Battle of Clark's Mill

The Battle of Clark's Mill was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on November 7, 1862 on Bryant Creek just north of the community of Vera Cruz in central Douglas County, Missouri.

Battle of Clark's Mill
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
Date November 7, 1862 (1862-11-07) Location Douglas County, Missouri Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Hiram E. Barstow	John Q. Burbridge Colton Greene
Units involved
10th Illinois Cavalry Missouri state militia	Missouri Brigade
Strength
100	1,000
Casualties and losses
9 Killed, 37 Wounded	0

Captain Hiram E. Barstow, a Union commander at Clark's Mill, received reports that Confederate troops were in the area. Capt. Barstow sent a detachment toward Gainesville and he led another southeastward where Barstow's men ran into a Confederate force at the confluence of Bryant and Fox creeks south of the community of Bertha. Following a skirmish the Confederate force was driven back. Barstow and his men then fell back to Clark's Mill where he learned that another Confederate force was coming from the northeast. Unlimbering artillery to command both approach roads, Barstow was soon engaged in a five-hour fight with the enemy. Under a white flag, the Confederates demanded a surrender, and the Union, given their numerical inferiority, accepted. The Confederates paroled the Union troops and departed after burning the blockhouse at Clark's Mill. Clark's Mill helped the Confederates to maintain a toehold in southwest Missouri.

Map of Clark's Mill Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program with the Clarks Mill battle area (red outline) in the northwest and the skirmish south of Bertha (red outline) to the southeast

The battle took place in central Douglas County, approximately 10 miles east of Ava. The area of the battle was near the historic county seat of Vera Cruz near the confluence of Bryant and Hunter creeks.