Wall Art: Trans-Mississippi: The Battle of Mine Creek

PRICES MISSOURI RAID OF 1864. THE PAINTING: The Union charge began at approximately 11:00 am on a bright, sunny, October morning. The center of the Confederate battle line was occupied by a four-gun battery on the Ft. Scott Road with Marmadukes division deployed to the right and Fagans division to the left. The painting depicts the Union attack at the center of the Confederate battle line. Elements of the 4th Iowa and 10th Missouri Cavalry strike the center of the line and turn the right flank of Marmadukes division. Most of the Confederates are armed with single shot infantry muskets and shotguns, which quickly become clubs, as they cannot be reloaded on horseback. Many of the weapons are discarded as the troopers become dismounted and attempt to cross the creek safely. The Union combat veterans are better armed and equipped. The 4th Iowa and 2nd New Jersey are armed with sabers; revolvers and seven- shot Spencer repeating carbines. The remainder of the Union troops is armed with a variety of breech loading carbines and revolvers. Philips brigade consisted of the partisan guerrilla warfare that raged throughout Missouri and eastern Kansas during the entire Civil War. To compound the confusion of the battle, many of the Confederates were wearing parts of captured Union uniforms. Several Confederate artillerymen attempted to save their guns by pulling them back towards Mine Creek because they could not retrieve their horses to limber the guns and move them to the rear. There, on the north side of Mine Creek with the support of 500 dismounted comrades they were able to stem the Union attack for about 20 minutes before they were captured or killed.