Capture of Sedalia

Capture of Sedalia
Part of the American Civil War
Date October 15, 1864; 159 years ago (1864-10-15) Location Sedalia, Missouri 38°42′11″N 93°13′52″W / 38.70306°N 93.23111°W / 38.70306; -93.23111 Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
Confederate States	United States
Commanders and leaders
M. Jeff Thompson[a]	John D. Crawford
Units involved
Shelby's Brigade	Home guards and Enrolled Missouri Militia 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry
Strength
c. 1,200 men	c. 830 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1 dead and 23 wounded Several hundred captured and released or paroled
Sedalia class=notpageimage| Location within Missouri Show map of Missouri Sedalia Sedalia (the United States) Show map of the United States

The capture of Sedalia occurred during the American Civil War when a Confederate force captured the Union garrison of Sedalia, Missouri, on October 15, 1864. Confederate Major General Sterling Price, who was a former Governor of Missouri and had commanded the Missouri State Guard in the early days of the war, had launched an invasion into the state of Missouri on August 29. He hoped to distract the Union from more important areas and cause a popular uprising against Union control of the state. Price had to abandon his goal of capturing St. Louis after a bloody repulse at the Battle of Fort Davidson and moved into the pro-Confederate region of Little Dixie in central Missouri.

Many recruits in the region joined the Confederates in the region, and Price soon needed supplies and weapons for these men. He sent side raids to Glasgow and Sedalia. One of these involved sending a 1,200-man brigade led by Brigadier General M. Jeff Thompson of the Missouri State Guard towards Sedalia. Despite learning of Union movements in the area, Thompson attacked the town, which was primarily defended by militia. The initial Confederate attack quickly dispersed most of the defenders, although some held out until Thompson brought up the rest of his force. Many of the militiamen were captured. After paroling or releasing their prisoners and plundering the town, the Confederates left to rejoin Price's main force. On October 23, Price was defeated at the Battle of Westport near Kansas City. The Confederates then retreated, suffering defeats at the battles of Mine Creek and Second Newtonia later in October, before eventually entering Texas.

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