Monday, October 23, 2006
This Day in American History
On this day in 1864, the largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi takes place in Westport, Missouri (near Kansas City) where rebel forces under Sterling Price were caught between two union forces. General Price had wanted to steal a state under Union control (as an October surprise) to cover for the Confederate forces in the east who weren't doing so well, especially in Georgia and South Carolina. Although outnumbered two to one. Price attacked one Yankee force and then the other and then ran away as fast as he could with most of his troops. Casualties were 1500 on both sides, but it was a Union win as Price's raiding force disolved into Arkansas and Texas; and it was a Confederate win in that they were not completely destroyed.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 7:46 AM 
