The 1850's were a turbulent period of political and social struggle in our nation's history, but along the Missouri-Kansas border a bloody struggle ensued over the question of slavery in Kansas. Between 1854 and 1859 pro and antislavery forces ambushed and raided each other in an attempt to control the future of Kansas. This fighting prepared Missourians for the type of Civil War they would witness in the country's great struggle.

    By 1860 Missouri was a state in change. In the ten years before the war the original Southern settlers of the state discovered themselves sharing the land with a large contingent of German immigrants. These newcomers were staunchly antislavery. As the country lurched toward war in 1861, newly elected Governor Claiborne F. Jackson led the pro-slavery forces in Missouri. Leading the antislavery group were Congressman Francis P. Blair and General Nathaniel Lyon.

    Early in the war the struggle concerned the Federal arsenal located at the southern edge of St. Louis. Lyon moved aggressively to control the facility and distributed the weapons to German immigrants who rallied to the antislavery cause. In response the Governor called out the local militia, but they were surprised and captured by Lyon in a raid on Camp Jackson on May 10, 1861. A riot followed the capture of the pro-Southern militia and several civilians were killed.

    Missourians were not ready for the state to slip into total chaos. Both sides backed away from more violence while attempting to broker a peaceful settlement. This proved to be unattainable. A meeting designed to reach a nonviolent agreement at the Planters House Hotel in St. Louis disintegrated when General Lyon declared a deal impossible. The Federal commander lost his temper, and declared war on the Governor and his followers. Governor Jackson and the commander of the state militia, General Sterling Price, raced to the state capitol at Jefferson City to prepare for war. The state of Missouri was about to become embroiled in a Civil War within the national Civil War.

    Quickly General Lyon initiated a two prong lightning raid on the Southerners. One portion of his force steamed up the Missouri River and forced Governor Jackson from his capitol. The Federals pursued the state militia, now named The Missouri State Guard, to Boonville. Ever the aggressor, General Lyon launched an attack on the Southerners on June 17. The fighting was brief and a total Union victory. While retreating from the area the Southerners ambushed a German pro-Union Home Guard unit at Cole Camp on June 18 routing the entire lot of them.

    While Lyon steamed upriver to Boonville the second part of his plan was in motion. Regular Army Captain Thomas W. Sweeny was placed in command of a movement to southwest Missouri to block the suspected retreat of Jackson's Missouri State Guard into Arkansas. Sweeny sent a vanguard of 1,100 men led by Colonel Franz Sigel to Springfield, Missouri. On July 5, 1861, while searching for the enemy eight miles north of Carthage, the two armies collided. During the day-long struggle Sigel's Federals were forced from the field, and withdrew back to Springfield. The victorious Southerners went into camp deep in the southwest corner of the state for complete reorganization and training of inexperienced troops.