Preliminary Events
The events that led to the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, often
referred to as the Bull Run of the West, began unfolding in 1820, with the
Missouri Compromise. Up to that point, there were twenty-two states in the
Union, eleven free states and eleven slave states. In 1818, Missouri had requested
admission to the Union as a slave state. To keep the balance equal, Maine was
admitted as a free state in March of 1820 and Missouri was admitted the
following year as a slave state. The Missouri Compromise also stipulated that slavery
would not be allowed north of 36o30” latitude (Missouri’s southern
border). With Missouri’s admission, southern farmers flocked to the state in
massive numbers. Most of these migrating farmers settled in an area northwest
of St. Louis which became known as Little Dixie. The primary cash crop for
these farmers was hemp. Hemp production and cultivation required heavy labor. Thus,
the farmers brought with them their slave dependent economy. Also settling in
and around St. Louis were many German American immigrants who were viewed with
suspicion, not to mention great prejudice.
At the outset of the 1850’s the
Nebraska Territory was laying the groundwork for admission to the Union. To
appease southerners, Senator Stephen A. Douglas proposed admitting Kansas as a
slave state. Now, northerners were outraged. Kansas was north of Missouri’s
southern border. In 1854 Douglas was determined to pass the Kansas Nebraska act.
This act allowed the territories to decide for themselves through popular
sovereignty. Pro-slavery settlers began pouring into
Kansas in order to see the territory enter the Union as a slave state. At the
same time, anti-slavery settlers, flocked to Kansas as well, determined to make
the territory a free state. The events in Kansas led to chaos and guerrilla
warfare. Civil War was near.
As war
approached, and states seceded, Missouri was the key to the west, due to its
rivers and vast railroad network. Its largest city was St. Louis with a
population of almost 200,000. Approximately one third of the population was
German American. Known as “Dutchmen”, these German Americans were strongly
against slavery. In the 1860 election, practically all of Abraham Lincoln’s
support in Missouri came from St. Louis.
Missouri opposed secession
by more than 70,000 votes. However, most people in the state wanted to remain
neutral. On April 15, 1861, three days after Fort Sumter was fired upon by
Confederate forces, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to put down the
rebellion, with each state having a quota to fill. Missouri governor Claiborne
Fox Jackson adamantly refused. Being an outspoken secessionist, he was
determined to see Missouri side with the Confederacy. Jackson ordered state
militia to begin preparations to seize the United States arsenal in St. Louis.
Lyon, Blair,
and Sigel
Captain
Nathaniel Lyon had been transferred to St. Louis in 1861. Connecticut born and
West Point educated, Lyon had a fiery temper. He had also developed an intense
and unabashed hatred for slavery and slave owners. He got wind of the plan to
seize the arsenal, so he had the arms secreted across the river to Illinois. St. Louis congressman Francis P. Blair came
from one of the most influential families in the country. Above all others, he
was the strongest supporter in the state of keeping the Missouri in the Union. Franz
Sigel having commanded troops in the German Revolution, immigrated to the United
States. He settled in St. Louis and was appointed superintendent of schools. He
became a trusted advisor to Lyons and helped to raise volunteers for Lyon’s “army”.
The German Americans of St. Louis had an almost blind loyalty to Sigel. Anxious
to prove loyalty to their new country, many of these men enlisted, saying to
others “I goes to fight mit Sigel.”
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| Nathaniel Lyon (LOC) |
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| Franz Sigel (LOC) |
The Camp
Jackson Affair
The Federal
commander in St. Louis at the time was William S. Harney. On May 10, 1861, with
Harney away from St. Louis, Lyon and Sigel marched with an army of almost 7,000
to disband the 700 member Missouri State Militia which was encamped at Camp
Jackson, a short distance away. The militia surrendered without a shot being fired.
The captured militia was paraded through the streets of St. Louis. Crowds
gathered along the route directing vulgar language at the Union soldiers. As
the crowds grew, they began to throw rocks. Someone, so emboldened by the lack
of response from the soldiers, fired a pistol. Troops returned fire. The
aftermath saw seventy-five wounded and twenty-five dead. This encounter came to
be known as the Camp Jackson Affair or Camp Jackson Massacre. Federals now began
to lose public support in Missouri.
Meanwhile, the state legislature was in session at Jefferson City. Learning of events in St. Louis, legislators gave Governor Jackson unprecedented military powers. Jackson mobilized the state militia, now called the State Guard, and appointed Mexican War veteran Sterling Price as its commander. On May 21, 1861, Price met with Harney, now back in St. Louis. The two came to an agreement that Federal troops would not interfere in Missouri’s affairs if state government kept order. With the influence of Blair, this decision cost Harney his command of Union forces in the state. Shortly thereafter, Lyon was promoted to Brigadier General and was appointed interim commander of all Federal forces in Missouri.
To iron out their differences,
Lyon and Blair met with Price, Jackson, and a number of aides at the Planters
House Hotel in St. Louis on June 11, 1861.
Things did not go well. Negotiations quickly fell apart. Finally, Lyon
stood and angrily said:
“Rather than concede to the state of Missouri, the right
to dictate to my government on any matter however unimportant,” now standing
and pointing at each man present, he continued, “I would see you, and you, and
you, and you, and every man, woman and child in the state dead and buried! This
means war!”
Lyon Launches His Campaign
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| 1861 Missouri Campaign (LOC) |
Lyon, with two thousand men, immediately moved
on the state capital, traveling by steamboat. Encountering no resistance, he
occupied Jefferson City on June 15. After installing a pro-Union government, he
marched on Boonville. At the same time Lyon moved on Springfield, Thomas
Sweeney and two thousand men were ordered to move on Rolla to secure the rail and
telegraph lines. Due to supply problems, however, only Sigel and one thousand
men left as scheduled. Sweeny waited in St. Louis one more week.
Meanwhile,
Jackson and Price had learned of Lyon’s expedition against the state capital. Jackson
ordered the state stores and powder moved to Boonville, and Price ordered State
Guard Units and newly arriving recruits to assemble to Boonville as well. All
eyes were on Boonville. Price’s troops were raw and untrained, and he had no
artillery. Lyon’s troops included three companies of U.S. Regulars and an
artillery battery. At this point, suffering from a severe case of diarrhea,
Price left Jackson in charge and returned to his home nearly sixty miles away. Lyon
moved quickly. The Battle of Boonville (more a skirmish than a battle) was over
in twenty minutes. Federal casualties included five killed and seven wounded.
Three Missouri State Guard troops were killed and nine were wounded. In the
East, First Bull run was still a month away.
Jackson retreated with the State
Guard. As he moved south, in heavy rains, his column grew to over six thousand
men. Lyon, however, remained in Boonville for two weeks. When Lyon finally
moved, he was confronted by swollen rivers, making pursuit difficult. Sigel,
having taken Rolla, moved west. He met Jackson’s force at Carthage. Outnumbered
by more than six to one, Sigel’s force made a respectable fight before
withdrawing to Springfield. He would merge with Lyon the following week. Price
moved south to Cowskin Prairie. Jackson decided to leave, feeling he could
better serve in a diplomatic manner.
If the campaign ended here it
would have been considered a great success. Lyon wanted more. He wanted to
punish the secessionists. He was now on a crusade. However, he had been
replaced as Union Commander of all Missouri forces by the politically connected
John C. Freemont. Blair relinquished has brigade command and returned to his
congressional seat in Washington.
The Battle
As the long, hot days of summer
dragged on, Lyon occupied Springfield with 5,400 men. He requested
reinforcements from Fremont on a regular basis. Although he had fifty thousand
troops at hand, Fremont would send none. Believing Lyon had enough men to repel
an attack, Fremont instructed Lyon to withdraw to Rolla if he felt otherwise.
If Lyon decided to fight, he alone would bear the responsibility.
On July 29, 1861, at Cassville,
Price’s force combined with a Confederate force commanded by former Texas
Ranger Benjamin McCullough and a brigade of Arkansans commanded by General N.B.
Pearce. This new Western Army, now numbering just under 13,000 men moved toward
Springfield. Lacking a supply train, this army lived off the land. Hungry and
tired, the army arrived in a lush valley ten miles from Springfield. Food was
plentiful, and more importantly Wilson Creek provided a water source.
Lyon was now faced with a
dilemma. He knew the combined force was coming, he knew he was greatly
outnumbered, and he knew that he would not get any reinforcements. If he did
not fall back to Rolla, he risked his whole army. However, he did not want to
abandon the area’s pro-Union population. In addition, leaving without a fight
did not suit his character. Sigel then came to him with an audacious plan of going
on the offensive and launching a surprise attack from opposite directions. If
the plan succeeded it would be brilliant. If it failed, disaster would ensue.
The attack was planned for August 10. McCullough had also planned an attack for
August 10. However, since his men lacked proper cartridge boxes to keep their powder
dry, McCullough opted to postpone the attack.
Lyon went against conventional
wisdom and divided his outnumbered force. He would attack from the north with
4,300 men while Sigel attacked from the south with 1,100 men. Lyon’s column arrived
at its designated post just after midnight. As his men rested, he confided to
his Chief of Staff, Major John Schofield:
“I am a believer in presentments, and I have a feeling
that I can’t get rid of that I shall not survive this battle. I will gladly
give my life for a victory.”
While Lyon rested, Sigel’s force
arrived at its predetermined spot. Sigel placed his artillery on a rise
overlooking the Confederates camped in farmer Joseph Sharp’s farm below. Sigel
was to wait for the sound of Lyon’s guns to commence his attack.
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| Wilson's Creek Battle Map (LOC) |
Lyon brushed aside Confederate pickets,
as fighting erupted at 5:00 AM. Meanwhile, Price and McCullough were having
breakfast at Price’s headquarters located at the Edwards cabin. The cabin was
in an acoustic shadow, an area where sound is scattered. Thus, Price and
McCullough did not hear the guns. When a messenger arrived with news that Lyon
was there, McCullough, deeming the messenger unreliable, ignored the warning.
When a second messenger arrived with the same message, McCullough and Price
went to investigate.
Lyon again divided his force,
sending Captain Joseph Plummer with a battalion of U.S. Regulars and Missouri
Home Guards (unionists) to cross the creek and protect his left flank. Lyon
proceeded to a rise, known as Oak Hill, thereafter, to be known as Bloody Hill.
As fighting intensified, Totten’s Union Battery was wreaking havoc on the Confederates
from its position on Bloody Hill. Captain William Woodruff, commanding the
Pulaski Battery saw Totten’s Battery completely
exposed. Acting without orders Woodruff’s Battery opens fire, buying the southerners
time organize as McCullough and Price arrive on the field. Plummer, seeing the
Pulaski Battery moves into Ray’s Cornfield to knock it out.
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| The Ray Cornfield (P. Chacalos) |
McCullough saw Plummer’s men moving
through farmer Ray’s cornfield and sends a force of Louisianans and Arkansans
to meet them. Plummer, outnumbered three to one, was forced to retreat across
the creek and back to Bloody Hill. Plummer was wounded in the retreat. After two
hours, casualties mounted as Lyon’s attack lost momentum.
Sigel, after initial success on
his end, had halted at the Sharp farm after taking prisoners. A lull had
occurred in the fighting. Having no direct communication with Lyon, Sigel
waited. At that stage of the Civil War, neither side had adopted standard
uniform colors. The First Iowa Infantry, known as the Greyhounds and part of
Lyon’s column, was clad in grey. When the Third Louisiana charged Sigel’s
column, Sigel thought they were Lyon’s Greyhounds and ordered his men to hold their
fire. Realizing, too late the enemy was upon them, Sigel’s column was routed. The
men not captured, led by Sigel, retreated to Springfield. McCullough and Price
could now throw their combined force against Lyon on Bloody Hill.
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| This monument marks the spot where General Lyon fell. It is the ONLY monument at Wilson's Creek NBF (P. Chacalos) |
Up to that point in the battle, Lyon’s horse had been killed and Lyon had been wounded twice. He feared the day was lost. Seeing Lyon discouraged, Major Schofield encouraged him to try one more time. Borrowing a horse, Lyon led the Second Kansas forward. Encouraging his men, Lyon said “Come on my brave boys, I will lead you forward.” Upon speaking these words, Lyon was shot through the chest and fell from his horse. The Union had lost its first General in the Civil War.
At 10:30 the southerners attacked
again. Northern artillery was devastatingly accurate. A lull occurred and 11:00
AM. With ammunition low, canteens empty, and every regimental commander wounded,
Major Samuel Sturgis, now in command, ordered a retreat to Springfield. The
southerners attacked again, only to find the Northerners had gone. After six
hours, the battle was over.
The Aftermath
In the Ray cornfield, on the
Sharp farm, and on Bloody Hill, over five hundred lay dead along with over
eighteen hundred wounded. Federal casualties amounted to 24% of all forces engaged,
while southern casualties were 12% of all forces engaged.
The
Ray Family: John and Roxanna Ray farmed over four hundred acres in the area
surrounding Wilson’s Creek. John Ray, a unionist, was the local U.S. Postmaster,
since his farm was located on the Wire Road, the major highway in southwestern
Missouri. The Rays emerged from their home to find their property had become a
massive hospital. Mother and daughters give aid and comfort to soldiers from
both sides. John and Roxanna Rays remained at Wilson’s Creek until their deaths
in the mid-1870’s.
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| The Ray House (P. Chacalos) |
The Sharp Family: Joseph Sharp lived a short distance down the
road from the Rays. One of the wealthiest farmers in the area, Sharp owned one
thousand acres and three slaves. After the battle, Sharp and his wife found their
crops destroyed. Artillery had damaged much of their property. They were still
burying the fallen weeks later.
The Short Family: The Shorts suffered the most. Dead Union soldiers, as well as horses were strewn about their farm. Dead bodies contaminated the water. This gave rise to a typhoid epidemic. As a result, Sharp’s two daughters died within a year. Suspected of being disloyal, Joseph Sharp was briefly imprisoned in 1863. They moved away shortly after his release. The house was destroyed by fire later in the war.
General Lyon: During the Union retreat, Lyon’s remains had
been left behind by accident. When discovered, they were taken to the Ray house.
The Rays wrapped the body in a counterpane and placed it in the family bed. The
body was taken to Rolla. From there it travelled by rail to Lyon’s home state
of Connecticut. Lincoln announced a National Day of Prayer in his honor. The
first Union general killed in the Civil War; Lyon was seen as a martyr for the
Union.
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| Lyon's body was brought to the Ray house and placed in this bed after it was recovered (P. Chacalos) |
