Civil War Battles – Wilson's Creek or Oak Hills
Union Efforts to Prevent Missouri From Seceding
Oct 31, 2009
In the last article, Union and Confederate forces clashed for the first time at the Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas), which led to a Confederate victory, resulting in giving the South a major morale boost, and delaying a significant Union offensive for some time. Despite the setback, the North was determined to preserve the Union at all costs.
After the battle, Lincoln authorized the raising of 500,000 troops with an enlistment term of 3 years; he authorized another 500,000 three days later. Offers to send fighting men to support the Union cause poured in from Northern governors. Lincoln also authorized a step-up in the Confederate blockade, as part of Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan, and proceeded to remove McDowell from command of Union forces, replacing him with George B. McClellan.
McClellan would prove to be superb administrator, a brilliant organizer, and was admired by all the men under him. He inspired strict discipline in his men, and rooted out incompetent officers whenever they came to his attention. Eventually, he would take what was left of McDowell’s army, plus the new recruits, and mold them into the Army of the Potomac.
Meanwhile, trouble was brewing in the Western Theater of the war…
Background
With things relatively quiet in the east, Lincoln turned his attention to the west, particularly Missouri, a slave state that was teetering between secession and remaining in the Union. The state was filled with Confederate guerillas, which attacked Union interests, plus the threat of invasion from Arkansas and Tennessee loomed in the air.
Lincoln appointed John C. Fremont, an expert at topography, to take command in the Western Theater. He commanded a small force of 5,500 Union soldiers, garrisoned at Springfield under the direct control of Nathaniel Lyon. Springfield served as one end of a major supply route between it and St. Louis.
Fremont was tasked with keeping Missouri in the Union, put down the guerillas, and more importantly, prevent any invasions from the Confederacy that could potentially rouse more dissent.
The Composition of Forces
The Confederate forces in the area consisted of 8,000 Missouri militiamen led by Sterling Price, who had been chased by Lyon’s men to the southwest corner of Missouri. In addition, General Ben McCulloch’s force of 5,000 Confederate regulars from Arkansas and Louisiana were present to secure Missouri for the Confederate cause.
Right off the bat, Lyon had two problems: first - he was outnumbered, and second – the enlistment term for his 5,500 men was about to run out. With these two things in mind, Lyon made the bold decision to go on the offensive against McCulloch and Price.
The Battle
On August 10, 1861, Lyon ordered 1,200 of his men, under Franz Sigel, to execute a flanking maneuver against the Confederate encampment near Wilson's Creek 10 miles south of Springfield, while the rest of the men would attack from the front. The complex maneuver was executed well, and the Confederates were caught completely by surprise.
However, two major events in the battle turned the tide in favor of the Confederates and their support militia. First, Sigel’s men mistook a Confederate Louisiana regiment for Lyon’s men, allowing the latter to get off a surprise volley, which resulted in heavy casualties for Sigel’s men, forcing them to retreat.
Now free, the men that were fighting the flanking Union soldiers joined the front, which was engaged with Lyon’s men. Outnumbered, demoralized, and low on ammo, the Union soldiers retreated to the town of Rolla, 100 miles North of Springfield. Lyon was killed in the battle, shot through the heart.
Uplifted by the victory, Price advanced further, drawing 18,000 more volunteers, and would eventually capture the town of Lexington, forcing the small Union garrison to surrender.
Results
Both sides suffered roughly 1,300 casualties. Outside of Missouri, the battle had little effect, but within the state itself, it was a disaster for the Union cause. From the outside, it appeared as if Fremont had allowed most of the state to fall into rebel hands, and had emboldened the guerilla attacks, in addition to strengthening Confederate sympathies.
This led Fremont to take drastic measures to secure the state, namely declaring martial law, shooting all captured Confederate insurgents, and confiscating private property, which included freeing slaves. When Lincoln heard about this, he was not happy, for he was trying to prevent Kentucky from leaving the Union, and these brutal tactics by Union forces did not help. Lincoln sent a letter to Fremont politely asking (not ordering) that he not execute Confederate guerillas without express permission because the rebels could easily reciprocate by killing Union POWs, and to only confiscate property and slaves being used directly in the war effort.
Fremont disobeyed, raised 38,000 men, and managed to eventually defeat Price, who was having a hard time successfully occupying and defending his captured territory. Lincoln, not happy with being ignored, relieved Price of his command, transferring him to western Virginia.
Sources:
McPherson, James M. The Illustrated Battle Cry of Freedom. New York. Oxford University Press. 2003.
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