Doniphan, Missouri
Doniphan is a city in Ripley County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,997 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ripley County.
History
Doniphan was named for Alexander William Doniphan. Almost the entire town, including the court house, was burned to the ground on the morning of September 19, 1864, by Union Army soldiers from the 12th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union), allegedly in retaliation for pro-Confederate guerrilla activity in Ripley County. The Union horse soldiers then retreated, burning farm houses and barns as they went. Confederate cavalry under Gen. Joseph Shelby caught up with the house burners the next morning at Ponder's Mill, in Butler County and killed four, wounded four and captured six of them. Shelby's men suffered two dead and five wounded.
Geography
Doniphan is located at 36°37′20″N 90°49′20″W / 36.62222°N 90.82222°W / 36.62222; -90.82222 (36.622106, -90.822179). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.38 square miles (3.57 km2), all land.
