The Battle of Wilson's Creek

Bull Run of the West

Apr 16, 2009 Wade Ankesheiln

The Union defeat in the hard fought Battle of Wilson's Creek prevented them from driving the Southern forces out of Missouri in 1861.

Possession of the state of Missouri was important to the Union cause. Not only was the state the gateway to the west, it was also of strategic importance as it controlled access to three major rivers – the Missouri, the Ohio, and the Mississippi.

Prelude to Wilson’s Creek

In June 1861, Union forces under General Nathaniel Lyon, moved out of St. Louis in pursuit of General Sterling Price’s pro- Southern Missouri State Guard. Lyon tried to catch Price before he could link up with Confederate General Ben McCulloch’s army in Arkansas. But Price and McCulloch were able to successfully bring their forces together in southwest Missouri before Lyon could interfere.

Price and McCulloch’s combined strength of 12,000 men was more than double that of Lyon’s. The latter established his headquarters at Springfield. The Southern commanders decided to attack Lyon there. On 6 August they occupied a camp in Missouri about 12 miles southwest of Springfield along a stream called Wilson Creek.

Price’s men were very ill-equipped. They had mostly hunting weapons and no cartridge boxes. Most carried their cartridges in their pockets and couldn’t keep them dry in rainy weather while on the march. An advance on Springfield for the night of 9 August was called off because of the threat of rain.

General Lyon Plans Surprise Attack

At Springfield, Lyon decided that his only chance was to surprise the Southerners in their camp. Colonel Franz Sigel, a German immigrant living in Missouri, convinced Lyon to divide his force. Sigel would take 1,200 men and 6 guns and attack the Southern camp from the south, while Lyon with the main force of 4,200 men and 10 guns simultaneously struck them from the north.

Lyon launched his attack on 10 August at 5 am on the west side of Wilson Creek. A small cavalry force was driven off Oak Hill. By 6 am the Federals reached the top of the hill. But intense artillery fire from a Southern battery slowed down their advance here. Price was then able to deploy his Missouri State Guard troops into a fighting line.

Sigel Driven Off

Sigel launched his attack when he heard Lyon’s beginning. Sigel’s artillery opened up on the camp of the Confederate cavalrymen, who scattered off. He then advanced to a point where he cut off Telegraph Road, the retreat route of the Southern army. But a counterattack ordered by McCullough caused a panic among Sigel’s men. They were routed and lost 5 of their 6 guns.

By 6:30 am the battle lines were well established on Oak Hill. Lyon sent an infantry column to capture the artillery battery that had wreaked havoc with his troops. But the column was beaten back after a sharp fight. The Southern commanders then took the initiative. Over the course of three hours, Union forces successfully repulsed three determined Southern attacks. They refused to be driven from the hill. The heavy fighting leads to the hill being renamed Bloody Hill.

Death of General Lyon; Sturgis Orders Retreat

While trying to rally his troops on Bloody Hill, Lyon is killed by a musket ball. Major Samuel Sturgis, the ranking regular army officer after Lyon, assumed command. About 11 am Strugis found himself facing a fourth enemy assault on Bloody Hill.

This time it was an all-out attack by 6000 men along a half-mile front. The Southerners advanced close this time, but it too failed to drive the Yankees from the hill. However, the Union defenders were now exhausted and running low on ammunition. Sturgis ordered a retreat.

Aftermath of the Battle

The Union forces were unable to hold Springfield, which was evacuated. The Federals withdrew all the way to their railhead at Rolla. Price and McCulloch occupied Springfield and were able to maintain a toehold in Missouri until the following spring.

Nathaniel Lyon became the first Union general to be killed in action in the Civil War. Wilson’s Creek was a bloody battle fought at extremely close range. Over 2500 casualties were suffered by both sides; double the casualty rate of Bull Run, which had taken place three weeks earlier in Virginia. Like that battle, there was much confusion due to similar flags and uniforms, a smoke obscured battlefield, and inexperienced commanders.

Sources:

Piston, William Garrett and Hatcher, Richard W. Wilson’s Creek, The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC, 2000

Hatcher, Richard W. Wilson’s Creek, in The Civil War Battlefield Guide, The Conservation Fund, NY, 1998.

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

The copyright of the article The Battle of Wilson's Creek in American History is owned by Wade Ankesheiln. Permission to republish The Battle of Wilson's Creek in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Bloody Hill