Battle of Compton's Ferry

The Battle of Compton's Ferry (also known as Little Compton Ferry) was an action during the American Civil War, occurring August 11, 1862, along the Grand River in southwest Livingston County, Missouri.

Colonel John A. Poindexter and his force of 1200 to 1500 Confederate recruits were caught at Compton Ferry along the Grand River by forces under Union Col. Odon Guitar. Here the Federals caught the rebels in the act of crossing the river, causing great havoc and sending them into headlong retreat. Two Union artillery pieces fired a total of eight rounds producing the rout. A large amount of materiel was recovered.

The converging Union forces of Guitar and Benjamin Loan continued to pursue Poindexter's men immediately after this action, dealing them a crippling blow at the Battle of Yellow Creek. The wounded Colonel Poindexter was captured September 1&mdash;wearing civilian clothing.

The result of this battle and the subsequent battle at Yellow Creek was the effective suppression of Confederate recruiting efforts and major guerrilla operations north of the Missouri River in the northwest portion of the state.