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Army of the Border

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The Army of the Border was a Union army during the American Civil War. It was created from units in the Department of Kansas to oppose Sterling Price's Raid in 1864. Samuel R. Curtis was in command of the army throughout its duration.

Major General James G. Blunt, who commanded the District of South Kansas, was placed in command of the army's 1st Division, which was broken up into three brigade of volunteer cavalry regiments and a fourth of Kansas state militia units. Major General George Dietzler commanded the rest of the Kansas state militia units and organized them into the 2nd Division of the army.

Blunt's division fought at the battles of Lexington and Little Blue River before falling back and joining Curtis and the rest of the army at Westport. At the Battle of Westport, Curtis's two divisions were joined by Alfred Pleasonton's cavalry division from the Department of the Missouri, bringing the Union army to about 22,000, including Pleasonton's cavalry. After the battle, the militia units returned to their respective counties while Blunt's volunteers continued the pursuit along with Pleasonton's division. Blunt's division fought Price in the last major battle of the campaign at Newtonia.

Commander

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Major battles and campaigns

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Abbreviations used

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Military rank

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Army of the Border

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MG Samuel Ryan Curtis

Escort:

Division Brigade Regiments and Others

First Provisional Cavalry Division
MG James G. Blunt
Escort:
Company E, 14th Kansas Cavalry: 2Lt William B. Clark

1st Brigade


Col Charles R. Jennison

2nd Brigade


Col Thomas Moonlight

3rd Brigade [Kansas State Militia Division]


Col Charles W. Blair
BG William H. M. Fishbeck

4th Brigade


   Col James Hobart Ford

Division Brigade Regiments and Others

Second Division
     MG Alfred Pleasonton
Escort:
Company A, 11th Kansas Cavalry: Cpt Henry E. Palmer

1st Brigade


   Col John Finis Philips

2nd Brigade


BG John McNeil

  • 17th Illinois Cavalry: Col John Lourie Beveridge
  • 7th Kansas Cavalry: Maj Francis M. Malone
  • 2nd Missouri Cavalry: Cpt George M. Houston
  • 13th Missouri Cavalry: Col Edwin C. Catherwood
  • 3rd Missouri State Militia Cavalry: Ltc Henry M. Matthews
  • 5th Missouri State Militia Cavalry: Ltc Joseph A. Eppstein
  • 9th Missouri State Militia Cavalry: Ltc Daniel M. Draper
  • Battery B, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery
  • Mountain howitzer battery (4 12-pdr)
3rd Brigade


BG John Benjamin Sanborn

  • 2nd Arkansas Cavalry: Col John Elisha Phelps
  • 6th Missouri State Militia Cavalry: Maj William Plumb
  • 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry: Col Joseph J. Gravely
  • 6th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia: Col John F. McMahan
  • 7th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia: Maj W. B. Mitchell
  • Battery H, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery: Cpt William C. F. Montgomery
  • Battery L, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery: Cpt Charles H. Thurber
4th Brigade


   Ltc Frederick William Benteen


Notes

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The list shown is the entire Army of the Border. Brigades from this army fought in battles during Price's Raid.

See also

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References

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  • Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.