Timeline
RIPLEY COUNTY, MISSOURI
CIVIL WAR TIMELINE
April 12, 1861 - Firing on Fort Sumter
May 10, 1861 - Camp Jackson Affair
May 11, 1861 – Missouri General Assembly authorized the formation of the Missouri State Guard
The Ripley County Battalion became a part of the First Division Missouri State Guard under the Command of M. Jeff Thompson. A listing of units and their commanders can be found at the Missouri Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Aug 10, 1861 - Battle at Wilson's Creek
December 1861-January 1862 – Ripley County units were attached to Confederate Army General William Hardee CSA – headquartered at Kelly Plantation, Pittman’s Ferry and Buckskull (Currentview)
February, 1862 – Colonel William Carlin US, 38th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry briefly occupied Doniphan
March 7-8, 1862 - Battle of Pea Ridge, AR
April 1, 1862 – Skirmish at Doniphan
April 6-7, 1862 - Battle of Shiloh, TN
October 1862 – US Iowa and Missouri units fought Confederates at Pitman’s Ferry
Dec 7, 1862 - Battle of Prairie Grove, AR
March 21, 1863 – Engagement with Confederate pickets 3 miles West of Doniphan
April 1863 – CSA Generals John Marmaduke and Jo Shelby – invaded Missouri from Arkansas passing though Ripley County.
May 21, 1863 – Captain Reeves captured 22 horses from Union soldiers 15 miles North of Doniphan
May 31, 1863 – Skirmish near Ponder’s Mill near Little Black (Fairdealing) Reeves vs Porter
June 23, 1863 - Skirmish near Ponder’s Mill near Little Black (Fairdealing)
July 1-3, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg, PA
August 1863 –Federal 2nd and 3rd Missouri State Militia passed through Ripley County to Pocahontas where they captured M. Jeff Thompson and part of his staff. They returned north and spent the night in Doniphan.
Reeve’s Independent Scouts and CSA 15th Missouri Cavalry combined – Timothy Reeves in command had several run-ins with US units commanded by Captain William Leeper or Major James Wilson’s 3rd Missouri State Militia
September 28, 1863 -3rd MSM and 3rd Colorado Regiment moved through the County
September 1863 – Major Wilson 3rd MSM stationed in Alton conducted raids in NW Ripley county including the Irish Wilderness
October 27, 1863 – Union troops marched into Ripley County to oversee elections. No elections were held. Ripley and Shannon County were the only counties with no representation in the Union controlled state government.
December 21, 1863 – Company of CSA 15th Missouri Cavalry – captured Centerville and took Union prisoners back to Ripley County
December 25, 1863 – US Major James Wilson fought with CSA 15th Missouri Cavalry at Pulliam Spring in Southwest Ripley County recovering his troops, killing 35 and capturing 112.
July 1864 - Atlanta Campaign
September 19, 1864 – Union Lt. Erich Pape burned Doniphan Courthouse and Town
September 19, 1864 – Confederate forces commanded by General Sterling Price began “Price’s Invasion of Missouri”. Three divisions lead by General Shelby, General Marmaduke and General James Fagan entered Missouri through Ripley County
September 20, 1864 – General Shelby caught up with Lt. Pape and fought at Ponder’s Mill on Little Black (Fairdealing)
Sept 27, 1864 - Battle of Pilot Knob
April 9, 1865 - Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House, VA