Civil War battle in Mo. to mark sesquicentennial

NEWTONIA, Mo. (AP) -- Civil War enthusiasts are preparing to mark the 150th anniversary of the first battle in the Southwest Missouri village of Newtonia.

The Joplin Globe reports (http://bit.ly/O5eeNh ) the 1862 battle will be marked Sept. 29 and 30 with a Civil War encampment featuring re-enactors in period costume.

Visitors will be offered tours of a Civil War field hospital and of the historic Ritchey Mansion, which served as a headquarters and a field hospital during the 1862 battle and another battle in 1864.

About 350 men were killed or wounded in the first battle. The engagement is considered unusual because it included American Indian brigades on both sides.

The National Park Service is studying whether the Newtonia battlefield site should be added to the federal system.

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Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com