The Battle of Athens was fought in Athens, Missouri. This Civil War skirmish was the most northern battle west of the Mississippi, and it resulted in a Union victory. Today, you can go visit the Battle of Athens State Historic Site.
Civil War History
William Clarke Quantrill was born on this day.
The Battle of Carthage was fought and the Confederates had their first victory.
General Franz Sigel arrived by train in Rolla with his 3rd Missouri Infantry on this date.
William Tecumseh Sherman’s funeral mass and burial were held in St. Louis on this date in 1891.
The last tribal body of American Indians was removed from Missouri in 1837, but they would make a reappearance in the state during the Civil War. The conflicts that led to their involvement in the war began years before the first shot was fired.
Our July/August 2023 article, “In The Fight,” showed that the divisive nature of the Civil War extended to American Indian Tribes. Read about Opotheyahola, who refused to join the Confederacy, then explore our reading list to learn more.
Discover a Missouri town that offers a unique safari, where you can have a close encounter with an alligator, a python, and a lemur. Also visit a museum that contains 15,000-year-old pottery, plus a Civil War Fort and the Shipyard Music Festival.
The first stones were removed from a wall so that a gateway could be created connecting the Union and Confederate sides of Springfield’s National Cemetery. This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also …
General Nathaniel Lyon was born on this day. He was killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, making him the first Union general to fall during the Civil War.
About ten thousand people gathered for an Independence celebration and to see a balloon ascension in St. Louis. Southern sympathizers in the crowd clashed with Union Soldiers and several people were shot, two died.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed causing slave-holding Missourians to flood into Kansas. This led to the Missouri-Kansas Border War and eventually the Civil War.
The Neosho Times reported that some Washburn, MO boys were working for a farmer when they plowed up about $80 worth of gold and silver which the farmer had buried there at the beginning of the Civil War.
Nathaniel Lyon took command of the St. Louis Arsenal on this day.
Elijah Lovejoy was born on this date. Lovejoy was a crusading newspaper publisher, who got his start in St. Louis, and he was abolitionist who was killed when a mob came to break up his press in Alton, Illinois.
Jayhawks crossed the border and sacked Osceola on this day. The town of 3,000 people was plundered and burned to the ground, and nine local citizens were executed.
Artist, George Caleb Bingham painted, Order No. 11. showing what General Ewing was doing with Order No. 11. Ewing destroyed the painting with his sword and Bingham quickly painted another. The result was that Ewing’s career was seriously damaged and he became one of the most hated men in the war.
The battle of Glasgow began on this day. Four hundred Union soldiers and fifty Confederates lost their lives in this rebel victory.
U.S. Grant sailed 3000 troops down the Mississippi to defeat confederate forces at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri.
The residents of Lawrence, Kansas, would never forget what happened on August 21, 1863, if indeed they were lucky enough to survive. The reason for the bloody raid that left nearly two hundred men dead and caused between $1 million and $1.5 million in damage (in 1863 dollars) is still the subject of speculation.
