Glasgow MO022

1864-10-15 to 1864-10-15 · MO · Price's Missouri Expedition [September-October 1864] · frozen result: Confederate · NPS summary (as listed)

CWSAC description
While Maj. Gen. Sterling Price led his men westward across Missouri, he decided to send a detachment to Glasgow to liberate weapons and supplies in an arms storehouse, purported to be there. This combined mounted infantry, cavalry, and artillery force laid siege to the town and the fortifications on Hereford Hill. Before dawn on October 15, Confederate artillery opened on the town and Rebels advanced on Glasgow by various routes, forcing the Yankees to fall back. The Union forces retreated out of town and up the hill toward the fortifications on Hereford Hill. There they formed a defensive line in this area, but the Confederates continued to advance. Convinced that he could not defend against another Confederate attack, Col. Chester Harding surrendered around 1:30 pm. Although Harding destroyed some Federal stores, Price's men found rifle-muskets, overcoats, and horses. The Confederates remained in town for three days before rejoining the main column with new supplies and weapons and marching on towards Kansas City. The victory and capture of supplies and weapons were a boost to Price's army's morale.

Command responsibility (ledger v2)

US: Chester Harding

Grade A under rule 2; echelon detachment_or_post.

Rule 2. Britton says Harding was the senior officer and assumed command of the post at Glasgow before the attack; he refused two demands and surrendered at the third. Nothing contradicts the listing.

Colonel
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent US, fullname Chester Harding; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Colonel Harding was the senior officer, and on assuming command of the post
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2 · snapshot 944893b13523…
Col. Chester Harding surrendered around 1:30 pm.
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…

Confederate: none

Grade D under rule 3c; echelon unknown. responsibility_unresolvedsuperior_directing

Other candidates: John B. Clark, Joseph Shelby

Both listed brigadier generals (tie). Rule 3(a) does not decide: Price sent two separate detachments, Clark's (his own brigade and 500 of Jackman's) to cross and capture the town and Shelby's (a small portion of his division with artillery) to attack from the west bank 'at the same hour, to divert the attention of the enemy', and Britton says the plan 'had been arranged' with Shelby opening fire from across the river 'while General Clark … should attack the Federal force'. Shelby's guns opened first at sunrise because Clark's crossing was delayed ('Clark was unable to commence the attack for one hour after Brigadier-General Shelby had engaged them'); Clark's column then made the main attack and received the surrender. No inspected passage puts either brigadier over the other or over the side's engaged forces, and no command passed between them, so rule 3(c) applies: grade D, candidates Clark and Shelby. Price ordered both detachments from the main column (superior_directing: Price).

Brigadier General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent Confederate, fullname John B. Clark; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Brigadier General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent Confederate, fullname Joseph Shelby; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
sending Brigadier- General Shelby with a small portion of his division and a section of his artillery to attack the town from the west side of the river at the same hour, to divert the attention of the enemy
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1 · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
Brigadier-General Clark was unable to commence the attack for one hour after Brigadier-General Shelby had engaged them.
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1 · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
at sunrise on the morning of the I5th the roar of his artil lery was heard from across the river
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2 · snapshot 944893b13523…
In the plan of attack it had been arranged that General Shelby should march up and open fire with his artillery on the Federal position from the west side of the river, while General Clark, who had crossed to the north side, should attack the Federal force
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2 · snapshot 944893b13523…

Side strength (ledger v3)

US: grade A, 800 (760–840)

compiled_dependencederivation_unknownsingle_inputwhole_engagement_leakage

InputClassPrintedBasisBoundCodesPassage
us-cwA800reported_engagedderivation_unknown
800
arnold-cwsac-forces, battle MO022, belligerent US; column description · snapshot a462f6be964b…
us-britton-750bound750unknownupperone_sided_bounddossier claim reported-force-scope

Confederate: grade D: no usable figure (modelled in the rating runs)

whole_engagement_leakage

InputClassPrintedBasisBoundCodesPassage
cs-britton-clarkbound5,000–7,000unknownloweradversary_or_hearsay_estimatepartial_scopedossier claim reported-force-scope
cs-price-jackmanbound500unknownlowerpartial_scopedossier claim reported-force-scope

Dossier claims

Draft dossier, revision price-missouri-review-correction-2026-09-25. Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON

information

supportedunresolved Britton says Harding had heard Price was advancing up the river but had no word that a large force had crossed to the north bank, and did not know Price could throw a force with artillery across at will; scouts reported the crossing at Arrow Rock only on the afternoon and night of the 14th.

Attributed knowledge from a history; no message log inspected.

no word had yet reached him that a large Confederate force had crossed or was preparing to cross to the north side of the river.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.453 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
he did not know that Price was prepared to throw a large force with artillery to the north side of the river at his pleasure.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.457 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
reports came in that a Confederate force was crossing to the north side of the river at Arrow Rock
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.453 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…

logistics

supportedunresolved Price says he was told some 5,000 arms were stored in the City Hall, which was burned with the arms before the surrender, and that the captures included about 1,200 small-arms, as many overcoats, 150 horses and a steamboat. Britton says the defenders' ammunition was nearly exhausted when terms were agreed.

A depot report, captures and one statement on ammunition; no supply return.

receiving information that there was a large number of arms (amounting to 5,000) stored in the City Hall at Glasgow
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
The place was surrendered, but not until after the City Hall was destroyed and the arms consumed by fire.
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
about 1,200 small-arms, about the same number of overcoats, 150 horses, 1 steam boat
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
The ammunition of the Federal troops was nearly exhausted
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.456 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…

objectives

supportedunresolved Price ordered Clark to cross at Arrow Rock and capture the place at daylight, with Shelby diverting attention from the west bank. Britton says Harding believed his troops and militia behind rifle-pits and brick houses could hold against the guerrilla forces he expected. The frozen description says the detachment was sent to liberate weapons and supplies.

Stated aims from an interested report, a history and the frozen description.

with orders to cross the river at Arrow Rock and attack the place the next morning at daylight and capture it
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
to divert the attention of the enemy and protect their advance under the cover of the fire of his artillery.
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
Colonel Harding believed that with his Regular troops and the militia, posted behind the rifle-pits and in one or two brick houses, he could hold the place
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.457 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
to liberate weapons and supplies in an arms storehouse
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…

outcome

supportedpost_outcome The frozen result reads Confederate victory. Price and Britton record the surrender of the garrison, and Britton says it was paroled.

Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit.

Confederate victory
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column results_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
The captured prisoners were paroled
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
They were then paroled
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.456 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…

disputedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads 450 total (US 400; CS 50). Britton gives Harding's report of 11 killed (read 1 1 in OCR) and 32 wounded and Colonel Colton Greene's of 7 killed and 46 wounded in his brigade, with Jackman's loss unreported. Price gives 800 to 900 prisoners and calls his own loss comparatively small.

Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap.

450 total (US 400; CS 50)
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column casualties_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
Colonel Harding stated his casualties at 1 1 men killed and 32 wounded.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.457 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
reported his loss at 7 men killed and 46 wounded, including 2 officers killed. The loss in Jackman's brigade is not reported.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.457 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
with but -comparatively small loss on our side
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…

responsibility

supportedunresolved Price says Clark could not begin his attack until an hour after Shelby had engaged. Britton says Harding refused two demands to surrender and accepted terms at the third; the frozen description says Harding surrendered around 1:30 pm. The frozen commanders are Brigadier Generals John B. Clark and Joseph Shelby and Colonel Chester Harding.

Command roles from an interested report, a history and the frozen description; no automatic sole credit.

Brigadier-General Clark was unable to commence the attack for one hour after Brigadier-General Shelby had engaged them.
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
Colonel Harding again declined to yield and resented the threat
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.456 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
the proposition was entertained and terms soon agreed upon.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.456 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
Col. Chester Harding surrendered around 1:30 pm.
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
Brigadier General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent Confederate, fullname John B. Clark; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Brigadier General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent Confederate, fullname Joseph Shelby; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Colonel
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO022, belligerent US, fullname Chester Harding; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…

strength

unknownunresolved

No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. Imported numerical estimates remain unchanged; this pass does not validate them as simultaneous opening forces.

disputedunresolved The frozen force field reads Garrison (800) and unknown, with a side strength of 800 for the Union garrison. Price says he sent Clark with his own brigade and 500 of Jackman's brigade across the river, with Shelby and part of his division and a section of artillery on the west bank, and that between 800 and 900 prisoners were taken. Britton gives the estimate of Captain Kirkham and other Federal officers that Clark had 5,000 to 7,000 men on the field, and says Harding's troops including militia did not exceed 750.

An imported bound, unit identifications, a prisoner count and a participant estimate; no return for either side. None is adopted as a matched opening strength.

Garrison (800) [US]; unknown [CS]
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column forces_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
800
arnold-cwsac-forces, battle MO022, belligerent US; column strength_min · snapshot a462f6be964b…
I sent Brigadier-General Clark, of Marmaduke’s division, with his own brigade and 500 of Jackman’s brigade
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
sending Brigadier- General Shelby with a small portion of his division and a section of his artillery
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
we obtained between 800 or 900 prisoners
or41-1-price-missouri-selections-v1, p.632 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 7a18d48e08b2…
General Clark had from 5000 to 7000 men on the field that day,
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.456 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
the troops under Colonel Harding, including the militia, did not exceed 750 men.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.457 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…

terrain

supportedunresolved Britton says the militia had thrown up breastworks around a square on a high point in town, adequate against an enemy without artillery, that the Missouri turns south at Glasgow, and that Shelby's battery fired from a sand bar across the river while Clark invested the town on the south, east and north. The frozen description names the fortifications on Hereford Hill.

Ground described by a history and a summary; no map verification.

had thrown up breastworks of earth around a square about as large as the usual court house square, on a high point in town, and it would have served as an excellent defence against an enemy not sup plied with artillery.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.453 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
At Glasgow the Missouri River turns nearly due south for several miles.
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.454 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
posted a battery on a sand bar
britton-price-missouri-selections-v2, p.454 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 944893b13523…
the fortifications on Hereford Hill
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO022; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…

Open questions