Shelby's Raid (1863)

553:. McAfee ordered a retreat towards the town where they positioned themselves there. Coffee's men circled the town from the rear while Gordon's men took the right flank, and Shanks' men onto the left flank. Shelby, Hooper, and Hunter directed the artillery fire north towards Neosho in a bid to corner the troops into the center of the town, where the courthouse was located. The garrison fell for the trap and small arms fire was exchanged defending the courthouse. Shebly directed the cannon towards the courthouse, after two shots, Shelby demanded the Federals to surrender. After much protest from McAfee, they surrendered. McAfee surrendered 180 men in his command. McAfee reported Shelby's casualties at five killed and nine wounded. Shelby reported McAfee's casualties as two killed and two wounded. Shelby's forces gained extra weapons, ammunition, food, and clothing. Shelby left Neosho to go travel northeast to 729:, leading 200 men along with detachments from B and G Company of the 7th Missouri State Militia, were sent to monitor Shelby's forces. Forster arrived in Warsaw on the 9th, where he discovered that Shelby had advanced towards Sedalia via the Cole Camp road. Foster was able to capture three men of Shelby's rear guard, and to confuse and deceive Shelby, Foster's men dragged branches of trees behind them, generating a significant dust cloud that led Shelby to believe Brown's larger force was close behind. The successful ruse was enhanced where three prisoners was allowed escape and reach Shelby, giving false information about the proximity of General Brown's regiment. As a result, Shelby altered his course to the east in the direction of Tipton instead of Sedalia as originally planned. 123: 106: 862:

Brown repositioned his troops to the north and engaged Shelby's rear guard. This placed Brown at the front, while Lazear's forces trailed in pursuit to the west. A skirmish unfolded as Shelby's men defensively positioned themselves on the west bank of the Salt Fork, a tributary of the Blackwater River. The clash involved a prolonged exchange of small arms fire and artillery bombardments that continued until darkness descended. Brown reported only one casualty in his ranks, while Shelby's rear guard suffered sixteen fatalities and numerous injuries.

775:, six miles west of Tipton. The rebel force, numbering 2,000 and with two pieces of artillery, was charged by Kelly and Gentry, which forced Shelby's forces to a stand. Shelby's forces re-formed, opened fire with artillery, and drove the Union forces back to Syracuse. The Union forces, after being driven back to Syracuse, rode around Shelby's right flank. They met Lazear with 500 men at Tipton. Lazear had overtaken Shelby's rear guard in Tipton and driven them out of the place. 37: 3241: 2662: 891: 682:, 7th Missouri State Militia, Company E. The defenders engaged in combat for 30 minutes until Gordon's arrival from the rear was made apparent. Hooper pursued the federals in the streets and Gordon and Elliot joined in the chase. The defenders were overwhelmed, leading to their retreat, this resulted in unspecified amount of deaths and 79 captured. Federal rifles were looted as well a capture of a "well-provisioned fort". 3251: 2672: 926:

Shelby, persisting in the belief that he confronted a formidable force of several thousand, he still remained unaware that it was nearly double the size of his own. After engaging in four hours of combat, Shelby, recognized the imminent threat of encirclement and hindered by limited ammunition, opted

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lay in Shelby's path. Before Shelby's arrival, the local residents had evacuated their homes, taking all their furniture and belongings with them. There was an expectation that Shelby's forces would engage in destruction as they advanced. Contrary to the expectations, Shelby's forces didn't harm

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Captain Little of the 7th Missouri Militia, was fixed as Lazear's advanced guard. Little's forces were in the process of crossing the river when Gordon's men opened fire on them causing confusion, effectively causing a halt in the advance. Little's cavalry eventually crossed the river and were close

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Once the raiders gathered and were ready, they went northeast through dense vegetation and deep gorges. Before proceeding, they needed to improvise a bridge to cross a significant ravine along with the supply wagons. However, a mounted charge by Federal forces, spearheaded by Major Young, disrupted

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Lazear resumed pursuit of Shelby, going westbound, while Brown followed closely, two miles south of Lazear's column. Brown's objective was to prevent Shelby from breaking southwest and evading capture. Brown's forces crossed the La Mine River in a bid to catch the raiders. After crossing the river,

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Federal forces from Lazear and Brown's command strategically divided to surround Boonville. Lazear directed his units to intercept Shelby's rear guard from Tipton, initiating a pursuit that involved engaging with Shelby's forces. The confrontations led to skirmishes where casualties were inflicted,

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The Battle of Marshall unfolded on the morning of October 13, with Shelby positioned between two formidable forces. To his front was Lazear, and Brown's troops positioned behind him, ready to press his rear guard. Shelby decided to attack Lazear's force first, aiming to eliminate it before dealing

1099:. Despite the destruction of significant property during the raid, Beckenbaugh argued that the primary objective of diverting federal troops to Missouri did not materialize. Instead, the aftermath left Missourians grappling with the repercussions of property damage, food theft, and loss of lives. 966:

On October 15, Shelby's men passed through Holden, encountering some resistance, and were pursued by General Ewing and Colonel Brutsche. Lazear, now relieved by General Ewing, began a chase. The pursuit continued, with Shelby successfully evading capture and reaching Wadesburg, crossing the Grand

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Brown's consolidated force reached approximately 1,600 men, composed of units from various militia units. The discrepancy in the total force emerged due to the inclusion of federal detachments engaged in scouting or town guarding that joined the pursuit. Despite these fluctuations, the organized

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Shelby dispatched Major David C. Shanks to destroy the bridge across the Salt Fork west of Marshall to deny Brown's forces from crossing. Brown, in response, ordered Major Houts to engage Shanks, while he took his main force south of Shanks' position, crossing the river to attack Shelby's left.

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would recount: " Gordon, swinging around to its rear, cut off the retreat of one hundred and fifty Federal cavalry, and they surrendered after losing 17 killed." After the brief battle with the local Missouri militia, they seized 30 wagons laden with commissary provisions. While at Humansville,

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Shelby was able to break through Lazear's lines at Marshall and found themselves some distance away from the town. Shelby decided to halt his forces as he wanted to regroup with Hunter's detachment. After waiting an hour, Shelby's forces set their sights for Waverly. While marching to Waverly,

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During the early morning hours of October 13, Brown directed Lazear to guide his troops south of Shelby's camp, execute a northern turn into Marshall, assume a defensive stance facing east, and get ready to intercept Shelby at Marshall. By approximately 3 A.M., Lazear was prepared for Shelby's

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Brown was ten miles southwest of Boonville with 1,200 men, they consisted of 1st, 4th, and 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, with parts of 9th Enrolled Missouri Militia as well. Additionally, Captain Thomas Carr also provided batteries from the 1st Missouri State Militia Light Artillery.

334:. Facing resistance, Confederate Colonel Shelby conducted regiment-sized attacks, probing for weaknesses in the opponent's battle line. Despite attempts to charge, the Confederate forces realized their numbers were insufficient to overcome the garrison, leading to a retreat on January 9. 962:

joining Phillips in the pursuit westward. Lazear's men encountered Shelby's forces on their way to Lexington, leading to a chase until reaching Davis, where Lazear abandoned the pursuit due to the severe condition of his men and horses. Instead, General Ewing took over the pursuit.

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Map of Shelby's route. Shelby's Raid started in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and crossed into Missouri near Pineville. The raid targeted Neosho, Greenfield, Humansville, and Warsaw. Shelby's forces broke through Marhsal, then retreated through Waverly and Carthage, and finally back into

826:. During the entire morning Lazear's advance guard was in continuous skirmishing with Shelby's rear guard. Lazear forced Shelby to shift west, this maneuver allowed Lazear to kill eight and take four as prisoner. Lazear's own losses amounted to two killed and two wounded. 601:

any private property. The soldiers passed by without disturbing the residents' possessions left outside. Shelby's forces fought the Federals guarding the courthouse and proceeded to burn down it down, this engagement resulted in twenty-five killed or captured Federals.

911:, along with the inclined ravines and hollows, provided both advantages and challenges for Shelby's men. Shelby himself described the terrain as "thick and matted, almost impassable for cavalry." Major Mullins held the center and Major Gentry held the left 1095:. Beckenbaugh commended Shelby's tactical instincts, emphasizing the role of luck, audacity, and leadership in the raid's success. However, he expressed skepticism about the accuracy of Shelby's final battle report, suggesting potential exaggerations by 1062:

Despite the difficulties and adversities encountered throughout the withdrawal, Shelby stated that his losses were approximately 150 men. He asserted substantial casualties on the Federal side, claiming to have inflicted 600 casualties, captured 500

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While Shelby continued his retreat, Hunter's 300 strong detachment had traveled northeast. At Tipton, they were able to gather supplies and then move on to Florence where they battled a garrison. Their route continued with skirmishes against the

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Lazear kept a steady distance from Shelby where they eventually found Shelby's camp. Shelby caught off guard, retreated further west. The raiders organized a defensive position, anticipating a main assault from Lazear. No assaulted happened.

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proximity with a second line of rebels, located on the western bank before encountering a volley of gunfire. Shelby documented fifty Federal casualties killed at Dug Ford. This conflicts with Brown's account of two killed and five wounded.

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as Federal troops, wearing captured uniform from their looting in Neosho and Warsaw. A resident approached Shelby's disguised men and proclaimed to be hunting rebels in the area with a militia. Shelby ordered the man's execution. In

465:, Arkansas, Shelby's combined force of 600 to 700 men navigated through Federal territory in Missouri. Shelby's unit reached the Arkansas River, crossing the river on September 27 without detection. They crossed into the town of 588:, leading a company, from the 7th as well, was near by the town and engaged in skirmish. Shelby eventually took the town, taking four prisoners, twenty-five rifles, horses, provisons from the stores, and burned the courthouse. 290:. The river served as a crucial main route for supplies and communication throughout the South, as well as an essential lifeline for goods traveling north. The succession of strategic battlefield defeats resulted in widespread 973:

In Carthage, a lapse in alertness resulted in the capture of 30 of Major Pickler and his men from Coffee's command. The lack of a rear guard allowed for their apprehension. The 30 individuals captured would later be paroled.

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As Shelby's advance scouts approached, Lazear ordered his command to line up for defense. Major McGhee and Captain Wear's units were assigned to hold a hill southeast of Marshall to shield against Shelby's attack. The dense

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Major Foster led a final mounted charge against Shelby's forces just before dusk, prompting them to retreat in a westward direction and leaving behind a small rear guard. Brown's troops, positioned on the east side of the

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Shelby's strategy, causing the raiders to quickly yield under pressure and scatter in various directions. Shelby, Coffee, Gordon, and Elliot, fled to northwest, while Hunter, Shanks and Hooper, escaped to the east.

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involving both Confederate and Union forces. Subsequently, General Marmaduke decided to order a retreat back to Arkansas. This retreat allowed McNeil to pursue and successfully repel the Confederate forces.

1642:"War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Series 1, Volume 22 - In Two Parts. Part 1. Washington Government Printing Office, 1888, p. 607,611,674. 835: 1554:"War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Series 1, Volume 22 - In Two Parts. Part 1. Washington Government Printing Office, 1888, p. 657, 672. 918:

During Shelby's assault on Lazear, Hooper commanded the left, Hunter and Coffee led the right, and artillery, along with the battalion under Gordon, formed the center, with all cavalry dismounted.

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Brown's 800 men, converged on Boonville through Sedalia road. Brown decided Shelby would be moving east, so he marched his troops off from the road and towards Lazear's forces, he kept Lieutenant

220:, the raid took place from August 21, 1863, to November 3, 1863, covering over 800 miles across territories in west central and northwest Arkansas, as well as southwest and west central Missouri. 1651:"War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Series 1, Volume 22 - In Two Parts. Part 1. Washington Government Printing Office, 1888, p. 673. 1735:

War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies." Series 1, Volume 22 - In Two Parts. Part 1. Washington Government Printing Office, 1888, p. 644.

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and Lazear's forces succeeded in capturing multiple prisoners. Concurrently, Lazear's advancing forces continued their approach towards Boonville, maintaining contact with Shelby's rear guard.

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Shelby reached Waverly and then on October 13, Shelby stopped at Hawkins Mill to recuperate. Shelby decided to get rid of some of his ammunition and supply wagons as to lighten their loads.

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with 30 men on Sadalia road, to guard. Houts met and attacked Shelby's advance guard, killing 4 men. Lazear redirected his forces and rescued Houts, while Shelby escaped and retreated west.

993:. General Ewing renewed the pursuit and then returned to Fort Scott as General McNeil was closer to Shelby. McNeil had a strength of 600 cavalry, 300 infantry, and four artillery pieces. 695: 538: 581: 3292: 1038:, Arkansas, on November 3. The subsequent day, General Price received a dispatch from Shelby, who sought to leave the remaining portion of his force in Arkansas for reorganization. 678:

to the west of the town to cut off escape, while Shelby himself crossed the river opposite the town and initiated a frontal assault. The garrison in Warsaw, was led by Captain

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when he was instructed by Brown to relocate his unit to Osceola. Lazear learned that Osceola had already been seized and chose to disregard the given orders and proceeded to

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Governor Reynolds said the following to Shelby: "You must not fail; the buff sash of a Confederate Brigadier awaits the successful issue." Reynolds pledged a promotion to

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Moore, John C. Confederate Military History, Missouri. Volume XII. Edited by Clement A. Evans. 1899. Reprint. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1987, p. 148.

959: 338: 1091:, an associate professor, offered an evaluation of Shelby's raid, acknowledging the captivating nature of the narrative while presenting a mixed record in terms of 763:

which left the bridge defenseless, Shelby's men set the bridge on fire. Woods captured its commander, Captain Berry of the 5th Provisional Regiment and his 28 men.

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Ewing's advance guard and Shelby's rear guard fought a minor engagement fifteen miles east of Butler, Bates County. Ewing chased Shelby to Carthage on October 18.

415: 870:, saw Brown and Lazear joining forces and engaged in discussions about their subsequent actions. Shelby's men withdrew to a location approximately six miles from 745:, commander of the 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, was on board, and he spotted the raiders. Crittenden ordered a retreat back east escaping Shelby's grasp. 510: 854:

Shelby directed Gordon and his contingent of 200 men to set up an ambush at Dug Ford on the Lamine River, as the rest of Shelby's forces advanced to the west.

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and encircled the town before launching an attack. Shelby dispatched a scout detachment to observe a train going westbound. Coincidentally, Lieutenant Colonel

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The Federals suffered 5 killed, 26 wounded, and 11 missing. In contrast, Shelby's losses amounted to 53 dead, 98 wounded, and an unspecified number captured.

517:, Arkansas, bolstering their ranks with 200 newly recruited cavalrymen from southwest Missouri. The unified troops, under the command of Shelby, proceeded to 2079:

Rafiner, Tom A. "Caught Between Three Fires: Cass County, Mo., Chaos & Order No. 11, 1860-1865." Bloomington, IL: Xlibris Corporation, 2010, pp. 452-453.

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Webb, W. L. Battles and Biographies of Missourians or The Civil War Period in Our State. 1900. Reprint. Springfield, MO: Oak Hills Publishing, 1999, p. 186.

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and his contingent of 400 men, who also joined Shelby's forces. Just north of Pineville, Shelby paused for the night to organize and strengthen his force.

3254: 2710: 2675: 2319: 1088: 546: 514: 619: 3282: 2635: 1695:

Bazel F. Lazear, "Letter to his wife, October 22, 1863," Western Historical Manuscript Collection, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO.

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Sampson, F. A. "Missouri Historical Review. (1912, April). Volume 6, Issue 3, Page 112. Published by The State Historical Society of Missouri."

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Sampson, F. A. "Missouri Historical Review. (1912, April). Volume 6, Issue 3, Page 110. Published by The State Historical Society of Missouri."

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Sampson, F. A. "Missouri Historical Review" (1912, April). Volume 6, Issue 3, Page 113. Published by The State Historical Society of Missouri.

646:. This information was delayed, as Shelby had already moved past Pineville and reached Greenfield by the reported date. Furthermore, Colonel 585: 2759: 2342: 3244: 2665: 839: 1370: 3173: 3160: 823: 1574: 425:

The disastrous political climate also facilitated Reynolds' decision in approving the raid, as not to risk upsetting Missouri troops.

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approval needed to come from the Missouri governor. Colonel Shelby presented the idea of the Great Raid to Missouri Governor-in-exile

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The McAfee-Skiles-Liebmann Memorial: The History of the Lives and Times of Three American Soldiers and Their Families and Connections

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to retreat, with casualties numbering in the thousands and making Gettysburg one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.

1341: 3201: 982:, this forced Hunter to go into hiding in the dense vegetation. The rebels would camp near Greenfield, Rock Prairie on October 16. 3165: 2703: 2312: 3185: 3150: 2764: 2347: 2100:

Edwards, John Newman. "Shelby and His Men." 1867. Reprint. Waverly, MO: General Joseph Shelby Memorial Fund, 1993. pp. 223-224.

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James E. McGhee, "Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865" (Fayetteville, NC: University of Arkansas Press, 2008), 138.

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Federal authorities faced challenges in determining Shelby's exact location following the events in Humansville. General John

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downstream to the east and Shelby launched an attack on Warsaw from the rear. Major Benjamin Elliot's battalion crossed the

3145: 584:. After failing to stop the advance, Morris' men scattered into the dense vegetation before the town was surrounded. Major 318:, thought to be lightly guarded, on January 8, 1863. Anticipating a surprise attack, Marmaduke's forces were detected near 2162:

Edwards, John Newman. "Shelby and His Men." 1867. Reprint. Waverly, MO: General Joseph Shelby Memorial Fund, 1993. p. 225.

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Edwards, John Newman. "Shelby and His Men." 1867. Reprint. Waverly, MO: General Joseph Shelby Memorial Fund, 1993. p. 205.

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Edwards, John Newman. "Shelby and His Men." 1867. Reprint. Waverly, MO: General Joseph Shelby Memorial Fund, 1993. p. 205.

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Edwards, John Newman. "Shelby and His Men." 1867. Reprint. Waverly, MO: General Joseph Shelby Memorial Fund, 1993. p. 204.

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In the ultimate leg of their journey, Shelby's forces had to endure a severe snow and ice storm while navigating towards

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After the skirmish with Shelby's rear guard, Lazear's force received reinforcement with 120 additional soldiers from the

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Hunter's troops moved south with minimal opposition, and was in close proximity by Shelby's forces. Together, they left

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In April 1863, Marmaduke initiated a second raid with a 5,000-men force divided into two columns, commanded by Colonel

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Larry E. Wood, "The Civil War on the Lower Kansas-Missouri Border," 2nd ed. (Joplin, MO: Hickory Press, 2003), p.170.

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for the proposed raid. Following a tumultuous argument, Holmes eventually conceded and agreed to the plan. General

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before Carter's arrival. Despite orders not to pursue McNeil, Carter disobeyed, leading to a minor engagement with

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Stopping at Jones Creek for a five-hour rest, they resumed their journey, passing through Sarcoxie. Once reaching

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Boston, MA: Chapple Publishing Company, 1914. Reprint. Nashville, TN: J.S. Sanders & Company, 1999, p. 216.

1118: 654:, on the Missouri-Kansas border. Ewing believed that Shelby would advance toward Fort Scott before dispersing. 3047: 3001: 2570: 2525: 2494: 2489: 2464: 958:

The pursuit by Federal forces resumed on the morning of October 14, with Colonel Brutsche and 200 men of the

236:, leading to a retreat and allowing Union forces to seize control of northwestern Arkansas. In January 1863, 229: 198: 127: 122: 1760:, Vol. 2. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1899. Reprint, Dodge City, KS: Kansas Heritage Press, 1990, p. 176. 1202: 2945: 2909: 2889: 2868: 2848: 2818: 2428: 927:

to consolidate his forces and strategically break through a vulnerable point in the Federal's left flank.

626:. Keithley then ignited the Federal fort before rejoining at Humansville without incurring any casualties. 1409:

O'Flaherty, Daniel. General Jo Shelby: Undefeated Rebel. University of North Carolina Press, 2000, pp. 188

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O'Flaherty, Daniel. General Jo Shelby: Undefeated Rebel. University of North Carolina Press, 2000, p. 77.

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Grover, George S. "The Shelby Raid, 1863." Missouri Historical Review, vol. 6, no. 3, April 1912, p. 120.

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for ultimate approval. Shelby received orders to launch the raid despite the uncertainty surrounding the

564:, the raiders plundered and set ablaze the town, after considering it a safe harbor for Union militias. 263:. Additionally, on July 3, 1863, the Confederates in the Eastern theater faced a decisive defeat at the 3287: 2991: 2535: 2530: 1268: 742: 549:. McAfee recently departed from Neosho where he would encounter Coffee's cavalrymen two miles south of 385: 114: 3277: 3021: 3006: 2929: 2899: 2843: 2560: 2545: 1717:

Grover, George S. "The Shelby Raid, 1863." Missouri Historical Review 6, no. 3 (April 1912): 108-109.

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The Great Missouri Raid: Sterling Price and the Last Major Confederate Campaign in Northern Territory

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Shelby's Great Raid is mentioned multiple times spanning across different books covering the subject.

542: 331: 272: 244:, Arkansas in July 1863 proved unsuccessful, further diminishing their control over key territories. 139: 388:. His objectives extended beyond challenging the perceived Union control in Missouri. The following 3016: 2955: 2924: 2919: 2838: 2615: 2555: 1541:

Hulston, John K., and James W. Goodrich. "John Trousdale Coffee: Lawyer, Politician, Confederate."

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Hulston, John K., and James W. Goodrich. "John Trousdale Coffee: Lawyer, Politician, Confederate."

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Philip's men chased them about eight miles and Shelby was able to hold them off until they reached

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Federal forces predominantly ranged between 1,400 and 1,600 by the time of the Battle of Marshall.

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War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies."

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Tipton was eventually captured and Shelby directed Captain James Woods' 100 strong detachment to

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Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts, Part 1. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1888, p. 678.

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