A huge explosion

By Arnold W. Schofield

In late September of 1864, a large Confederate Army of 12,000 or more marched into southeast Missouri on which would be the last major Confederate Campaign in Missouri during the Civil War.

This southern army was commanded by Major General Sterling Price and it would eventually culminate in having traveled more than 2,000 miles and become one of the longest mounted campaigns of the entire Civil War.

The basic goals of the campaign were to once again establish a large Confederate presence in Missouri, capture Saint Louis, secure recruits and all kinds of supplies for the Southern Cause and install a Confederate governor in Jefferson City.

If these objectives were not realized, he was ordered to enter eastern Kansas and raise as much havoc and destruction on his return to friendly territory in northwestern Arkansas and the southern part of the Indian Territory which is now Oklahoma.

This and other columns will be devoted to the major battles that occurred in Price's Missouri / Kansas Campaign of 1864 which are being recognized and remembered this year as part of the 150th Anniversary or Sesquicentennial Commemoration of our Civil War.

These battles included the Battle of Pilot Knob / Fort Davidson, Sept. 26th 27th, Little Blue and Big Blue on Oct. 21st and 22nd, Westport, Oct. 22nd and 23rd, Mine Creek, Little Osage and Charlot's Farm all on Oct. 25th, and the Battle of Newtonia on Oct. 28, 1864.

The following descriptions of the Battle of Pilot Knob and Fort Davidson are part of the report of Brigadier General Thomas Ewing Jr., which was published in Series I, Vol. 41, Part I Reports of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion on Pages 445 -- 452.

Fort Davidson Defenses

"Fort Davidson is a hexagonal work mounting four 32-pounder siege guns and three 24-pounder howitzers en barbette. It lies about 300 yards from the base of [Pilot] Knob and 1,000 from the gap. From the fort to the remotest summit of these hills visible, it is not over 1,200 yards, while all parts of the hillsides toward the fort, except the west end of Shepherd's Mountain, are in MUSKET RANGE.

"The fort was always conceded to be indefensible, against any large army having serviceable artillery. Early last summer I sent competent engineers to select another site, but such are the difficulties of the position no practicable place could be found any more defensible. I therefore had the roads leading up the hills obstructed, cleared the nearest hillsides of timber and put the fort in a through state of defense by deepening the ditches, strengthening the parapet and adding two rifle pits leading north and south, commanding the best approaches."

The Battle

"We still held with skirmishers the sides of Shepherd's Mountain except the gap and the side of Pilot Knob not raked by their artillery. After an hour lull, lines of the enemy were seen at exposed points on the summits of the two hills moving down and almost before we could open fire on them, another WHITE FLAG was raised on a rock near the summit of Shepherd's mountain where a group of officers had been taking observations under shelter.

"With the opening of a brisk cannonade on the group, the flag was hauled down. The design was plainly to suspend the firing so that their forces might approach to the assault in safety. I now ordered into the fort the section of artillery operating outside, but the horses stampeded and could not be got in.

"The section remained under cover of our fire, however, and was brought in before dark. Here the enemy opened on us with two guns [cannon] from the summit of Shepherd's Mountain at about 800 yards and two from the side at a less distance. The guns were well covered and we could not silence them, the two nearest getting and keeping our range exactly.

"The division on Shepherd's Mountain with the opening of their artillery moved rapidly down to the assault, his line greatly broken by the rugged and steep descent and by our fire which told with marked effect on them. On reaching the plain most of the assaulting force took cover in the deep bed of the creek from which they opened and kept up an incessant fire.

"About 100 ventured on to the assault, but fell or were driven back before they reached the ditch. General Fagan's division moved over Pilot Knob in stronger force and was less disturbed by our fire, sweeping back in disorder and cutting off our companies which held the town and part of the mountain sides.

"His lines were greatly broken by the houses and fences of the skirt of the town, but were hastily reformed by him and General Cabell, who led the assault and swept upon the plain in HANDSOME STYLE, YELLING and ON THE DOUBLE QUICK.

"We opened on them when at 600 yards from the fort with musketry from the ramparts and from the long line of the north rifle pits and with CANISTER from SEVEN PIECES OF ARTILLERY. They rushed on most GALLANTLY, but were broken, confused and swept down by our rapid and well directed fire until the advance reached the ditch, when the attacking forces fled in dismay, leaving apparently half of their comrades dead or wounded on the plain.

"A half hour of ineffective musketry and artillery firing ended the engagement with the approach of night."

Retreat & Huge Explosion

"But with all the dangers [being almost completely surrounded by the enemy], the policy of retreat was clearly best and preparations for it began at midnight. I had Colonel Fletcher arrange for having the [powder] magazine (which was large and filled with a variety of ammunition) blown up in two hours after we left or as soon as our exit had been discovered by the enemy.

"We took possession of the town and valley and drove from them all the straggling rebels. The garrison was then aroused, knapsacks packed, haversacks and cartridge boxes well supplied and everything destructible which we could not take away and the enemy might use was placed near or on the magazine.

"At 3 o'clock [a.m.] Colonel Fletcher silently led the infantry out of the sally port around the ditch and through the north rifle pit. The drawbridge was COVERED WITH TENTS TO MUFFLE ANY SOUND and the cavalry and battery marching out formed column with the infantry and took a by-way to the Potosi Road. The body of the Rebel Army was at Ironton and thinking us sufficiently hemmed in were busy making fascines and scaling ladders for an assault in the morning.

"They even failed to take the hint when the MAGAZINE, an hour before daylight, shook the hills with its [HUGE] EXPLOSION. THEN I LEFT THE POTOSI Road and took that through Webster toward Rolla."

Now then, the Battles of Pilot Knob and Fort Davidson were over. General Ewing successfully succeeded in withdrawing the "Union" Garrison and destroying the gunpowder, ammunition and other supplies much need by General Price's Army. General Price continued to move his army northeast toward Saint Louis, but the element of surprise was gone and of Course the War Went On!