[1][2][3] The engagement was between the forces of Confederate Col. W. H. Griffin and Union Lieutenants Benjamin Loring and C. W. Lamson.

In the battle, Confederates fought and captured two Union gunboats (Wave and Granite City) and later converted them into blockade runners.

Wave did not prove too effective during the battle and was captured early on, it was soon turned into a Confederate cargo ship.

Captain Joseph A. Brickhouse, a Confederate veteran, said, “We fought in the open prairie, bringing on the attack with four small pieces of artillery and less than 300 infantry, poorly armed, attacking in the open prairie two such boats as the Granite City and Wave—Union gunboats—and capturing them after an action of less than two hours and 40 minutes duration.” He described his own Confederate forces as unprepared, and he stated that they still had an easy battle that was short in duration.

Every soldier in this battalion was born in Germany, and they all migrated to the U.S. during the Civil War.

On arrival, they immediately bombed an abandoned Confederate fort at the mouth of the river.

Granite City ended up stealing cattle and horses from multiple farms, which prompted a Confederate attack.

The cannons lined up 1,000 yards from the gunboats, while the cavalry and foot-soldiers advanced.

While the cavalry and foot-soldiers moved in, the artillery advanced as well, and finished off the vessels.