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Wilson's CreekOct 30, 2007
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Oct 30 52286 10:05
We head off in the car to the Wilson's Creek Battlefield.
The Wilson's Creek battle was a bitter struggle between the Union and Confederate forces for control of Missouri in the first year of the Civil War.
Most Missourians desired neutrality in the war but the Governor, Claiborne F. Jackson was a southern sympathizer and planned to cooperate with the Confederacy.
When President Lincoln called for troops to put down the rebellion, Missouri was asked to send four regiments. Governor Jackson refused and orders the U.S. arsenal seize in St. Louis.
The arsenal's commander, Capt. Nathaniel Lyon had the weapons secretly moved to Illinois and then on August 9, 1861 Lyon made plans to attack the Confederate troops under Maj. General Sterling Price. Success hinged on the element of surprise.
The Confederates also planned a surprise but unexpectedly it began to rain and Price called off his attack. Lyon did not and surprised the Confederates in the early morning hours of Aug. 10.
The battle raged on Bloody Hill for more than five hours mainly at close quarters. The tide seemed to turn at each charge and countercharge. Price attacked Lyon's troops on three separate occasions and was repulsed by Lyon's forces. On the fourth attack, Price found the hill deserted and decided not to follow the retreating Union forces.
The Confederates won the battle, the Union lost their General and the battle but Lyon's goal was achieved: Missouri remained under Union Control.
The tour of the battlefield is by auto tour. Only one structure is left standing that of the homestead of John A. Ray the postmaster from 1856 -1866. The house was quickly turned into a Confederate hospital.
Most of the site is being returned to the conditions of 1861. The tallgrass is being allowed to grow and in the areas that were cornfields in 1861 have been replanted by the local FFA.
We are finding this in park all over America, non-native invasive plants are being removed, even trees that were not there. This is all done in an effort to show people exactly what conditions were at the time the event took place.
