Atlas of Battles

battle, nineteenth century

Action at Blue Mills Landing

Action at Blue Mills Landing was a battle fought on 17 September 1861 at Clay County, in what is now Missouri, United States. It was part of the Trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War. The recorded result: Confederate victory. Recorded strength: 3,500 against 600.

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Map of battlefield core and study areas. Little information is available about this battle. The ABPP was unable to verify the precise location of Blue Mills Landing, where the general engagement began
Map of battlefield core and study areas. Little information is available about this battle. The ABPP was unable to verify the precise location of Blue Mills Landing, where the general engagement began. American Battlefield Protection Program, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought17 September 1861
WhereClay County, Missouri, United States39.193N, 94.384W
OutcomeConfederate victory
BelligerentsFile:Flag of the Missouri State Guard.svgagainstUnited States (Union)
Casualties and losses70and56
Battlefield todayLiberty battlefieldNPS site MO003, 6,991 acres studied, 711 core
Part ofTrans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War

Where it sits in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War

Siege of Lexington, 1861Engagement near Carthage, 1861Battle of Wilson's Creek, 1861Action at Blue Mills Landing, 1861Engagement at Fredericktown, 1861Action at Springfield, 1861Battle of Belmont, 1861Battle of St. Charles, 1862Battle of Moore's Mill, 1862First Battle of Newtonia, 1862Skirmish at Island Mound, 1862Battle of Cane Hill, 1862Battle of Cape Girardeau, 1863Battle of Devil's Backbone, 1863Second Battle of Cabin Creek, 186418611864Action at Blue Mills Landing, 1861
15 placed engagements of the Trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date17 September 1861
PlaceClay County, Missouri, United States
39.193N, 94.384W
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength3,500600
Casualties and losses7056
Commanders
  • David Rice Atchison
  • John Scott (Iowa politician)
Action at Blue Mills LandingAction at Blue Mills LandingBattle of Little Blue RiverFirst Battle of IndependenceBattle of Mount ElbaSecond Battle of IndependenceBattle of Byram's FordFirst Battle of IndependenceBattle of Mount ElbaBattle of Byram's FordKansas City20 km39.193N, 94.384W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. The dashed outline is the battlefield study area mapped by the NPS American Battlefield Protection Program. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1861

The National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program maps this as the Liberty battlefield (site MO003): a study area of 6,991 acres, with a core area of 711 acres where the fighting was concentrated; 2,375 acres retain enough integrity to be potentially eligible for the National Register.

Action at Blue Mills Landing is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 1,148 in present-day United States (42 in Missouri).

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2293850, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Action at Blue Mills Landing, revision 1381931769, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Battlefield boundary and area from the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (public domain). Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.