User:Hog Farm/Schnable's Missouri Cavalry Battalion

Schnable's Missouri Cavalry Battalion served in the Confederate States Army during the final days of the American Civil War.

Background
When the American Civil War began in April 1861, the state of Missouri was politically divided. The state had two competing governments: one supporting secession and joining the Confederate States of America and the other opposing secession. The pro-secession government mobilized the Missouri State Guard, while the anti-secession government was supported by the Union Army. While the Missouri State Guard had some early successes, by the end of 1861, the Union controlled most of Missouri. In March 1862, Union forces defeated a combined army of Confederate and Missouri State Guard troops at the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas, giving the Union full control of Missouri. Missouri then primarily saw guerrilla warfare through 1862 and 1863.

Cavalry units during the war were most commonly used for reconnaissance, striking enemy communication lines, and screening friendly units. Mounted cavalry generally avoided direct fights against infantry. When engaged in pitched battles, cavalry usually fought dismounted, with a portion of the unit detached to hold horses. Confederate cavalry in the Trans-Mississippi Theater were frequently used in raids. Trans-Mississippi Confederate cavalry were often armed with knives, shotguns, muskets, and six-shooters. Weapons captured from Union forces were widely used. Confederate law required cavalrymen to provide their own horses, leading to theft and forced purchases of horses by Confederate soldiers becoming common in 1863 and 1864.

Service history
In June 1864, John A. Schnable, a veteran of the Missouri State Guard, began recruiting for the Confederate army in northeastern Arkansas, under the authority of Brigadier General Joseph O. Shelby. Some of the recruiting also occurred in the Lead Hill area. On June 15, Shelby ordered Schnable to prepare his men for movement, and they soon moved to the Batesville, Arkansas, area. Shelby ordered four companies to report to Schnable on August 10. Schnable's men were likely officially organized into a battalion at this time. Schnable was the battalion's lieutenant colonel and B. H. Clark was the unit's major. Clark was later replaced at an unknown time and for unknown reasons by Jesse Mooney. The unit contained eight companies: five were identified by the letters A, B, F, G, and H, while the names of the other three are unknown.

On August 11, Confederate Major General Sterling Price received authorization to lead a sizable movement back into Missouri. It was hoped that the movement would help George B. McClellan unseat Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 United States presidential election; it was thought that McClellan would be more likely to negotiate peace terms that would be Confederate-favorable. Additionally, it was hoped that Price's expedition would draw Union troops away from more important theaters of the war and lead to a pro-Confederate popular uprising in Missouri. Price, a former governor of Missouri, also hoped to restore the Confederate government of Missouri to power. In order to maneuver into Missouri from their base in Arkansas, Price's men would have to make it past the Union forces of Major General Frederick Steele. Steele depended on a supply line to the Mississippi River, which was defended by a series of fortifications known as hay stations. Price ordered Shelby's men to strike the Union supply line in prepration for the invasion of Missouri.

Entering Missouri
Shelby struck Ashley's Hay Station on August 24 and overran the place. The Confederates then quickly took two more hay stations, while a fourth was abandoned. At the fifth hay station, Jones's, Shelby's men defeated the Union garrison and repulsed a reinforcing column, taking a number of prisoners in the process. Schnable's battalion took part in the action at Jones's station. For the invasion of Missouri, the battalion was assigned to a brigade led by Colonel Sidney D. Jackman, which was part of a division led by Shelby. After Price's column entered Missouri on September 19, Schnable's battalion tore up part of the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad. While Shelby's men operated against the railroad to the north, Price took his other divisions, led by Major General James F. Fagan and Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke, to attack a small Union garrison holding Fort Davidson at the town of Pilot Knob. On September 27, Price attacked the garrison, but suffered a bloody repulse. The night after the battle, the Union garrison blew up the fort's gunpowder magazine and withdrew.

Once Price learned that the Union force was withdrawing, he sent Shelby's division to move south in an attempt to cut them off. Schnable's battalion took part in the pursuit of the retreating Union soldiers, but the Confederates broke off the pursuit at Leasburg. Schnable's battalion then destroyed part of the Pacific Railroad. Price abandoned intentions to capture St. Louis due to the defeat at Pilot Knob. The Confederates moved westwards towards Jefferson City. Encumbered by a large wagon train, Price's men moved slowly, and Union troops were rushed to reinforce Jefferson City, increasing the city's garrison from 1,000 to 7,000. Price determined that Jefferson City was too strongly defended to attack, and the Confederates continued moving west.

Westward movement across Missouri
On October 8, the Confederates left the Jefferson City area and moved towards Russellville. Schnable's battalion was guarding Shelby's right flank at Moniteau Creek when it was attacked by Union troops led by Brigadier General John B. Sanborn. The battalion repulsed two charges and made a failed counterattack, but was then outflanked and withdrew. Confederate reinforcements arrived and were eventually able to halt Sanborn. Schnable's battalion had 4 men killed and 14 more wounded during the affair. As the Confederates continued to move west, the battalion was involved in a small action on the road to Tipton, south of Boonville on October 12. Union troopers from the 5th Missouri State Militia Cavalry Regiment forced back Nichols's Missouri Cavalry Regiment, but were then repulsed by Schnable's battalion, Hunter's Missouri Cavalry Regiment, and Collins's Missouri Battery. The fighting lasted about an hour.

Continuing west, the Confederates drove Union troops from Lexington on October 19. October 21 saw the Battle of Little Blue River, in which Union troops led by Major General James G. Blunt fought with Marmaduke's command until Shelby's men arrived and helped force back Blunt's command. Schnable's men were present at Little Blue River, fighting dismounted.