Second Battle of Lexington

Second Battle of Lexington
Part of the American Civil War
Date October 19, 1864 (1864-10-19) Location Lexington, Missouri Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
Confederate States	United States
Commanders and leaders
Sterling Price	James G. Blunt
Units involved
Army of Missouri	Two brigades of Blunt's division
Strength
c. 13,000	2,000
Casualties and losses
light	c. 40

The Second Battle of Lexington was a minor battle fought during Price's Raid as part of the American Civil War. Hoping to draw Union Army forces away from more important theaters of combat and potentially affect the outcome of the 1864 United States presidential election, Sterling Price, a major general in the Confederate States Army, led an offensive into the state of Missouri on September 19, 1864. After a botched attack at the Battle of Pilot Knob, the strength of the Union defenses at Jefferson City led Price to abandon the main goals of his campaign.

Additional Union troops were recalled from a campaign against the Cheyenne, and the Kansas State Militia was mobilized, but political authorities in Kansas would not allow the militiamen to serve east of the Big Blue River. As a result, Major General James G. Blunt was only able to take 2,000 men east to confront Price. By October 19, Blunt had occupied a position near the city of Lexington, which was soon attacked by lead elements of Price's army. Blunt's men resisted strongly, despite being outnumbered, and forced Price to deploy the rest of his army and his heaviest artillery. After gaining information about Price's strength and position that the Union high command had been previously lacking, Blunt withdrew from the field. Four days later, Price was decisively defeated at the Battle of Westport, and the Confederates were pursued, suffering several more defeats in the process. By December, only 3,500 men of Price's initially 13,000-strong army remained.