The First Battle of Newtonia Historic District, near

Newtonia, Missouri Newtonia is a village in Newton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 199 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. Newtonia was the site of the Battles of Newtonia during the American Ci ...

, is a

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

(NRHP) site that preserves the location of the

First Battle of Newtonia The First Battle of Newtonia was fought on September 30, 1862, between Confederate soldiers commanded by Colonel Douglas H. Cooper and a Union column commanded by Brigadier General Frederick Salomon near Newtonia, Missouri, during the American ...

, an 1862 battle during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The battle saw

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

troops under

Colonels Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel wa ...

Douglas H. Cooper Douglas Hancock Cooper (November 1, 1815 – April 29, 1879) was an American politician, soldier, Indian Agent in what is now Oklahoma, and Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Early life and career Cooper ...

and

Joseph O. Shelby Joseph Orville "J.O." Shelby (December 12, 1830 – February 13, 1897) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded cavalry in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. Early life and education Joseph Orvil ...

defeat a

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

force commanded by

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Frederick Salomon Frederick (''Friedrich'') Charles Salomon (April 7, 1826March 8, 1897) was a German immigrant to the United States who served as a Union Army officer and general during the American Civil War. He was an elder brother of the Civil War-era Wiscon ...

. The

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

contains some Civil War-period structures, as well as the

Mathew H. Ritchey House Mathew H. Ritchey House, also known as Mansion House and Belle Starr House, is a historic home located in Newtonia, Newton County, Missouri. It was built about 1840, and is a two-story, brick dwelling with a two-story rear wing built using slav ...

, which is listed separately on the NRHP.

Battle

In September 1862, a

column commanded by

James G. Blunt advanced south into southwestern

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. The town of Newtonia was occupied by

troops composed of Confederate-sympathizing Native Americans commanded by

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

and

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

commanded by Colonel

. Cooper had

seniority Seniority is the state of being older or placed in a higher position of status relative to another individual, group, or organization. For example, one employee may be senior to another either by role or rank (such as a CEO vice a manager), or by ...

over Shelby, giving him overall command of the Confederate force. Blunt's advance guard, commanded by Brigadier General

, learned of the Confederate presence of Newtonia. A Union scouting force skirmished with some of Shelby's cavalry near Granby on September 29. The next day, Salomon's main force moved towards Newtonia, encountering the main Confederate force. The battle opened with an

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

duel, which continued until the Confederate artillery began to run low on ammunition. Salomon then ordered the 9th Wisconsin Infantry around the

flank Flank may refer to: * Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen ** Flank steak, a cut of beef ** Part of the external anatomy of a horse * Flank speed, a nautical term * Flank opening, a chess opening * A term in Australian rules football * The si ...

of the Confederate front line. The Confederate front line gave way, but a

counterattack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...

by some of Shelby's cavalry stopped the Union advance. A combined charge by Shelby's brigade and Cooper's Native Americans broke a secondary line the Union forces had formed after their initial repulse. The Union forces retreated over ten miles to

Sarcoxie Sarcoxie is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,406 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Sarcoxie was platted in the early 1830s, and it was originally ...

. The Confederates suffered an estimated 78 casualties during the fighting, while Union casualties are estimated at 245. Despite winning the battle, the Confederate position was still not secure, as Salomon's force had only been the advance guard of a much larger Union army, leading the Confederates to decide to retreat from Missouri.

Historic district

The First Battle of Newtonia Historic District was created in 2004 to preserve the site of the battle and is listed on the

. The central areas of the site are five

contributing resources In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distri ...

, as well as the Mathew H. Ritchey House, which is listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places. The five contributing resources are the battlefield itself, a

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...

named Newtonia branch, the Newtonia road, a barnyard associated with the Ritchey House, and a

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

from the American Civil War period. The district covers . While most of the buildings on the battlefield postdate the battle and several stone walls present during the fighting have since been removed, the nature of the battlefield has undergone no major changes since 1862. Besides the five contributing resources, 29 post-battle structures are contained within the historic district. These structures are mostly residential buildings and

mobile homes A mobile home (also known as a house trailer, park home, trailer, or trailer home) is a prefabricated structure, built in a factory on a permanently attached chassis before being transported to site (either by being towed or on a trailer). Us ...

dating to the 20th century. The cemetery within the district contains more than 600 burials, dating back to at least 1858. Nine of the burials can be directly connected to the American Civil War. While the Ritchey barn was destroyed in the late 1800s, the site of the barnyard is preserved within the historic district.

Archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

has confirmed that fighting took place in the barnyard area. While no longer extant, several fences on the barnyard site were used as makeshift

breastworks A breastwork is a temporary fortification, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position. A more permanent structure, normally in stone, would be described as a parapet or ...

during the battle. A portion of Newtonia Branch, a historic stream, is preserved within the district, as is a stretch of roadway known historically as the Neosho Road (now named Mill Street). Additionally, the Mathew H. Ritchey House, a home built in the 1840s by the founder of Newtonia, is within the district. The Ritchey House, as well as an associated family cemetery, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places separately in 1978. A special resource study conducted by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

in 2013 determined that the First Battle of Newtonia Historic District did not meet the criteria for becoming a unit of the National Park Service as the historical and cultural features of the site were deemed too similar to those preserved at already-existing National Park Service units. The Ritchey House and 25 acres of the battlefields including the Old Newtonia Cemetery were added to

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, the battle was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. In ...

in 2022 by the

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 is a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill funding the U.S. federal government for the 2023 fiscal year. It includes funding for a range of domestic and foreign policy priorities, including support for ...

, despite National Park Service opposition due to the lack of connection, need for protection, or enhancement of public enjoyment.

References

Sources

* * {{Authority control 2004 establishments in Missouri American Civil War battlefields Geography of Newton County, Missouri Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Newtonia, Missouri Tourist attractions in Newton County, Missouri