Dry Wood Creek (Big Dry Wood Creek, Battle of the Mules )

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Dry Wood Creek (1861)

War:

American Civil War

Also known as:

Big Dry Wood Creek, Battle of the Mules

Date(s):

2 Sep 1861

Location:

Vernon County, Missouri, US

Outcome:

Confederate victory

Description:

Col. J.H. Lane, USA
Maj. Gen. Sterling Price and Brig. Gen. James S. Rains, CSA

About 600 Kansas cavalry encountered 6,000 Missouri State Guards.

Union losses were 14; Confederate losses are unknown.

Col. J.H. Lane’s cavalry, about a regiment strong, set out from Fort Scott to learn the whereabouts of a rumored Confederate force. They encountered a vastly larger Confederate force near Big Dry Wood Creek. The Union cavalry surprised the Confederates, but numbers soon made the difference. The Confederates forced the Union cavalry to retire and captured their mules, and the Confederates continued their march towards Lexington.

The Confederates were forcing the Federals to abandon southwestern Missouri and to concentrate on holding the Missouri Valley.

Content provided by:
eHistory Staff

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

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