The Civil War's First Blood: Missouri, 1854-1861

THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED BY MISSOURI LIFE MAGAZINE AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI PRESS. This book explains the political atmosphere in Missouri prior to the Civil War and the war’s effects on Missourians throughout the first year of the tortuous struggle to determine the state’s allegiance. During the 1850s, as arguments over states’ rights and slavery escalated, Missouri became one of the most volatile regions in the nation. Friends, families, and neighbors often found themselves on opposite sides of the issues because of the strong ties Missouri had with both the North and the South. The authors introduce key political and military players—including Nathaniel Lyon, Sterling Price, Ulysses S. Grant—and explain military operations from the first battle at Boonville to the 1861 battles at Carthage, Wilson’s Creek, Athens, Lexington, and Belmont. Missouri soon came to epitomize the tragedy of the nation’s internecine struggle.