Battle of Clark's Mill

Battle of Clark's Mill Vera Cruz Began: November 7, 1862 Ended: Same day Location: Douglas County, Missouri Theater: Trans-Mississippi Theater Campaign: Operations North of Boston Mountains Outcome: Confederate victory Combatants 10th Illinois Cavalry Missouri State Militia cavalry brigade Commanders Hiram E. Barstow Captain, USA John Q. Burbridge Colonel, CSA Colton Greene Colonel, CSA Strength 100 1,000 Casualties 113 Unknown

The Battle of Clark's Mill was a conflict during the Civil War that took place on November 7, 1862 in Douglas County, Missouri.

Military Strategy

Having received reports that Confederate troops were in the area, Capt. Hiram E. Barstow, Union commander at Clark’s Mill, sent a detachment toward Gainesville and he led another southeastward. Barstow’s men ran into a Confederate force, skirmished with them and drove them back. His column then fell back to Clark’s Mill where he learned that another Confederate force was coming from the northeast. Unlimbering artillery to command both approach roads, Barstow was soon engaged in a five-hour fight with the enemy. Under a white flag, the Confederates demanded a surrender, and the Union, given their numerical inferiority, accepted. The Confederates paroled the Union troops and departed after burning the blockhouse at Clark’s Mill. Clark’s Mill helped the Confederates to maintain a toehold in southwest Missouri. (NPS summary)