Battle of Wilson's Creek
Wilson's Creek, near Springfield, Missouri, USA
What happened
Union troops under General Nathaniel Lyon and Franz Sigel fought Confederate and Missouri State Guard forces under Sterling Price and Ben McCulloch. The battle was fought on Wilson Creek, about 10 miles south-west of Springfield. Lyon attacked the Confederate camp in two columns, but Sigel's column was driven back. Lyon fell, and his exhausted troops, short of ammunition, retreated to Springfield.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the first major battle west of the Mississippi River and gave the Confederates control of south-western Missouri for a time. Lyon was the first Union general to die in battle in the war.
What came next
The Union army withdrew to Rolla. The Confederates were defeated at Pea Ridge the next spring and never seriously threatened Missouri again.
Did you know?
Lyon is said to have scouted a militia camp before the war disguised as an old woman in a carriage.
Timeline
- 17 June 1861Lyon wins at Boonville.
- 10 August 1861The Confederates win at Wilson's Creek.
- 20 September 1861The First Battle of Lexington ends.
- 7-8 March 1862The Union wins at Pea Ridge.