Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located near

Republic, Missouri Republic is a city in Christian and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 18,750. In 2019, its population was 16,938, making it the second largest city in Greene County in the U.S. state ...

, preserves the site of the

Battle of Wilson's Creek The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Missou ...

. Fought on August 10, 1861, the battle was the first major

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

engagement west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

. In the battle, a

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

army commanded by

Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...

and

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

defeated a smaller

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

army commanded by

Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...

. However, the Confederates were unable to hold much of Missouri, and a Confederate defeat at the

Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...

effectively solidified Union control of the state. Major features include a five-mile

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...

tour loop, the restored 1852 Ray House, and "Bloody Hill", the site of the final stage of the battle. The site is located near

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

in southwestern Missouri just southwest of the city of

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

. It has been a unit of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

since 1960, and was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1966.

Battle at Wilson's Creek

In early 1861,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

issued a call for the state of Missouri to enlist four regiments to fight against the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. However, then-Missouri governor

Claiborne F. 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 forc ...

refused to call and prepared to use the

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 various ...

to seize a United States government arsenal in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

. In response,

general

moved aggressively against the pro-Confederate Guard, driving the force away from St. Louis and removing Jackson from official government leadership. The Missouri State Guard, now commanded by

, fell back towards the city of

in southwestern Missouri, followed by Lyon and his Union army. Meanwhile, Price had been reinforced by a small Confederate army under the command of

. On August 10, Lyon decided to attack Price and McCulloch's combined forces while the Confederate were encamped along the banks of Wilson's Creek. Lyon split his outnumbered forces into wings commanded by himself and Col.

Franz Sigel Franz Sigel (November 18, 1824 – August 21, 1902) was a German American military officer, revolutionary and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union major general in the American Civil W ...

in order to attack the Confederate camp from both the front and the rear. Sigel's force was soon driven from the field, allowing Price and McCulloch to combine their forces against Lyon's column, which had taken position on Bloody Hill. Lyon was killed, and the Union forces retreated from the field. It was the first major military engagement in the American Civil War to take place west of the Mississippi river. After the battle, Price and McCulloch strongly disagreed over command issues. Price would move towards

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

, fearing a counterstroke from Union troops there, leaving McCulloch with an army that soon dwindled after terms of enlistments expired and some of the remaining troops were reassigned elsewhere. Price followed up Wilson's Creek with a strike northwards towards the Missouri River, and was victorious at the

Siege of Lexington The siege of Lexington, also known as the First Battle of Lexington or the Battle of the Hemp Bales, was a minor conflict of the American Civil War. The siege took place from September 13 to 20, 1861 between the Union Army and the pro- Confedera ...

. However, news that Union troops were marching to intercept his army led Price to retreat back towards Springfield. In March of the next year, Price and McCulloch would command wings of a Confederate army under the command of

Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) started his military career as a United States Army officer but joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out. He was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict. A g ...

at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. The Confederate army was defeated and McCulloch was killed. The defeat at Pea Ridge ended any serious Confederate chance of holding a position in Missouri.

Park history

The battle site was established as Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Park on April 22, 1960, and was re-designated a

National Battlefield National Military Park, National Battlefield, National Battlefield Park, and National Battlefield Site are four designations for 25 battle sites preserved by the United States federal government because of their national importance. The designat ...

on December 16, 1970. The battlefield was listed on the

on October 15, 1966. The official area of the park was expanded by 615 acres in 2004 in accordance with Public Law 108-394, and an additional 60 acres were added in 2018 after the land was purchased by the

American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization ( 501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. Th ...

, formerly known as The Civil War Trust. The park is located near

, which is southwest of Springfield in

Greene County, Missouri Greene County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, its population was 298,915. making it the fourth most-populous county in Missouri. Its county seat and most-populous city is Springfield. The county was organized in ...

. (includes 3 photographs from 1969, 1975) The

and its partners have acquired and preserved of the battlefield, most of which has been sold to the National Park Service and incorporated into the park. In total, the park preserves 1,750 acres of the battlefield.

Features

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visitor center contains exhibits about the battle, a short film, fiber optic maps and a bookstore. The battlefield is accessed by a five-mile long self-guided automobile-tour loop, which connects eight stops highlighting historically important facets of the battlefield. The tour loop also features hiking trails and a seven-mile long horseback riding trail. On August 10, the anniversary of the battle, the park hosts commemorative events. RayHouse-WilsonsCreekNationalBattlefield-SpringfieldMO

RayHouse-WilsonsCreekNationalBattlefield-SpringfieldMO

The Ray House, which is still preserved on the battlefield, dates to before the Civil War, and was used as a field hospital following the battle. General Lyon's body was brought to the Ray House by Confederate soldiers after the Union army retreated from the field. The house is open for tours during limited hours over the summer. The tour loop also includes a stop at Bloody Hill, the site of heavy fighting during the battle, as well as the site of Lyon's death. The site of Lyon's death is marked with a monument, which was dedicated in 1928. Several

cannons A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during ...

are also on display at Bloody Hill. The battlefield also includes several features besides those on the tour road. One of these is the John K. and Ruth Hulston Civil War Research Library, which was founded in 1985. The library contains over 12,000 books about the Civil War, with an emphasis on the Trans-Mississippi Theater. The library also has digital access to Civil War genealogical information and some regimental histories. Also on the battlefield site is the Wilson's Creek Civil War Museum (formerly known as the General Sweeny Museum), which contains artifacts and exhibits relating to the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War.

Newtonia

The

Mathew H. Ritchey House Mathew H. Ritchey House, also known as Mansion House and Belle Starr House, is a historic home located in Newtonia, Newton County, Missouri. It was built about 1840, and is a two-story, brick dwelling with a two-story rear wing built using slav ...

and 25 acres of battlefields of the

First Battle of Newtonia The First Battle of Newtonia was fought on September 30, 1862, between Confederate soldiers commanded by Colonel Douglas H. Cooper and a Union column commanded by Brigadier General Frederick Salomon near Newtonia, Missouri, during the American ...

and

Second Battle of Newtonia The Second Battle of Newtonia was fought on October 28, 1864, near Newtonia, Missouri, between cavalry commanded by Major General James G. Blunt of the Union Army and Brigadier General Joseph O. Shelby's rear guard of the Confederate Army of ...

including the Old Newtonia Cemetery in

Newtonia, Missouri Newtonia is a village in Newton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 199 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. Newtonia was the site of the Battles of Newtonia during the American Ci ...

, about 45 miles away, were added to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in 2022 by the

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 is a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill funding the U.S. federal government for the 2023 fiscal year. It includes funding for a range of domestic and foreign policy priorities, including support for ...

, despite National Park Service opposition due to the lack of connection, need for protection, or enhancement of public enjoyment.

References

Sources

* * *

External links

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Foundation
{{Authority control American Civil War battlefields History of Greene County, Missouri National Battlefields and Military Parks of the United States Missouri in the American Civil War Protected areas established in 1960 American Civil War museums in Missouri Museums in Greene County, Missouri National Park Service areas in Missouri Protected areas of Greene County, Missouri Parks in Missouri 1960 establishments in Missouri Battlefields of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Greene County, Missouri American Civil War on the National Register of Historic Places