The Impact of Small Battles on the War

Berry Canote

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Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Location
Huntsville, Randolph County, Missouri
We are always thinking about the big battles, Gettysburg, Shiloh, Pea Ridge, Antietam. Here in Missouri we talk about the battles of Lexington, Booneville, and Wilson's Creek. But smaller battles sometimes had a major impact in that they affected the Confederate Army's ability to recruit in certain areas, broke supply lines, or merely served as morale boosters for their respective armies.

Here in Central Missouri I can think of two smaller battles that had a big impact despite being small battles. The first is the Battle of Mount Zion Church, fought near Hallsville, Missouri on December 28, 1861. The number of forces involved was not large. There were only 440 Union forces against 900 Confederate forces. The loss of life was not really big either. The Union lost, but three men, while the Confederacy lost 25. The second battle was the Battle of Roan's Tan Yard, better known locally as the Battle of Silver Creek fought near what is now Higbee, Missouri. It took place January 8, 1862, less than two weeks after the Battle of Mount Zion Church, It too was not a large affair. The Union had 450 troops against 800 Confederate troops. Like the Battle of Mount Zion Church the loss of life was not great. The Union forces only lost eight men, while the Confederate forces lost 40 men.

On the surface, these two battles would seem insignificant. However, they had repercussions that would be felt the rest of the war. Both put a stop to recruiting of Confederate regulars in their counties. The Confederate Army's inability to effectively recruit men from Boone and Randolph Counties in Missouri prevented a large force of regulars from being fielded north of the Missouri River. Had the Confederate Army been able to form units in Boone and Randolph Counties it could have impacted the Union occupation of not just those counties, but the surrounding counties as well, not to mention affected the Union control of the North Missouri Railroad. This would have made the Union base at Macon, Missouri useless. Naturally, this would have had implications for General Sterling Price during the 1864 invasion. He could have struck farther north, or in greater numbers Finally, since it was extremely difficult for Southern Sympathizers to join the Confederate Army, many instead joined bushwhacker bands. Had these men been able to join the Confederate Army, perhaps the bands of bushwhacker would not have grown as large or been as active the summer of 1864. I am sure there are other implications I am not thinking of

Can folks think of other small battles that had far reaching implications?
 
Berry, I think your insight about young men joining the irregulars because they couldn't enlist in a regular unit in their area is particularly good. We will never know for sure, but I think you are right on the spot with this one. We know that some boys joined guerrilla units to fight near their home counties. Others joined to avoid forced service in the Enrolled Militias. Apart from Col. Porter's large force north of the river early in the war, there really weren't any other options. It is fascinating to speculate what would have happened if there had been numerous regular Confederate units.
 
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We are always thinking about the big battles, Gettysburg, Shiloh, Pea Ridge, Antietam. Here in Missouri we talk about the battles of Lexington, Booneville, and Wilson's Creek. But smaller battles sometimes had a major impact in that they affected the Confederate Army's ability to recruit in certain areas, broke supply lines, or merely served as morale boosters for their respective armies.

Here in Central Missouri I can think of two smaller battles that had a big impact despite being small battles. The first is the Battle of Mount Zion Church, fought near Hallsville, Missouri on December 28, 1861. The number of forces involved was not large. There were only 440 Union forces against 900 Confederate forces. The loss of life was not really big either. The Union lost, but three men, while the Confederacy lost 25. The second battle was the Battle of Roan's Tan Yard, better known locally as the Battle of Silver Creek fought near what is now Higbee, Missouri. It took place January 8, 1862, less than two weeks after the Battle of Mount Zion Church, It too was not a large affair. The Union had 450 troops against 800 Confederate troops. Like the Battle of Mount Zion Church the loss of life was not great. The Union forces only lost eight men, while the Confederate forces lost 40 men.

On the surface, these two battles would seem insignificant. However, they had repercussions that would be felt the rest of the war. Both put a stop to recruiting of Confederate regulars in their counties. The Confederate Army's inability to effectively recruit men from Boone and Randolph Counties in Missouri prevented a large force of regulars from being fielded north of the Missouri River. Had the Confederate Army been able to form units in Boone and Randolph Counties it could have impacted the Union occupation of not just those counties, but the surrounding counties as well, not to mention affected the Union control of the North Missouri Railroad. This would have made the Union base at Macon, Missouri useless. Naturally, this would have had implications for General Sterling Price during the 1864 invasion. He could have struck farther north, or in greater numbers Finally, since it was extremely difficult for Southern Sympathizers to join the Confederate Army, many instead joined bushwhacker bands. Had these men been able to join the Confederate Army, perhaps the bands of bushwhacker would not have grown as large or been as active the summer of 1864. I am sure there are other implications I am not thinking of

Can folks think of other small battles that had far reaching implications?
FWIW this is what makes what ifs and simulations so challenging. One never knows what small unforeseen thing causes a major reaction.
 
I think the Battle of Raymond, MS might qualify. The outnumbered Rebels fought fiercely until forced to withdraw from the field. So fierce were the Rebels, in fact, that the Yankees greatly exaggerated their numbers when reporting it to Grant. Report of the fight at Raymond caused Grant to change his plans to attack the Southern Railroad at Edwards Depot and to shift his army towards Jackson -the state capitol. That one decision by Grant that day, very well may have changed Amercan History.
 
FWIW this is what makes what ifs and simulations so challenging. One never knows what small unforeseen thing causes a major reaction.

I agree, and I think that is why folks need to look at the smaller battles as well. Sure, the number of troops may not have been large, and the loss of life may not have been great, but that really does not lesson the impact they have on other events. There are probably dozens of small battles that made a major difference in the war. :smile:
 
I think the Battle of Raymond, MS might qualify. The outnumbered Rebels fought fiercely until forced to withdraw from the field. So fierce were the Rebels, in fact, that the Yankees greatly exaggerated their numbers when reporting it to Grant. Report of the fight at Raymond caused Grant to change his plans to attack the Southern Railroad at Edwards Depot and to shift his army towards Jackson -the state capitol. That one decision by Grant that day, very well may have changed Amercan History.

I don't know if I would class the Battle of Raymond as a small battle. It is small when compared to some of the major battles further east, but then it is quite large compared to some of the battles fought here west of the Mississippi. It is though, a battle that had very little loss of life though considering the numbers involved. I would list it towards the top of little known battles that had a major affect on the outcome of the war. I am glad you brought it up because I do not think many people think about it, and its impact. And it certainly fits in with the idea of smaller battles that had a real effect on the war.
 
I think one could include Holly Springs and Chickasaw Bayou to this list. Had Grant's supply line not been severed and he pushed into Mississippi and the Confederate army had come out to meet him Sherman's chances at Chickasaw Bayou would have likely increased (I have my doubts still) but if Sherman had won there he could have pushed into Vicksburg by himself. S.D. Lee said himself had Sherman moved faster at Chickasaw he could have moved into Vicksburg and taken the city. What role would have McClernand had at that point? Would Grant had been called east sooner? Would he be commanding the eastern forces instead of Meade at Gettysburg? Interesting to think about.
 
Olustee in Florida in early 1864. The opposing forces were only a couple brigades each. The Confederate victory kept vital supplies like beef flowing from FL to Lee and Johnston. It also pretty much squashed Union hopes for taking FL beyond some key coastal footholds. The rear guard actions by the 54th and 55th MA black regiments probably earned new respect for black soldiers. It also is alleged to have resulted in a small massacre of wounded and captured black soldiers by the Confederates afterwards.

Natural Bridge in FL in 1865 was even smaller, but kept Tallahassee out of Union hands - the only Confederate state capital besides TX. Probably affected the postwar period there, at least that the town wasn't burned.
 
Berry, I think your insight about young men joining the irregulars because they couldn't enlist in a regular unit in their area is particularly good. We will never know for sure, but I think you are right on the spot with this one. We know that some boys joined guerrilla units to fight near their home counties. Others joined to avoid forced service in the Enrolled Militias. Apart from Col. Porter's large force north of the river early in the war, there really weren't any other options. It is fascinating to speculate what would have happened if their had been numerous regular Confederate units.

Poindexter amassed a descent amount of men, but Silver Creek put an end to that. I do wonder what would have happened if Poindexter and Dorsey had not had their recruiting camps smashed? For North Central Missouri 800 to 900 men was a descent force, and had the Battles of Roan's Creek and Mount Zion Church had not taken place I have to wonder how many more they would have recruited?
 
Berry, You and I both know that the first Battle of Boonville, Missouri, was EXTREMELY significant in its political impact. Only a few soldiers died. It was big deal to their families, but probably not the same impact to anyone else. But the fact that Lyon carried the field against the Missouri State Guard is VERY significant. It kept Missouri from officially seceding. Missouri stayed in the union, arguably as a border state (contested through the Autumn of 1864).

Why does this matter?

What would have happened to St. Louis if the State Guard had carried the field in Boonville and the state had seceded? I believe St. Louis was the fifth largest city in the nation at the time. The impact would have been huge. I can just image St. Louis seceding from Missouri and trying to become part of Illinois. It might have been even more bizarre than that. No telling what might have happened.

To me, one of the most bizarre facts of the war is that Missouri was represented by a star in the flag of both the Union and the Confederacy!
 
Well, here in Texas there's the battles of Galveston and Second Sabine Pass.

Galveston ended in the Confederate recapture of the city and harbor, which remained in Confederate hands throughout the rest of the war. Second Sabine Pass saw a small garrison of 44 men and six guns turn back a whole Union flotilla sailing up the Sabine River with the objective of occupying Texas.

In Louisiana the small and largely overlooked battle of Bayou Bourbeau, near Grand Coteau, LA, put a stop to Banks' proposed Texas Overland Expedition in November 1863.
 
Berry, You and I both know that the first Battle of Boonville, Missouri, was EXTREMELY significant in its political impact. Only a few soldiers died. It was big deal to their families, but probably not the same impact to anyone else. But the fact that Lyon carried the field against the Missouri State Guard is VERY significant. It kept Missouri from officially seceding. Missouri stayed in the union, arguably as a border state (contested through the Autumn of 1864).

Why does this matter?

What would have happened to St. Louis if the State Guard had carried the field in Boonville and the state had seceded? I believe St. Louis was the fifth largest city in the nation at the time. The impact would have been huge. I can just image St. Louis seceding from Missouri and trying to become part of Illinois. It might have been even more bizarre than that. No telling what might have happened.

To me, one of the most bizarre facts of the war is that Missouri was represented by a star in the flag of both the Union and the Confederacy!

Patrick,

You are entirely correct! The First Battle of Boonville in a sense was probably the most significant battle in Missouri of the entire war for precisely the reason you say. Had the Missouri State Guard won, well, that opens us up to a whole lot of interesting what ifs. The whole start of the war in Missouri interests me. The most interesting though may be what if Price had stopped Lyon at Boonvile or Carthage?
 
I tend to think of many campaigns (Nathaniel Banks' Red River, Steele's Camden Expedition, Stirling Price's Missouri Expedition, operations in West Virginia [Phillips and Cheat Mountain]) each of which consisted of numerous battles, many of them relatively small, that were significant in helping to ultimately decide the war's outcome. These and other engagements (many in the trans-Mississippi) were just as much a part of the overall war effort as the well know big battles, many of them concentrated in the Virginia theater.
 
Thanks to @Patrick H I have been reading With Porter in North Missouri... It is about Col. Joseph C. Porter, recruiter of Confederate troops in North Missouri. Two of the small battles I mentioned lead to the end of effective recruiting in their counties. One which I had forgotten was the Battle of Kirksville. It pretty much ended all recruiting in North Missouri as it was a devastating to Porter's command. It also consolidated the Union's control of northern par of the state.
 
Semantics, but I think of small battles as skirmishes almost. I dont think I would consider South Mountain a small battle either. I think it can be difficult to find a small battle because we are mostly thrust into understanding the larger battles, but I am sure there were smaller battles during campaigns that lead to the larger known battles.
 
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