The Price–Harney Truce was a document signed on May 21, 1861, between United States Army General William S. Harney (Commander of the U.S. Army's Western Department) and

Missouri State Guard The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a military force established by the Missouri General Assembly on May 11, 1861. While not a formation of the Confederate States Army, the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at variou ...

commander

Sterling Price Sterling Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an American politician and military officer who was a senior General officers in the Confederate States Army, officer of the Confederate States Army, fighting in both the Weste ...

at the beginning of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The truce sought to forestall the outbreak of violence in the state of Missouri following the Camp Jackson Affair, in which Union army troops under the command of Captain

Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was a United States Army officer who was the first Union Army, Union General officer, general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginn ...

had captured Missouri State Militia mustered on the outskirts of St. Louis. While Lyon marched the captured militia to the

St. Louis Arsenal The St. Louis Arsenal is a large complex of federal Arsenal, military weapons and ammunition storage buildings operated by the United States Air Force in St. Louis, Missouri. During the American Civil War, the St. Louis in the Civil War, St. Loui ...

through a crowd, a civilian riot ensued. The soldiers fired into the crowd and killed several people. In the aftermath of the riot, the Missouri State Legislature enacted the governor's "Military Bill" replacing the Missouri State Militia with a new

. The governor appointed

major general and commander of the State Guard. General Harney had been away from St. Louis during the Camp Jackson affair. Upon his return, he met with Price to sign a joint statement "for the purpose of removing misapprehensions and allaying public excitement," its object being "that of restoring peace and good order to the people of the State in subordination to the laws of the General and State Governments
OR, SI, VIII, p.375. Harney-Price Truce
The Price–Harney Truce made federal forces responsible for order in the St. Louis area, and state forces responsible for order in the rest of the state. Under the terms of the truce, as understood by Harney, the agreement obligated the Missouri State Guard to protect Unionist Missourians from harassment and to hold the state for the Union. Harney also informed Price that several clauses in Missouri's recently enacted "Military Bill" would have to be modified to remove potential conflicts with the federal government's legal authority. The truce drew the immediate ire of a wide variety of Missouri Unionists (including the politically powerful Congressman Francis Preston Blair Jr., Frank Blair), who lobbied President Lincoln and the

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet ...

to have Harney relieved of command. In the face of reports of abuses against Missouri Unionists, and continued negotiations between Governor Jackson and the Confederate Government, Lincoln approved Harney's replacement as commander of the Western District by newly promoted Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon. The change of command took place on May 30. Whereas Harney was recognized as a legalistic and cautious Unionist, Lyon was an outspoken Abolitionist, with a long-standing relationship with several militant Missouri Unionist organizations. Lyon's elevation effectively ended the truce with Price. On June 11 Missouri Governor

Claiborne Fox Jackson Claiborne Fox Jackson (April 4, 1806 – December 6, 1862) was an American politician of the Democratic Party in Missouri. He was elected as the 15th Governor of Missouri, serving from January 3, 1861, until July 31, 1861, when he was for ...

held a last-ditch meeting at the

Planter's House Hotel The Planter's House Hotel was the name of three hotels in St. Louis, Missouri. The first operated from 1817, the second from 1841 to 1891, and the third until 1922. History There were three incarnations of the Planter's House hotel in St. L ...

in St. Louis to delay open conflict in the State. Jackson was an open Confederate sympathizer and Price had been a conditional Unionist until the Camp Jackson Affair. During the meeting, Lyon angrily refused Price's requests to limit federal forces to the metropolitan St. Louis area, and to disband "Home Guard" companies established by Missouri Unionists. Lyon refused to accept any limitations on his military actions in the state, and eventually halted the meeting, informing Governor Jackson and MG Price that such limitations on federal authority "means war". Price and Jackson returned to the State Capitol at Jefferson City, and worked to concentrate State Guard forces in anticipation of open warfare with Unionist forces. Three days later Lyon landed troops at the state capital from steamboats and occupied the city without a shot fired. Lyon's mixed force of volunteers and Regulars subsequently routed the State Guard at the June 17, 1861 Battle of Boonville which gave Unionist forces control of Jefferson City, the Missouri River line and the strategic North Missouri Railroad. In the absence of Governor Jackson, who had fled to the southern part of the state with the Guardsmen, the State Constitutional Convention called itself into session, declared the office of governor vacant, and appointed

Hamilton Gamble Hamilton Rowan Gamble (November 29, 1798 – January 31, 1864) was an American jurist and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court at the time of the Dred Scott Decision, Dred Scott case in 1852. Although his col ...

, former state chief justice, as governor of the Provisional Government of Missouri. Gamble served from 1861 to 1864, when he died in office.

References

External links

Text of Price-Harney Truce
{{DEFAULTSORT:Price-Harney Truce 1861 documents 1861 in Missouri 1861 in the American Civil War May 1861 Politics of the American Civil War Secession crisis of 1860–61 Ceasefires Missouri in the American Civil War

See also

References

External links