Missouri Civil War Articles

NUMBER 25

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:41:43 GMT

Callaway County dedicated an educational panel on October 22, 2011, and Williamsburg, Missouri, became "the Gateway to the Boone's Lick." HIghlights of the ceremony included a parachute jump and gorgeous October Missouri weather.

The panel, called the Gateway to the Boone's Lick, features stories of the old Boone's Lick Trail and some Southern boys who came from eastern Callaway County. It has been erected on old Highway 40, between the Crane General Store and Crane's Museum, thanks to the generosity of the Crane family. It is the fifth panel sponsored by Missouri's Civil War Heritage Foundation in Callaway County, and the twenty-fifth panel in the state. For more information about the Gray Ghosts Trail, click on the driving tours link at left.

COME SHARE THE “KINGDOM’S” 150th

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:10:30 GMT

From Kingdom of Callaway Civil War Heritage FULTON, Mo. — Located in the heart of Missouri’s “Little Dixie,” Callaway County and its county seat, Fulton, are rich in Civil War–era history — especially that of the first year of the war, 150 years ago. Today, Callaway’s informational panels are the heart of the Gray Ghosts Trail driving tour. In early 1861, the pro-Confederate Callaway Guards — including local Westminster College students, among them a future Missouri attorney general, Capt. Daniel H. McIntyre — were among the first wartime volunteers; and a July 17 skirmish near Fulton between about 1,000 Union and Southern troops occurred days before the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in Virginia. Callaway County is widely known as the “Kingdom of Callaway,” a nickname dating back to October 1861 when Southern volunteers under Col. Jefferson F. Jones went eyeball to eyeball with would-be invading Union militia and concluded a peace agreement. This October, a series of special local programs will commemorate that event and offer a superb opportunity to share in the Civil War heritage and modern hospitality of Callaway County. It all gets under way Friday, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m., when blue-gray re-enactors unveil a Civil War window display at the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society, 513 Court St. in Fulton. Guests can tarry for talks, music, refreshments and a tour of the museum’s exhibits. Other scheduled programs include: Saturday, Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m., Fulton, Fall Muster, Elijah Gates Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; Sunday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m., Kingdom City, Heart of Missouri Tourism Center, 15th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Cemetery of Col. Jefferson Jones; Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m., Williamsburg, Crane’s Museum, celebration of the community’s Civil War panel on the Gray Ghosts Trail, with talks, music, wagon rides, special food (the Boone’s Lick Road through Williamsburg carried early settlers westward and, during the war, soldiers and guerrillas); Thursday, Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m., Fulton, Historical Society’s Annual Meeting. The Web site www.callawaycivilwar.org includes a brochure/map to Callaway sites on the Gray Ghosts Trail. “The Kingdom Comes to Callaway,” a historic panel on the Gray Ghosts Trail in front of the Heart of Missouri Tourism Center in Kingdom City — seven miles north of Fulton at the junction of Interstate 70 and US 54 — is sited right along the sweep of the October 1861 drama. Either the tourism center or Fulton make excellent jumping-off points for Callaway adventures. For more information, call the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society, 573-642-0570. Ample accommodations exist in Kingdom City, Holts Summit and Fulton, which features two Victorian-era bed and breakfasts. Consult www.visitfulton.com or call the Heart of Missouri Tourism Center, (573) 642-7692; or the Kingdom of Callaway Chamber of Commerce, (573) 642-3055. (www.callawaychamber.com). The Gray Ghosts Trail in Callaway County is sponsored by Kingdom of Callaway Civil War Heritage, local affiliate of Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc.

BOONVILLE EVENT A WINNER

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:22:57 GMT

The nation's first full-scale battle reenactment of the sesquicentennial period went off without a hitch on June 17-19, 2011 in a field east of Boonville, Missouri. A violent storm the night of June 17 created some challenges - but the 700 or so reenactors who participated rose to the challenge of the storm and stifling heat that followed it. Organizers estimate that 10,000 spectators attended, watching the action as it unfolded on the same field where Union soldiers confronted a small contingent of Missouri State Guard troops 150 years ago.

CIVIL WAR COINS STOLEN

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:11:23 GMT

The Museum of Transport in St. Louis County is hosting a traveling exhibit called "Money of the U.S. Civil War," doing its part to help commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial. Saturday or Sunday (June 11-12), thieves made off with a silver dollar and five gold coins dating back between the 1840s through the 1860s. A photo of the coins appears at left. To the Civil War community: pass the word, please. The coins are the property of the American Numismatic Association. The Museum is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the coins. Call CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477.

CAMP JACKSON EVENT KICKS OFF SESQUICENTENNIAL IN THE WEST

Thu, 12 May 2011 02:35:30 GMT

The Civil War began in Missouri, and in the Trans-Mississippi west, on May 10, 1861. On that day, Union volunteers and regular Army troops surrounded the camp of the Missouri State Militia, and took the militia into custody. Variously described as an incident, an affair and a massacre, the Union action ended in gunfire and the deaths of twenty-eight people, most of them civilians.

A somber commemoration of the Camp Jackson incident was held on May 10, 2011, on the campus of St. Louis University, on the exact site of this watershed of Missouri history. Dr. Silana Siddali of the St. Louis University History Department, Member of the Missouri Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, officiated. The ceremony included an honor guard of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, as well as a moving tribute to the dead presented by SLU student Danny Commes.

Liberty Arsenal Events

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 20:08:02 GMT

In 1861 in Clay County, the raid on the Missouri Depot, also known as the Liberty Arsenal, was the first overt act of citizens of Missouri against the Federal government. This occurred just one week after the firing on Ft. Sumter. Col. Henry Routt commanded the forces that captured the arsenal. Major Nathaniel
Grant surrendered his post and the contents of the depot. The property taken consisted of three cannons, twelve iron guns, five caissons, two battery wagons, two forges and all the artillery and ammunition. The majority of the supplies were taken to Liberty and distributed to the minutemen of Clay County and surrounding border counties. Col. Routt’s ice house stored many of the arms and munitions. This observanceis the kickoff of the Civil War 150th Anniversary in Clay County, Missouri. The Clay County Millennium Historical Board, theClay County Historical Society and Museum, the Clay County Archives, the Native Sons & Daughters of Kansas City, and many interested citizens have partnered to recognize the significance of the Liberty Arsenal and other events during theCivil War in Clay County and the Kansas City metropolitan area.

On April 20 & April 23, 2011, planned events will commemorate the raid on the Liberty Arsenal, and will be held as close to the actual site of the arsenal as possible-near the intersection of highways 291 and old 210, just south of Liberty, MO. Please see our calendar of events for more information about them.

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE PANEL HONORS CIVIL WAR HEROES

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:54:31 GMT

FULTON, MO. — At an April 16 ceremony for a new historic informational panel at Westminster College, a pair of keynote speakers will address two kinds of Civil War heroes — the pro-Southern Missouri State Guard soldiers who marched off to war soon after Fort Sumter, and Callaway County slaves who became Union soldiers, thereby earning their freedom. It is the year’s first official Civil War Sesquicentennial event co-sponsored by Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc. (MCWHF). “War Comes to Westminster College” will be dedicated as part of the Gray Ghosts Trail driving tour during the College’s annual Alumni Weekend, at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 16, below the historic Columns in the 400 block of Westminster Avenue, south of the Churchill Memorial. In a ceremony featuring a Blue-Gray color guard, historian and author William E. Parrish will talk about the Callaway Guards, the first county company to go to war, and their Captain Daniel H. McIntyre, a senior student who distinguished himself in the war and was Missouri attorney general from 1881–1885. Now retired, Parrish is a former professor of history at Westminster.

U.S. Army Major General Byron S. Bagby will talk about Civil War heroism, with particular attention to the former slaves who became soldiers in the U.S. Colored Troops infantry regiments from Missouri. General Bagby is a Westminster College alumnus, Fulton native and a descendant of Callaway County slaves.

Both men will be introduced by College President Dr. George B. (Barney) Forsythe, himself a retired U.S. Army brigadier general. MCWHF President Greg Wolk will also speak. Prayers will be offered by College Chaplain Brad Sheppard and Dr. Arnold Parks, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church.

The fourth of seven panels on the Gray Ghosts Trail in Callaway County, this interpretive panel was financed through donations by Callaway County alumni of Westminster. The local panels are sponsored by the nonprofit Kingdom of Callaway Civil War Heritage, an affiliate of the MCWHF.

The color guard is being provided by compatriots and friends of the Elijah Gates Camp No. 570 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

BOONVILLE GETS ITS DUE

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 04:15:55 GMT

This weekend's Los Angeles Times, in its Travel section, features an article on Missouri's Civil War. Travel writer Catherine Watkins provides a vivid picture of Missouri's rich Civil War history, covering battles in Lexington, Kansas City and Springfield, but it is Boonville in the spotlight. To quote Watkins: "I was fondest of Boonville, a sweetly prosperous town of 6,800 on the south bank of the Missouri River, one of the few small towns in the country that still has its own daily newspaper."

Boonville will host the nation's first battle re-enactment of the Civil War sesquicentennial, on June 17, 2011. Boonville's Civil War Commemorative Commission, after two years of hard work, has put the town way out front of the rest of the state in promoting Missouri's Civil War heritage to tourists. California has noticed.

The Times story can be accessed at http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-missouriwar-20110410,0,382771.story?page=1

Battle of Centralia

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:47:17 GMT

The Battle of Centralia was fought on September 27, 1864, in a field 2 miles southeast of the town. Southern Partisans commanded by "Bloody Bill" Anderson met and destroyed a Union force under Maj. A.V.E. Johnson. The battle site is accessible to the public thanks to the Friends of the Centralia Battlefield.

Battle of Marshall Garners National Attention

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:09:43 GMT

Famed Battlefield Detective Douglas Scott performed a survey of a part of the battlefield at Marshall Missouri during the weekend of October 8 - 10, 2010. The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Department of Anthropology at Missouri Valley College, and co-sponsored by Three Rivers Systems, Inc. of St. Louis and Wood & Huston Bank of Marshall.

The area surveyed, north and east of Marshall, is thought to have been the scene of a cavalry charge during Shelby's 1863 Raid; some artifacts were located and are under study. It is likely that additional archaeologic work will be undertaken based on the preliminary results.

The Associated Press picked up the story of the dig and Marshall's battle on October 13, 1863. As was noted by AP correspondent Jim Shur, the Battle of Marshall "ended one of the divisive war’s most famous and longest raids." He has done his research, and Missouri's Joseph O. Shelby has gotten some of his due.

The Marshall Democrat-News provided full coverage, and has an excellent article posted at
http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1671615.html

CIVIL WAR IN CAMDEN COUNTY

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:35:21 GMT

Norine Albers 5/12/06 Source: Camden County Historian & Museum Archives 1974, 2000 Missouri Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc Missouri was known for years as the "outlaw" or "robber" state because of the existence and work of armed bands of outlaws. The original groups were the guerrillas who fought with no regard to the laws of war upon the Southern side in the state. The Missouri Civil War Heritage Foundation (www.missouricivilwar.org) states “Missouri was the scene of the Northern-most battle of the Civil War, the first Ironclads, the first battle of an African American regiment, the largest cavalry operation in American military history, and of unparalleled guerilla war.” The next portion of this article is stated directly from the joint venture of the Camden County Historical Society and the Camdenton School done in the 1974 Camden County Historian. The election of Lincoln led to the secession of seven Southern states. Among the four remaining slave states, Missouri was led into a long drawn out struggle between political forces to control the state. Claiborne F. Jackson (Dem.) was elected governor of Missouri. The legislature contained representatives of four parties: Southern Democrat, Conservative Unionists, Northern Democrat, and Republican. When the legislature met in December 1860, the major problem was Missouri's attitude toward slavery or the South. By February 1861, seven states had seceded. Retiring Governor Stewart in his final message came out decidedly against secession and said whatever other slave states did Missouri should remain in the Union. He maintained that the Union could be preserved if it was recognized that the obligations rested on the North to give adequate guarantees to the South that all the just rights of the states are observed. Claiborne F. Jackson, a Kentuckian, held that the Republican Party was committed to the abolition of slavery, urged that Missouri would stand by her sister slave-owning states--which meant that if the Union was destroyed, Missouri should go with the slave states of the South. Most members of the Legislature concurred in this opinion and wanted a convention to resolve the issue. The convention met in Jefferson City on February 28th with Sterling Price as president. Convention adjourned to St. Louis possibly because the secessionists were so strong in Jefferson City or because free quarters in the Mercantile Library and transportation were offered. On March 22nd the convention adjourned after stating clearly that at present Missouri had no reason to withdraw from the Union. On March 28th, the Legislature in Jefferson City adjourned with no provisions for raising or supporting the militia for state protection. The Osage Regiment was a regiment of Home Guards exclusively, and was never mustered into the United States Army, but was paid for its services by the government. It was organized at Linn Creek in May and June of 1861 under the command of Col. Joseph W. McClurg. It consisted of twelve companies. Of the companies composing this regiment, the following were raised and organized in Camden County: Capt. J.D. Hurst's organized at Linn Creek Capt. William Harrison's raised along the Niangua rivers Capt. Gilliland's raised in the northwestern part of the county Capt. James Wilson's raised principally on the Dry Glaize Capt. William A. Bradshaw's raised in the Far Eastern part Capt. Ben Jeffries' also raised in the eastern part of county Considering the small population of Camden County, the number of companies raised there for this regiment is conclusive evidence that is was one of the most loyal counties of the state. In August 1861, the regiment was stationed at Camp Union, near Brumley, in the western part of Miller County. After the battle of Wilson's Creek, where Gen. Lyon was killed, it fell back with the Union Army and went to Jefferson City, where it remained doing guard duty and scouting up and down the Missouri Pacific Railroad, until about October 1, when it was attached to the left wing of Fremont's army and moved to the southwest to near Lebanon in Laclede County. After this, it fell back again - this time under Gen. Hunter, Fremont's successor, and again went to Jefferson City where it remained until disbanded, between December 20th and 25th, 1861. The organization of the Eighth Calvary, Missouri State Militia was completed at Linn Creek, Mo., in May 1862. Here it remained until September, following, when it moved to Cane Creek, in Barry County, Mo., where it was brigaded with the Seventh Cavalry. Camden County’s important battle took place at what’s known as “Monday’s Hollow”. On the 13th day of October, 1861, a fight took place on the Wet Auglaize in Camden County, called Shanghai, (or Henrytown), (or Monday's Hollow) between companies A and C, of the Sixth Missouri (Federal) Cavalry, commanded by Captain T.A. Switzler, and a rebel force commanded by Major M. Johnson. The Union troops came suddenly upon the rebel outpost, captured it, and compelled the guard to reveal the situation of his comrades, where they were hiding in ambush, awaiting the passage of the Union troops. This was done without alarming the concealed enemy. By the aid of this knowledge the Federal troops were enabled to surprise and attack the enemy from the rear, so that those who planned received the surprise planned for the Federal troops. The result of the fight was killed; sixty-two Confederates and one Federal, and thirty-seven Confederates captured--a decided victory for the Union troops. Mass graves are reported to be located upon the old Bob Oursborn farm located near Monday's Hollow. Monday's Hollow was the farm owned by a pioneer family by the name of Monday. Located East of Stoutland on Highway H (about four or five miles) marks the old homestead. At present the Missouri Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc. is in the process of placing historical markers depicting the battle of Monday’s Hollow as part of the Gray Ghosts Trail of Missouri. Ceremonies for the first marker was placed at the Camden County Museum will be held the latter part of this summer. As part of the Congressional Record Joseph McClurg’s “sketch” in regard to the Civil War and the importance of the Home Guards reads (in his own words) “The organizations to which I particularly allude are the "Home Guards" or as they were known in some parts of the State, the "Reserve Corps". I have said these were among the most important military features of the war, not because of the extent or magnitude of their military service, or their military success in encounters with the enemy, but of the causes which led to the formation of these organizations, and the Spirit of loyalty and indomitable courage which animated them.” Joseph McClurg went on to three terms in the U.S. Congress. In 1866, McClurg was elected Governor of Missouri. During his administration he developed the Rolla School of Mines, the College of Agriculture, added state colleges at Kirksville and Warrensburg, and reduced Missouri’s debt. The “old governor” died at his daughter’s home in Lebanon in 1900, at the age of eighty-three. This area was called home to both Union and Confederate soldiers. According to a local family’s history their Grandfather was a soldier in the Confederate Army. Although, not a slave owner himself, he joined the Confederacy in 1861. He served under Generals Parsons and Frost. He was in the battles of Carthage, Wilson Creek, Lexington, Elk Horn Prairie and Prairie Grove. According to the National Archives, he was taken prisoner at Wilson Creek. He later related to his family how the Confederates attacked the Union forces in the early morning. He recalled a church (or schoolhouse) on a hill above Wilson Creek. The fallen, Colonel Lyon was laying nearby under a blanket. The Confederate looked under the blanket, but saw no visible wounds on the front of the body. When family visited the site (long before it was a state park) they said the area looked as it had been described. James wrote letters to Elizabeth (last names withheld) from 1863 to 1867 while he served in Company M, 3rd Missouri Volunteers. The romance progressed to the point of engagement but he never returned .his fate unknown. Four years later, Elizabeth married a local Camden County doctor. One of James’ letters read as follows: "Head Quarters, Department of the Missouri, St. Louis, May the 7th, 1863" "My dear and Loving Elizabeth. It is with uncommon joy and delight that I am, this bright and beautiful night, am permitted to once more seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to yours of the 27th of April which came to hand a few days ago and I never was so glad to hear from anyone in my life as it was to hear from you. I would have answered your letter before now, but I have had a spell of sickness and am at this time in the hospital, but I am fast gaining my former health and activity and I think that (when) this reaches you I will be able to return to my Company. Your kind and loving letter was a better medicine to me than any surgeons could administer to me. You have made me happy indeed by frankly confessing your love to me in your letter. I now know that you love me and you write that if you knew that I loved you half as well as you love me that you would be happy. Think not no more that I do not love you. You have gained my affections. Love is imprinted in my heart you are all my thought and mind rests upon while in my lonely hours. I humbly beg you not to doubt my love and affections toward you. Think not that I will abandon you and fall in love with some lady of this city. How do you think that I could abandon you and love another nor never, never while life lasts never can I forget you. My love is sealed and I am your love forever. And I truly hope that there may never ought exist between us and I have no idea there ever will if you are as true to me as I will be to you. So I will have (to) close my letter by requesting you to write to me as soon as you get this letter. ___ ___ only remain your true and affectionate love until death." ……From James To Elizabeth." There is much to be said and much to be learned in regard to the effects of the Civil War in Missouri, especially in Camden County. A younger Joseph McClurg was recently discovered among Draper-McClurg Family papers Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation, Inc 2006 Medallion

MISSOURI VALLEY COLLGE DIGS IT

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:34:33 GMT

College Brings World Renowned Archaeologist to Battlefield in Marshall, Missouri

ST. LOUIS, MO. October 1, 2010 – Dr. Douglas Scott of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln will lead a team of archaeologists in an attempt to uncover evidence pinpointing the scene of a final cavalry charge of the October 13, 1863 Battle of Marshall, which spelled the end of the battle, as well as Confederate General Joseph O. Shelby's great 1863 Raid in Missouri. The archaeology event will take place Oct. 8-10 north and east of the town of Marshall.

The event represents a collaborative effort between Scott’s team and Missouri Valley College’s Department of Anthropology, and is co-sponsored by Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation, Wood & Huston Bank of Marshall, and Three Rivers Systems, Inc., an academic management software company in St. Louis.

Also involved in the survey is Dr. Steve Dasovich of Lindenwood University in St. Charles. Professional archaeologists and volunteers from Purdue University, and from St. Louis and Arkansas, will descend on Marshall to see what artifacts the land will give up. Among those participating is an archaeology student from Leicester University in England.

"This is a great opportunity for our program and for our students to gain relevant field experience," said Peter Warnock, assistant professor of anthropology. "Dr. Scott is very knowledgeable in the diverse field of anthropology. Learning from an industry professional will provide valuable insight and understanding for our students."

- Peter Warnock, Ph.D.

Dr. Scott is considered to be one of the founders of the field of battlefield archaeology, beginning with groundbreaking work he performed at the Little Big Horn Battlefield in the 1980s, while employed by the National Park Service. Dr. Scott has developed forensic techniques that he has exhibited on the History Channel, at the National Archives and in lecture halls in places as far away as England, Scotland and Germany.

Shelby’s 1863 Raid proved to be the longest cavalry raid in U. S. military history.

About Missouri Valley College:

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 40 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and 13 sports. The most popular majors include education and business, and the newest majors are nursing, graphic design, dance, and hospitality/tourism management. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu

BOOK HIGHLIGHTS SOUTHWEST MONUMENTS

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:02:46 GMT

An important new book, published by the Springfield Daughters of Union Veterans, Mary Whitney Phelps Tent No. 22, was recently released. The book covers all of the Civil War monuments and memorials in 24 counties in southwest Missouri. The book is available through Phelps' Tent website at http://duvmissouritent22.org.

Lt. Col. J. Felix St. James Civil War Camp 326 to Participate in Rural Heritage Days

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:52:37 GMT

The Lt. Col. J. Felix St. James Civil War Camp Ladies Auxiliary Camp 326 will celebrate Rural Heritage Days with Ste. Genevieve. The camp will be set up in Lions Park located in downtown Historic Ste. Genevieve. The Camp will have Civil War projects and artifacts on display, along with wooden rifles to teach children drill movements. The Ladies Auxiliary will be present in period clothing to help display artifacts. The 2nd Annual Rural Heritage Days celebrates rural life in the time period between 1860 through 1960 featuring all aspects of rural life. This celebration is family friendly and provides children an opportunity to personally experience what life was like during this time period. This period encompasses the Civil War in Missouri along with the German influence beginning in this French Historic Town. Ste. Genevieve is the oldest town in Missouri, dating back to the late 1740's. Originally settled by French Canadians, the land known as the Illinois country changed hands several times before purchased by the United States as a part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Rural Heritage Days will take place in Historic Ste. Genevieve on Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 9am – 4pm. The Civil War encampment will be available throughout the entire day. For more information, please contact The Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center at 800-373-7007.

FULTON DEDICATES PANEL IN HOCKADAY PARK

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:50:58 GMT

On Saturday, September 11, 2010, Fulton commemorated the 135th anniversary of a visit to the city by former Confederate Presidend Jefferson Davis, by dedicating an educational panel in Fulton's Hockaday Park. The is Callaway County's second panel on the Gray Ghosts Trail. The panel was made possible by a grant from the Fulton Heritage Trust, Inc. The Elijah Gates Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, were instrumental in producing the event and its members served in the color guard.

The featured speaker for the event was Missouri Historic Preservation Office head Mark Miles, who extolled the Gray Ghosts Trail project that is under way in central Missouri under the sponsorship of Missouri's Civil War Heritage Foundation.

Cut and paste this link in your browser for more information:

http://www.fultonsun.com/articles/2010/09/14/news/192news01.txt

LEMAY FINDS ITS CIVIL WAR HERITAGE

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:01:10 GMT

The St. Louis County Economic Council and the St. Louis County Port Authority announced grants on Thursday, September 2, 2010, for a variety of neighorhood improvements to the Lemay area. The single largest grant was to the Missouri Civil War Museum, which is being developed at Jefferson Barracks. The Museum, which is billed as the largest in Missouri devoted entirely to Civil War, and one of the ten largest in the nation, is slated to open in time for the 150th anniversary of the firing on Ft. Sumter, April 12, 2011. Also receiving awards was theJefferson Barracks Heritage Foundation, for a feasibility study for a Ulysses Grant museum on the parade ground of Jefferson Barracks, and Missouri's Civil War Heritage Foundation. MCWHF's grant will be used to enhance its interpretive marker program in St. Louis County, which will form the basis of its U. S. Grant driving trail in the area. September 2 was a great day for Civil War enthusiasts throughout Missouri.

HISTORIC HOME ON THE AUCTION BLOCK

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:10:19 GMT

The former home of Missouri legislator Sylvester Baker, known as the Baker Plantation House, is being auctioned on October 18, 2010. This is a no reserve, no minimum bid auction. The event presents an opportunity for a buyer who wants a site with excellent visibility and who appreciates our Missouri Civil War history.

The Baker House played a prominent role during Bill Anderson's October 14, 1864 raid on the town of Danville. The town, and the Anderson House, sits smack on Interstate 70 in Montgomery County. The House is 3/4 mile east of Exit 170 on the north outer road. Anderson's guerrillas tried to burn the house during the Danville Raid, and as a result there is a burn mark on the parlor floor. As the tale goes, one of the men in Anderson's band returned to the house to help Mrs. Baker douse the flames. What Virginia wouldn't do with a place like this.

A side building that was once a book and souvenir store has full facilities. The historic home, and side building, are quite suitable for an antique business, as one example. The Baker House forms part of a small but significant historic core of buildings that survived the near-total destruction of Danville when Anderson paid his visit. The Danville Female Academy stands just up the road.

The property may be viewed on September 18. For more details, see the website of the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation, at http://preservemo.org/properties.html

BOONVILLE RE-ENACTMENT TO BE A "MAXIMUM EFFORT"

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:08:11 GMT

Make plans now to join the Boonville Civil War Commemorative Commission, Boonville Tourism Commission, and the Collins Battery B for the 150th anniversary commemoration of the First Battle of Boonville, June 17-19, 2011. Fought on June 17, 1861, this battle occurred before the First Battle of Bull Run in Virginia (July 21, 1861) and insured that the state of Missouri and the Missouri River would remain under Union control. The site of the reenactment battle will be the Dr. Willard Avery farm on Rocheport Road, just east of the Boonville city limits, and the location of the original Civil War battle. This turning point battle, although short in duration, also provided that vital human, agricultural and mineral resources would not come under the control of the Confederate South. August 21, 2010, the Missouri Civil War Reenactors’ Association voted the reenactment of the First Battle of Boonville a Maximum Effort Event. The MCWRA (Missouri Civil War Reenactors' Association) was organized in 1981 by reenactors who saw the need to set up a structured organization in response to the growing number of reenactors portraying the history of our country from 1861-1865, and to better serve potential sponsors wanting to have living history events. Since its inception, the MCWRA has been incorporated in the state of Missouri as a non-profit corporation. The association is guided by a set of rules and by-laws and is governed by a Board of Directors, and policies are voted upon by the general membership. The Boonville reenactment will include exhibits, authentic crafts, blacksmith, medical and cooking demonstrations, as well as Civil War period music and a Sunday church service. The event is hosted by Collins Battery B (C.S) of Jefferson City, Mo. Dr. Doug Scott, archaeologist from the University of Nebraska, will host a one-hour seminar on the artifacts that have been uncovered at the 1st Battle of Boonville site. Civil War expert Bill Parry will also host one-hour seminar as well. General Marmaduke will also make an appearance to describe the battle. The crowning event of the weekend will be a “night firing” demonstration on Saturday, June 18. A year-long schedule of Civil War events, beginning June 17, 2010 with the dedication of the first Civil War information panel in Boonville, will preclude the reenactment in June, 2011. For more information, contact Commission Co-Chairs Barbara Holtzclaw (660-537-3776), Deborah Marshall (660-882-5335) or Dr. Maryellen McVicker (660-621-2105). To participate as a re-enactor in this event, contact Lou Dunlap (1-816-320-2585) or Dick Peterson (1-573-659-6989) of Collins Battery B.

GRANT AND LEE COME TO CARTHAGE

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:06:19 GMT

The Powers Museum of Carthage, Missouri, is hosting the traveling exhibit "Grant and Lee," starting on September 1 and running through October 20, 2010. The exhibition will serve as the City of Carthage’s official kick-off to its commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial which will continue into 2011 with several special events and activities throughout the following year. The exhibit was originally assembled by the Virginia HIstorical Society, and is touring the country courtesy of the National Endowment for the Humanities and Mid-America Arts Alliance. The Museum is located at 1617 West Oak Street in Carthage.

CIVIL WAR ON MISSOURI'S RAILROADS

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:46:11 GMT

[July 16, 2010]

Civil War on Missouri’s Railroads

City of Pacific to Unveil First Marker on U.S. Grant Trail

PACIFIC, MO. July 16, 2010 – On Saturday, July 24, 2010, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., the City of Pacific, Missouri is hosting an event to highlight its role in Missouri’s Civil War. Pacific is an important rail center that straddles Franklin County and St. Louis County, on Interstate 44 thirty miles southwest of St. Louis.

The event is the dedication of an educational sign that describes the Civil War heritage of the city, specifically as it relates to the war that was fought on the railroads that radiate from there. The educational sign also contains a description of medical innovations in the early days of the Civil War. Pacific was the site of an important military hospital.

The dedication ceremony is at the Pacific Station Plaza, First and Orleans Streets. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with a BBQ fundraiser. The dedication ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. Proceeds from the BBQ will go toward the purchase of a replica Civil War cannon to be placed in Pacific's Blackburn Park. Zach Myers, a local 14-year-old, is coordinating the cannon fundraising effort as his Eagle Scout project.

"Pacific is proud of its railroad history. We are proud as well that our railroads played an important part in Missouri's Civil War history."

-Sheila Steelman, Pacific Community Development Director

Civil War Re-enactors will participate in the ceremony, which will be capped by a cannon barrage courtesy of the First Missouri Light Artillery.

About Pacific Tourism:

The City of Pacific is known as the Gateway to the Ozarks. This charming city with a proud railroad heritage is located on historic Route 66. Nearby attractions include Six Flags St. Louis, Purina Farms and the Shaw Nature Reserve. Pacific is the site of the only Civil War battle that occurred in St. Louis County.

About Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation:

A 501(c)(3) educational organization, MCWHF was founded in 2001 to assist Missouri communities in interpreting and preserving their important Civil War heritage sites, and in marketing Missouri’s vast Civil War resources to visitors who will be traveling during the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War.

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For more information:

Vanessa Irby, Marketing Associate

www.mocivilwar.org

Email: members@mocivilwar.org

877-221-3133

MISSOURI CELEBRATES U. S. GRANT

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:35:28 GMT

Missouri Celebrates U. S. Grant

Civil War General and President died 125 years ago this month.

This July 23 is the 125^th anniversary of the death of General and President Ulysses S. Grant. His adopted home state is making plans to commemorate his passing. Grant lived in St. Louis before and after the Civil War, and his early Civil War career was concentrated in Missouri.

A driving trail to highlight Grant’s connections to Missouri is being spearheaded by Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation. The first leg of the trail will cross south St. Louis County, connecting Pacific (which is partly in Franklin County) with historic Jefferson Barracks. Among attractions to be featured on the trail are St. Louis County’s Museum of Transport, the Father Dickson Cemetery in Crestwood, the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site and the heritage areas at Jefferson Barracks. Efforts have begun at Jefferson Barracks to establish a U. S. Grant Presidential Study Center, and the Missouri Civil War Museum is set to open there in time for the 2011 sesquicentennial of the Civil War.

The U. S. Grant Trail will be inaugurated in Pacific, Missouri on Saturday, July 24, 2010. Pacific is dedicating an educational marker to commemorate its Civil War history, in ceremonies at the Pacific Station Plaza, First and Orleans Streets. Although General Grant visited Pacific only fleetingly in 1861, Pacific (on Interstate 44 in St. Louis’ west suburbs) is seen as a crucial junction point to bring the driving trail into the St. Louis area and to promote all of St. Louis’ Civil War resources. The city is the site of the only Civil War battle that occurred in St. Louis County.

“Pacific has the foresight to realize that tourism and historic preservation go hand in hand, and to know that tourists will get off that highway to see a Civil War battlefield,” said Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation president Greg Wolk. All of St. Louis will benefit by the attention the U. S. Grant Trail will bring, Wolk added.

Other Ulysses Grant events scheduled for July 24 will occur at the Ulysses S. Grant historical site, Gravois Road and Grant Road near Grant’s Farm in St. Louis County and at Ironton, Missouri. At the Grant NHS, the US Grant Camp #68 of the Sons of Union Veterans will hold a ceremony at 10:00 a.m. including Color Guard and an exhibit that discusses Grant's death and the construction of his tomb in New York City will be featured. Meanwhile, in Ironton, 90 miles south of Jefferson Barracks via Missouri Highway 21, Grant fans will rededicate a monument, erected shortly after Grant’s death, which marks the place he received his commission as a brigadier general in 1861. The Ironton event starts at 2:00 p.m. at the Ste. Marie du Lac church.

About Missouri’s Civil War Heritage Foundation:

For more information:

Vanessa Irby, Marketing Associate

members@mocivilwar.org

877-221-3133

STE. GENEVIEVE CIVIL WAR CAMP

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:19:56 GMT

The Lt. Col. J. Felix St. James Camp #326 and Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War are sponsoring the Civil War Living History and reenactment of August 15, 1861 Civil War event in Ste. Genevieve, MO. The encampment will be located at the Moses Austin Park in Ste. Genevieve, MO, July 10th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and July 11 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. There will be over sixty reenactors giving demonstrations and answering questions about camp life during the Civil War. Participating Union Regiments include: 1st Missouri Hospital Brigade, 5th Missouri Calvarly, 17th Missouri Infantry and the Cape Girardeau Artillery. Participating Confederate Regiments include the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery and 9th Missouri Sharpshooter Battalion. Saturday's events will include a reenactment of the bank robbery of the Merchant's Bank at 1:00 pm. Both days will include a Ladies Fashion Show. For more information, please contact Gary Scheel by email somehwere1@sbcglobal.net. More information may also be found at www.suvcw326.org.

PUMP STATION PANEL PART OF THE GRAY GHOST TRAIL

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:47:50 GMT

Boonville will kick off a year long commemoration with Mayor Julie Thacher signing a proclamation and unveiling the first Civil War interpretative panel on Thursday, June 17 at 10 AM at the Pump Station on Main Street west of Wal-Mart. In case of rain, the event will be moved to City Hall and we will unveil the panel in absentia. This panel is one of many to be part of the Gray Ghost's Trail and Boonville's own in-town driving trail.

ANNUAL BUSHWHACKER DAYS IN NEVADA

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:48:05 GMT

The annual Bushwhacker Days is being held this weekend in Nevada, Missouri. On Friday, June 11, officials will dedicate an educational panel titled "The Burning of Nevada," made possible by grants from the Metz Banking Company and Nevada Tourism.

BLUE AND GRAY UNITE TO HONOR BLACK SOLDIER

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:39:01 GMT

On Sunday, April 25, 2010 at the Elmwood Cemetery in Mexico, MO at 2pm, there will be a ceremony for Cpl. Walker Lillard of the 68th U. S. Colored Infantry Regiment. This is a "Blue-Gray" dedication of the marker for an African-American soldier. The ceremony will begin with a Blue-Gray Color Guard, whom are all descendants of Union and Confederate soldiers, members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans or the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civill war or with the 2nd Missionary Baptist Church, a historically black church in Mexico. There will also be a flag presentation to Cpl Walker LIllard, USCT's descendants. We don't think there's ever been a ceremony like this in Missouri. This special united event is sponsored by the Audrain County Genealogical Society, Elijah Gates Camp No. 570 Sons of Confederate Veterans, 2nd Missionary Baptist Church of Mexico, and Tiger Campt No. 432/Gen Alexander S. Asboth Camp No. 5 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.