Action Before Westport
(Front of Marker):
Price's Raid
Confederate General Sterling Price brought three mounted divisions from Arkansas into Missouri, September 19, 1864. Fighting several small battles he marched slowly north toward St. Louis, then struck westward to Jefferson City. Failing to capture either armed city he fought on west toward his secondary objectives: Kansas City and Fort Leavenworth. He reached the Little Blue on October 21 with 15,000 armed men, 5,000 recruits and a huge wagon train.
Pleasonton's Union Cavalry and a Corps of Infantry were in pursuit. General Samuel Curtis with 10,000 militia was on the Big Blue River. Blunt's Division guarded the Little Blue. Union troops numbered 27,500. Blunt's Division was driven from the Little Blue by Shelby and Marmaduke on the 21st, and Curtis from the Big Blue on the 22nd. Pleasonton pushed Fagan's Confederates from the Little Blue through Independence on the 22nd.
After Curtis' troops were driven west by Price on the 22nd, they camped near here and at Kansas City. Curtis made his headquarters in the Harris Hotel on this spot and prepared to defend Kansas City and the State of Kansas from the invader.
Next Stop: See 23-marker Tour Map and other information on the reverse side.
This marker donated by The Westport Bank.
(Back of Marker):
Battle of Westport
and
The Battle of the Big Blue
October 22nd and 23rd, 1864
Historical Markers
Erected by
Monnet Battle of Westport Fund
A Non-Profit Organization Under the Aegis of
Civil War Round Table of Kansas City
Tour Information
Auto Tour: 23 Markers, 30 Miles
Additional Information at nearby businesses
displaying sign with above insignia; also at the
Harris Home, 4000 Baltimore, and the Wornall
Home, 61st Terrace and Wornall.
Major Donors:
Patron Donors:
Family of Alexander J. Barket, Marker 17
Johnson County National Bank & Trust Co, markers 6 & 8
Westport Bank, Marker 1
Padgett Instruments & Earl C. Padgett, markers 15 & 21
Westport Historical Society, markers 4 & 11
Sponsor Donors:
Jackson County Historical Society, marker 5
Martha Fowk, marker 7
J.C. Nichols Co., marker 12
Kansas City Chapter United Daughters (& Children) of the Confederacy, marker 13
United Telecom, Inc. marker 14
Kansas City Star and Times, Marker 17a
Amoco Oil Co., marker 19
Historical Society of New Santa Fe, marker 22
In Honor of Dr. Bert Maybee, by the Civil War Round Table, marker 23
Contributing Donors:
Hardin Stocton Corp.
American Cynamid Corp
Civil War Times Illustrated
Nichols Industries
Mr. Jerry Krause
Stratford Graham Eng. Corp
Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Inc.
B.F. Ascher Co.
Edward John Wimmer, architect
Stanley L. Goldman, M.D.
Kansas City Posse the Westerners in memory of Robert L. Buck
Native Sons of Kansas City
Faculty, Metropolitan JR. College
Shawnee County Kansas Historical Society
William A. Goff
ROUTE TO TOUR STOP 2: East on Westport Road; right at Broadway (Nichols Parkway) after crossing Brush Creek; right on Ward Parkway, to Sunset Drive.
Marker is at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Westport Road, on the right when traveling north on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
