The battle took place on a wooden bridge over the North Fork of the Fabius River. The Pierce's Mill area is a few hundred yards to the northwest and upstream of the bridge crossing. Oak Ridge is south across and all along the bottom land/timbered hill interface running northwest to southeast following the stream valley.
The Battle of Vassar Hill was fought between the Federal forces of Missouri and the confederates. Col. Porter assembled his 125 riders at Memphis, gave them the plan/orders of the day and rode to the Pierce's Mill area. Looking for Porter's riders was a 280-man Federal detachment composed of a battalion of the 11th Missouri Cavalry (the Merrill Horse) and a detachment of the 11th MO State Militia. Major Clopper was in command of the Federal riders.
