THE GREAT WAR 1861-1865 |
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| The Daily Constitution Chillicothe, Missouri June 16, 1925 This Week In Missouri HistoryCompiled by the State Historical Society of Missouri Floyd C. Shoemaker, Secretary The 17th day of June, 64 years ago, signaled the first battle of the Civil War in Missouri. This was the Battle of Boonville, variously called the Battle of Elliott's Springs from its location and the Battle of Boonville Races from the character of the advance and retreat of the state forces. Insignificant in numbers engaged and in the two or three men killed on both sides, it still outranks many larger contests. It was a hard blow to the position and prestige of the governor and his state forces and it was a deep thrust at the invincibleness of the native Missourian as a fighter when opposed by the "St. Louis Dutch". It was a revelation to the southern leaders of the weakness of courage and enthusiasm when opposed to disciplined, well armed troops. It secured to the Federals control of the Missouri River and cut in half the potential strength of the state cause. Its positive influence favorable to General Lyon and his cause was equally marked. The Battle of Boonville may have been merely the engagement at Elliott's Mills or even the Boonville Races but it is the first in chronology and high in consequence of the Civil War in Missouri. The battle was a small affair. Of the 2,000 Federals under General Nathaniel Lyon only 1,000 were engaged. About the same proportion of General John S. Marmaduke's 3,000 sate troops took part. The artillery, arms and discipline of Lyon's men easily won over the numbers and enthusiasm unsupported by adequate guns and training. The battle began at 8:00 in the morning four to six miles east of Boonville on the Elliott farm. It was decided in half an hour. The fast retreat was over before noon. General Price had left the day before for his home in Charlotte County to recover from illness. He and Jackson had counseled retreat but their confident recruits could not be restrained. After the battle which an eye witness described as a "helter skelter, pell mell" sort of affair, Jackson fled on horse to Saline County then south to the Osage. The Federals took possession of the camp and equipment of Col. Marmaduke and the city of Boonville was formerly surrendered by Mayor O'Brien. The convergence at Lexington of Lyon's men from the east, Iowa troops from the north and Kansas troops from the west, forced the state militia to take up its line southwest along the Osage. So quickly were the results of the Battle of Boonville felt that north and central Missouri were in the hands of the Federals within two weeks. If not unique, the Battle of Boonville is at least exceptional in numbers engaged, few; in length, brief; in fatalities a football contest; but its effects significant. It was a battle, the opening of the war but the press accounts or descriptions of an almost friendly contest marred by a few accidents between rival parties, schools or towns. The best armed company of state troops was not engaged and none of the artillery in action. Adequate arms and big guns were the greatest needs of Colonel Marmaduke in this battle. Again, Lyon had no cavalry, Marmaduke had horses but the state militia entered and left the conflict on foot. |
Remembrance of One Who Was ThereMoberly, Missouri June 17, 1931 It was exactly seventy years ago today that the first battle of the Civil War in Missouri was engaged. It was recalled today by J.F. "Dad" Tippett. The battle was fought at Boonville on June 17, 1861 when the Union forces under the command of General Nathaniel Lyon attacked the Confederate forces under Colonel Marmaduke. "It wasn't much of a battle, though" said Tippett, "and only a few were killed". Mr. Tippett lived near Boonville at the time and happened to be ploughing in a field near the scene of the battle on that date. He was able to hear the guns "pop like everything", he says, all during the battle. The "Battle of Boonville" was fought four months after the firing upon Fort Sumter and was an outgrowth of many months of strife between the political factions in Missouri at that time; one seeking to preserve Missouri in the Union and the other striving to have the state join the conflict. General Lyon and James Blair of St. Louis were the chief actors in the fight to preserve Missouri in the Union and opposing them was the disloyal element led by Governor Jackson. Matters finally reached a crisis and a few months after the actual start of the Civil War, General Lyons advanced upon General Jackson's forces under the command of Colonel Marmaduke and a battle was fought at Boonville. Three months later General Lyons was killed instantly while leading a charge at the Battle of Wilson's Creek near Springfield. Reluctant to surrender southwest Missouri without a struggle when the Confederate forces overwhelmingly outnumbered the Union forces with the arrival of Rebel troops under General Price, General Lyons tried to attack the opposing forces and advanced from Springfield. Although the southern army was surprised at Wilson's Creek, they soon rallied and defeated the Union forces. |
A Little History of BoonvilleThursday, December 1, 1949 Daniel Boone had built his home on the banks of the Femme Osage in St. Charles County where he had been granted a tract of 845 acres by the Spanish government but for twenty years he and his sons roamed the area up and down the Missouri setting up temporary camps, fishing, hunting, trapping and working the salt licks that they discovered. While Boone never resided at Boonville it is believed that he camped here often and much association resulted in the town being given his name. In 1810, about ten years after the scout came to Missouri, two white families crossed from a settlement in Howard County to the bluff side of the river on the south. They were Stephen Cole and his family and his sister-in-law Hannah Cole and her nine children. They came in February, crossing in canoes with their horses swimming behind them. They brought no provisions, intending to return to the settlement for supplies but a storm arose and ice formed on the river, preventing their return. Hannah and her children lived on acorns, the bark of trees and one wild turkey. Shortly before, her husband William T. Cole had been killed by Indians. But the courageous pioneers ran in Hannah's blood. The two Cole families built their cabins on the bluff and later erected forts there against the Indians. These sites now lie within the city of Boonville which was formally laid out in 1817. Boonville flourished. It is the center of a country rich in resources and as hunting and trapping proved less productive the virgin soil provided rich farm land for permanent settlers. The town became a shipping point of importance. Fleets of boats sailed up and down the river, stopping for supplied and unloading cargo for overland transportation by wagon into the Ozark region of the state. Transcribed by Christine Spencer June 2008 |
Other battles at BoonvilleSecond Battle of BoonvilleThe Second Battle of Boonville was fought on September 13, 1861, when Colonel William Brown of the Missouri State Guard led 800 men in an attack on 140 pro-Union Boonville Home Guardsmen while the Union soldiers were eating breakfast. Due to rain, the Confederates wrapped their flags in black sheathing, which the Home Guard mistook as a sign of no quarter. Spurred on by their fear of death, the Home Guardsmen managed to defeat the State Guard troops, killing Colonel Brown in the process. Third Battle of BoonvilleThe Third Battle of Boonville was fought on October 11, 1863, during Shelby's Great Raid, and saw General Joseph Shelby's troops engage Union forces in the city. When Federal reinforcements arrived the next day, the Confederates retreated westward. Fourth Battle of BoonvilleThe Fourth Battle of Boonville was fought on October 11, 1864 between Unionists and elements of General Sterling Price's Army of Missouri, who had occupied the town. This skirmish resulted in a Confederate victory, though Price's forces abandoned the city the following day. |