The Battle of Roan's Tan Yard (also known as Silver Creek) was an action during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, occurring on January 8, 1862, in Randolph County, Missouri.

Rumors and sightings of a Confederate

Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...

 force in the Howard County area had circulated for more than a week, but the Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 troops could not locate them. On January 7, 1862, information came to hand that Col. John A. Poindexter

John A. Poindexter

John A. Poindexter was a colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He and Joseph C. Porter were the primary recruiting commanders in northern Missouri during 1862.-Early life and career:...

 and his force of 800 Confederate recruits were camped on Silver Creek. Detachments from various Union units came together and headed towards the Confederate camp which was about 14 miles northwest of Fayette

Fayette, Missouri

Fayette is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County. It is in the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

. After finding the camp despite heavy fog, the Federal troops attacked in the late afternoon, routing the enemy in only 40 minutes and sending those that were not killed, wounded, or captured fleeing for safety. Two companies of Federal cavalry were ordered to cut off the Confederates' retreat, but darkness and heavy fog, together with thick underbrush, rendered it impossible.

Afterwards, the Union force destroyed the camp to prevent its further use. The Confederates could no longer use their Randolph County base for recruiting and raiding.

Forces engaged

Union (450 men)

• 4 companies, 1st Missouri Cavalry (Maj. James M. Hubbard)
• 3 companies, 2nd Missouri Cavalry aka "Merrill's Horse" (Maj. Charles B. Hunt)
• 1st Battalion, 1st Iowa Cavalry
  1st Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
  The 1st Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry was an cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The first Iowa Cavalry was organized at Davenport, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service between July 30, and September 12, 1862...
  
   (Maj. W. G. M. Torrence)
• 4th Ohio Independent Cavalry Company (Capt. John S. Foster)
• Detachment of Birge's Western Sharpshooters
  66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
  The 66th Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment originally known as "Birge's Western Sharpshooters" and later as the "Western Sharpshooters-14th Missouri Volunteers", was a specialized regiment of infantry sharpshooters that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-...
  
  

Confederate (800 men)

• 5th Regiment, 3rd Division Missouri State Guard
  Missouri State Guard
  The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
  
  (Col. John A. Poindexter)

Approximate losses

• Union — 6 killed, 19 wounded.
• Confederate — 40 killed, 80 wounded, 28 captured.