The Army of the Border was a designation used for a Confederate field army during the American Civil War, primarily active in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. While not as consistently named or structured as some of the larger Confederate armies, the term frequently referred to forces operating along the Missouri-Arkansas border, particularly during Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition of 1864. It was also sometimes referred to as the Army of Missouri, especially during Price's Raid.
Formation and Background
The Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department often comprised a mixture of regular units, state militias, and irregular cavalry. These forces were frequently reorganized and redesignated. The "Army of the Border" coalesced more as a functional description for commands tasked with defending the Confederate western frontier or launching incursions into Union-held Missouri.
Its most prominent formation under this general designation occurred in late 1864 when Major General Sterling Price gathered a substantial force for his large-scale raid into Missouri. Price's goal was to recapture Missouri for the Confederacy, disrupt Union supply lines, and influence the upcoming presidential election.
Command
The most notable commander associated with the Army of the Border, particularly during its most significant campaign, was Major General Sterling Price. Other Confederate generals, such as John S. Marmaduke and James F. Fagan, commanded divisions within Price's larger force during the 1864 campaign.
Major Campaigns and Engagements
The primary campaign associated with the Army of the Border was Price's Missouri Expedition (Price's Raid) in the fall of 1864.
- Battle of Fort Davidson (Pilot Knob) (September 27, 1864): Price's army suffered significant casualties attempting to take this Union stronghold.
- Battle of Westport (October 23, 1864): Often called "the Gettysburg of the West," this engagement near Kansas City was a decisive Union victory that crippled Price's offensive. The Army of the Border, after initial successes, was heavily defeated by converging Union forces under Samuel R. Curtis and Alfred Pleasonton.
- Battle of Mine Creek (October 25, 1864): A Union cavalry charge routed portions of Price's retreating army, capturing two Confederate generals.
- Battle of Marmiton River (October 25, 1864): Further defeat for the retreating Confederates.
- Second Battle of Newtonia (October 28, 1864): The final engagement of the raid, another Union victory.
Following the devastating defeats during Price's Raid, the Army of the Border, as a cohesive fighting force, was largely shattered. Price led a battered remnant of his forces back into Arkansas and eventually into Texas.
Dissolution and Fate
After the failure of Price's Missouri Expedition, the Army of the Border effectively ceased to exist as a distinct, organized command. The remnants were dispersed, integrated into other Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department, or melted away through desertion. Many of the soldiers eventually surrendered with other Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi region in May and June of 1865.
Significance
While its existence was somewhat ephemeral compared to the Army of Northern Virginia or the Army of Tennessee, the Army of the Border played a critical role in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Price's Raid, despite its ultimate failure, represented the last major Confederate offensive west of the Mississippi River and was a significant, albeit unsuccessful, attempt to reclaim Missouri for the Confederacy. Its operations demonstrated the continued Confederate efforts in the west, even as the war turned decisively against them in the east.