Battle of Roan's Tan Yard

The Battle of Roan's Tan Yard (also known as Silver Creek) was an action during the American Civil War, occurring on January 8, 1862, in Randolph County, Missouri.

Rumors and sightings of a Confederate force in the Howard County area had circulated for more than a week, but the Union troops could not locate them. On January 7, 1862, information was received that Col. John A. Poindexter and his force of 800 Missouri State Guard recruits were camped on Silver Creek. Detachments from various Union units came together and headed towards the Confederate camp which was about 14 miles northwest of Fayette. Despite heavy fog, the Federal troops found the camp and attacked in the late afternoon, routing the enemy in only 40 minutes and sending those that were not killed, wounded, or captured fleeing for safety. Two companies of Federal cavalry were ordered to cut off the Confederates' retreat, but darkness and heavy fog, together with thick underbrush, rendered it impossible.

Afterward, the Union force destroyed the camp to prevent its further use. The Confederates could no longer use their Randolph County base for recruiting and raiding.

Opposing forces

Union

(450 men)

4 companies, 1st Missouri Cavalry (Maj. James M. Hubbard)
3 companies, 2nd Missouri Cavalry aka "Merrill's Horse" (Maj. Charles B. Hunt)
1st Battalion, 1st Iowa Cavalry (Maj. W. G. M. Torrence)
4th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company (Capt. John S. Foster)
Detachment of Birge's Western Sharpshooters ^[1]

Confederate

(800 men)

5th Regiment, 3rd Division Missouri State Guard (Col. John A. Poindexter)

Approximate losses

Union — 6 killed, 19 wounded.
Confederate — 40 killed, 80 wounded, 28 captured.

References

↑ The participation by the Western Sharpshooters is not recorded in the Official Report, but is verified by the official report of regimental surgeon of the 1st Iowa Cav in "A History of the First Regiment of Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers" by Charles H. Lathrop, Beers & Eaton, Lyons, Iowa , 1890

National Park Service battle summary
U.S. War Dept., The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume VIII, Chapter XVIII, pg. 49, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880–1901.
National Park Service battlefield survey

Missouri in the American Civil War

Pre-war	History of slavery in Missouri Missouri Compromise Dred Scott Decision Bleeding Kansas Armed Neutrality

Secession crisis and divided government	Missouri secession Missouri Constitutional Convention Camp Jackson Affair Gamble's Provisional Government Liberty Arsenal St. Louis Arsenal Missouri State Guard Missouri State Militia Price–Harney Truce Governor on the Run List of Missouri Confederate Civil War units

1861	Grant's First Command Battle of Boonville Battle of Cole Camp Battle of Carthage Battle of Athens Battle of Wilson's Creek Frémont Martial Law Battle of Dry Wood Creek Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy Sacking of Osceola Battle of Liberty Siege of Lexington Battle of Fredericktown First Battle of Springfield Department of the Missouri Battle of Belmont Gratiot Street Prison Burning of Platte City Blackwater/Milford Battle of Mount Zion Church

1862	Army of the West Battle of Roan's Tan Yard Battle of Island Number Ten Battle of Moore's Mill Battle of Kirksville First Battle of Independence Battle of Lone Jack First Battle of Newtonia Palmyra Massacre Skirmish at Island Mound Battle of Clark's Mill

1863	Second Battle of Springfield Battle of Hartville Battle of Cape Girardeau Battle of Chalk Bluff General Order No. 11 Shelby's Raid

1864	Centralia Massacre Army of Missouri Price's Raid Battle of Fort Davidson Battle of Glasgow Battle of Albany Second Battle of Lexington Battle of Little Blue River Battle of Byram's Ford Second Battle of Independence Battle of Westport Battle of Marmiton River Second Battle of Newtonia

1865	Lincoln's Vaughn Pardon

Reconstruction	James–Younger Gang Bald Knobbers

Coordinates: 39°19′29″N 92°33′30″W / 39.3246°N 92.5584°W / 39.3246; -92.5584

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