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Battle of the Big Blue October 23, 1864: A Walking Tour of the Big Blue Battlefield in Kansas City, Missouri was published April 6, 2018 by Trans-Mississippi Musings Press.

On October 23, 1864, Confederate Maj. Gen. John S. Marmaduke faced off against Union Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton at Byram’s Ford on the Big Blue River near Westport, Missouri. By midafternoon the Confederate forces were retreating south, having failed to defeat the Union army. This guide contains a walking tour of sites tied to the key events during the fierce contest that took place south at Byram’s Ford on the Big Blue River.

The self-guided tour is a walking tour. The walking tour is broken into two geographical areas separated by the Blue River. You will drive to the first stop in each area, which is a starting point for a number of walking tour stops. There are a total of 22 tour stops in the tour. During the walking part of the tour, you will find the trails range from easy to moderate in difficulty. The complete walking tour covers about 4.5 miles, and there are a few stretches of walking up or down some pretty steep hills. You should be able to complete the tour in a single morning or afternoon.