porter led the other (his Missouri Cavalry Brigade) out of Pocahontas, Arkansas, to assault Union posts around Hartville, Missouri.

When he neared Hartville, on January 9, he sent a scouting party forward. They succeeded in capturing the small garrison and occupying the town. Porter took advantage of the opportunity, moving that same day toward Marshfield. On the 10th, some of Porter’s men raided other Union installations in the area before catching up with Marmaduke’s column east of Marshfield. Marmaduke had received reports of Union troops moving to surround him and was bracing for a confrontation.

Col. Samuel Merrill, commanding the approaching Union column, arrived in Hartville, discovered that the garrison had already surrendered and set out after the Confederates. He found them only a few minutes later and fighting began. Marmaduke feared being cut off from his retreat route back to Arkansas so he pushed Merrill’s force back to Hartville, where it established a defense line. A four-hour battle ensued in which the Confederates suffered more casualties but forced the Yankees to retreat.

Although they won the battle, the Confederates had to break off the raid and return to friendly territory.

Content provided by:
eHistory Staff

Selected sources:
American Battlefield Protection Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service.

About | Contact