The Battle of Westport

Battle of Westport mural by NC Wyeth, ca 1921. On display at the Missouri Capitol Building.

The Battle of Westport, often called the "Gettysburg of the West," took place on October 23, 1864, in what is now Kansas City, Missouri. It was one of the largest and most decisive battles fought west of the Mississippi River during the American Civil War.

Here, Union forces led by Major General Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops commanded by Major General Sterling Price, forcing Price’s army into a retreat that ended any significant Confederate operations in the region.

Price's Ambitious Raid and the Lead-Up to Westport

Portrait of General Samuel R. Curtis, leader of the victorious Union forces at the Battle of Westport.

In the fall of 1864, General Sterling Price launched an ambitious campaign—Price’s Missouri Expedition—hoping to turn the tide of the war in the West by capturing key cities like St. Louis and Jefferson City. His aim was to gather supplies, recruits, and perhaps even sway Northern public opinion before the 1864 presidential election. But after some early success, Price found himself increasingly pressed by Union defenses, and by October, his force had been whittled down to about 8,500 men.

As Price moved toward Kansas City, Major General Samuel Curtis was hastily assembling his Army of the Border to defend the region. Curtis, bolstered by volunteers and the Kansas State Militia, along with Union cavalry under Major General Alfred Pleasonton, was ready to confront Price on two fronts—one pushing from the west and the other closing in from the east.

The Battle Unfolds at Brush Creek

The stage was set for a clash near Brush Creek, not far from today’s Country Club Plaza. On the morning of October 23, 1864, Union forces, led by General James Blunt, positioned themselves south of Westport along the creek. Price’s Confederate forces, aware of the trap closing in on them, attacked early, aiming to break through Curtis’s lines.

At first, the Confederates gained ground, pushing Union forces back across the creek. But Curtis rallied his troops and deployed reinforcements to hold the line. A pivotal moment came when a local farmer showed Curtis a hidden gully along Swan Creek that allowed Union forces to flank the Confederate position. Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Pleasonton’s cavalry engaged the Confederate rear at Byram's Ford, adding pressure from the east.

With Union troops now pressing from multiple directions, the Confederate lines began to crumble.

Retreat and the Aftermath

The John Wornall House was used as a field hospital by Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. Courtesy wornallmajors.org.

By afternoon, Price realized his situation was untenable. His army began to retreat south, setting fire to the prairie to create a smoke screen as they fled. Union forces pursued Price's army for days, engaging them in several smaller battles, including a significant clash at Mine Creek in Kansas.

In the end, Price’s grand raid was a failure. His army, which had started the campaign with 12,000 men, had been reduced to fewer than 6,000. The Battle of Westport marked the end of major Confederate activity in Missouri, cementing Union control over the state.

Remembering Westport

Monument in Loose Park. Courtesy kcparks.org.

The Battle of Westport was a pivotal moment in the war west of the Mississippi, involving more than 30,000 troops. Though often overshadowed by the larger, more well-known battles of the Civil War, it played a crucial role in securing Missouri for the Union.

Today, the battlefield has largely been absorbed into modern Kansas City, but important sites remain preserved, including Loose Park, Byram's Ford, and the Wornall House, which served as a field hospital during the battle. These sites, along with memorials and driving tours, help keep the memory of this decisive moment in American history alive.

The Battle of Westport wasn’t just a turning point for the Union in the West—it was the final major battle in the region, signaling the decline of Confederate power west of the Mississippi and ensuring Missouri would remain a part of the Union.