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| BATTLE OF NEWTONIA MISSOURI |
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| Battle Summary - September 30, 1862 |
| Description: In August of 1862, Thomas Hindman assumed command of the Confederate forces in northwest Arkansas. His command consisted of 9,000 to 10,000 men; including 3,000 Indians under the command of Colonel Douglas Cooper. Hindman's forces were up against the Union Army of the Frontier, commanded by Brigadier General James Blunt. Blunt has assumed command after Samuel Curtis had fallen ill. Newtonia was originally an outpost of 200 men; important to Hindman's army due to the presence of a large mill. A large portion of Hidman's breadstuffs were produced at the mill. There were rumors that Blunt was advancing his forces on Newtonia. Colonel Joseph Shelby's two-regiment brigade was sent to the town, but Shelby requested more assistance. Brigadier General Rains ordered Cooper to join the city's defenders. The troops under Cooper's command marched from camp at Scott's Mill, Missouri on the morning of September 24. He arrived with his brigade on September 27, 1862. Blunt's full force had not yet arrived. All the Federal force that came to Newtonia was 4,000 men in Brigadier General Frederick Salomon's 1st Division. Salomon ordered Colonel Edward Lynde to take his men on a scouting mission to ascertain the size of Cooper's force at Newtonia. On the 29th, Cooper's staff saw the approaching Union scouts and ordered an artillery barrage. After a shell cut down a mounted sergeant, the Union force was chased away. |
| Other Names: None Location: Newton County, Missouri Campaign: Operations North of Boston Mountains (1862) Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Friedrich Salomon [US]; Col. Douglas H. Cooper [CS] Forces Engaged: Two brigades, Army of Kansas [US]; Cooper's Division [CS] Estimated Casualities: 345 Total (US 245; CS 100) Result: Confederate Victory |
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| Col. Douglas H. Cooper |
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| Memorable Incidents: When Confederate Colonel Stevens' regiment returned from Granby at the height of the battle, he was mistaken for a Federal regiment by Lt. Col. Gordon. Perceiving this, Cooper sent his son and his aide by different routes to inform Gordon that it was a Southern regiment. This mistake caused a delay that allowed the Federals to get off the field, saving Federal lives and guns. |
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| The battle at Newtonia was on of very few battles during the Civil War in which Native Americans played a significant role on both sides. Indian Officers: Major J.M. Bryan Colonel Sampson Folsom Lieutenant Colonel Tandy Walker |
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| photo permission of Kent Salomon |
| On the same day, it was reported to Cooper that a body of Pin Indians and Federals were at nearby Granby where there were lead mines. Cooper sent Colonel Stevens with a regiment of cavalry to make a reconnaissance of the area. Stevens reached the vicinity of Granby after dark, but found no enemy. Many of Cooper's staff urged him to retreat from Newtonia. They believed that Blunt's entire army was approaching. Cooper decided to defend the area; believing that the Union forces were being sent one company at a time and could thus be defeated. At 7:00 AM on the morning of the September 30th, Union troops appeared in force in front of Newtonia and attacked vigorously with artillery and small arms. The Union force struck the northeast corner of town by a large cornfield. The Confederate pickets were driven out of the field. At the time of the attack Cooper was en route to Granby with Colonel Alexander's Texas cavalry regiment. Upon hearing the firing, they returned to the scene of action. Alexander took a position below the mill on the right. The Federal infantry sharpshooters, who had possession of buildings in the suburbs of the village, were close enough to pick off the artillerymen and Alexanders Federal forces were forced to remount and take position behind the stone fence east of the Ritchie house to the right of the battery. There was an additional Confederate batallion on the left and a Confederate regiment occupied the stone barn and yard in front of the Ritchie house. The Confederate regiment in front of the Ritchie house leaped over the stone fence and charged the enemy infantry. A sharp fight took place before they fell back to their original position behind the fence. The Federals began to give way with the arrival of Cooper's full forces. Confederate Col. Joseph Shelby's Missouri regiment arrived on the field and took a position on the right; flanking the enemy. At this same time The First Choctaw and Chickasaw regiment entered the town at full gallop and attacked the Federal troops. The Federals began to retreat. They were also chased by Colonel Stevens' regiment that had just returned from Granby. The Federals fell back six miles to a wooded ridge a mile from the town; constructing hasty defenses. Cooper's men took position at the graveyard on the north side of town, one mile south of the ridge. Salomon's artillery opened up on Cooper's force. The Confederate artillery under Captain Howell returned the fire. Howell lost many of his horses and some of his men. |
| The Federals sent two regiments of Pin Indians and jayhawkers to Cooper's right. They took possession of some bushes and stone fencing at the spring below the mill. The Confederate Choctaw regiment arrived and passed close to the Federals through a corn field. The battle raged. The Federal infantry advanced double quick to re-inforce their left. Two Confederate guns in the cornfield shelled them before they could arrive. Additional guns were turned on the jayhawkers and Pin Indians, who were forced into flight over three miles of prairie to timber. Salomon realized he was fighting a losing battle. His forces began a full retreat back to his headquarters in Sarcixie, ten miles away; abandoning loaded wagons by the way. Pursuit of the Federals continued until after dark and Union artillery was posted on the road to stop the pursuit. Getting the direction from the flash of the guns, the Confederate gunners fired back; killing a number of men and horses. The Federal retreat was a rout. |