Confederate Position - Kansas City, Missouri
Posted by: 
iconions
N 39° 02.118 W 094° 35.665
15S E 362001 N 4321903
This marker, stop 5 of the Battle of Westport Auto Tour, is located on 51st Street .2 miles south of Summit Road.
Waymark Code: WM70Y3
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 08/16/2009
Views: 6
The text of the marker:
At 8:30 A.M. Sun., Oct. 23, 1864, Gen. Shelby's Division moved north and struck Union troops near the Wornall House. Gen. Blunt's Union cavalrymen were driven across Brush Creek. Shelby stopped to bring up ammunition. About 3,000 Confederate men were behind a stone fence along 51st St. facing a heavily wooded area to the north. Here their line extended from Oak St. to State Line. From 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. they came under heavy artillery fire and were forced eventually to pull back to 55th St.
East to Wornall; rt into Loose Park
Further background information from the Civil War Muse:
(
visit link)
When they began their attack at dawn, the two Confederate divisions had been able to push the Union forces back to the north side of Brush Creek. However, Shelby could not press further for ammunition had run low. It took an hour to replenish his Confederate troops. He had lost the advantage. Shelby and Fagan now waited on the heights south of Brush Creek near where you are standing. Throughout the rest of the mornings, the Federals tried several attacks against this Confederate position only to be forced back to Brush Creek. This was the position that Curtis was able to outflank when George Thoman led them around through the wooded defile to the west.