WILSON'S CREEK NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

MISSOURI

On August 10, 1861, the second land battle of the Civil War was fought among the rolling hills and farm fields along Wilson’s Creek, a small stream in southwest Missouri. The fight was considered a Confederate victory--Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon had been killed and the Northern army was in retreat. The Southerners occupied Springfield without resistance. The bloody battle gave hope to the Southerners that their bid for placing Missouri in the Confederacy would be successful. It also gave the Unionists greater resolve to prevent Missouri’s loss to the Confederacy. The battle was pivotal in determining the fate of the most populous state west of the Mississippi River in the early months of the Civil War.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield was established on April 22, 1960, to commemorate the Battle of Wilson’s Creek and to preserve the associated battlefield.

DID YOU KNOW

• As with other Civil War battlefields, Wilson’s Creek is also known by other names. Following the battle, Northerners called it the battle at "Springfield" as the town was only 12 miles away. Southerners called it the battle of “Oak Hills” owing to the terrain. After the 1863 battle at Springfield, Missouri, the name “Wilson’s Creek” became standard in the north for the earlier engagement.
• The battlefield is considered to be one of the best preserved within the National Park Service. The 1,750-acre site encompasses about 75% of the battle lines.
• The new Hulston Civil War Research Library was dedicated on April 5, 2003. The 8,200-square-foot facility is the largest of its kind in the National Park System with more than 6,500 bound volumes, dozens of microfilm records, maps and document files. The facility includes a multi-purpose education room, additional exhibits and offices. The library is a result of a fund-raising partnership with the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation.
• Battle casualties at Wilson’s Creek were heavy on both sides. The Union losses were 1,317 out of 5,400 engaged (25%). Southern losses were 1,222 of 10,125 (14%) involved in the battle. Lyon became the first general officer for the north to be killed in action, and an instant martyr for the Northern cause.
• The forces opposing Lyon were a "coalition army" consisting of Missouri State troops (the Missouri State Guard) under Major General Sterling Price, Arkansas State forces under Brigadier General N. Bart Pierce, and Confederate troops under Brigadier General Ben McCulloch. McCulloch was selected as overall commander days before the battle.

DON'T MISS ATTRACTIONS

• The visitor center contains exhibits, an orientation film, souvenir shop and lighted troop-movement map and the Hulston Library.
• A five-mile tour road allows visitors to experience the battlefield up close.
• The John Ray House is the only surviving residence from 1861. Built in 1850, it was used as a field hospital by the Southerners following the battle. General Lyon’s body was taken there when it was discovered on the field after the fighting was over. The house has been restored and partially furnished. It is open for tours when volunteers are available.
• The General Sweeny’s Museum of Civil War History is located adjacent to the entrance to the battlefield. A private museum, it contains thousands of objects relating to the Civil War, with an emphasis on the war in the trans-Mississippi West. Two of the five Medals of Honor awarded to Wilson’s Creek battle participants are on display. The museum is open March through October.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRIORITIES

A General Management Plan for the battlefield was approved in 2003 to provide direction for the long-term management of the site. The battlefield is located in heart of the fastest growing section of Missouri. As with Civil War battlefields in the east, concerns exist over the threats created by encroaching urban development, highways and increasing recreational use of the battlefield for activities such as horse riding, running and bicycle racing.

The GMP identifies six tracts of land for addition to the battlefield, including the Sweeney Museum property. In 2002, the Sweeney Family approached the National Park Service about acquiring their outstanding museum collection, 20 acres of land and buildings. Efforts are underway to preserve this one-of-a-kind Civil War collection.

A long-standing management priority has been restoration of the battlefield to its 1861 appearance. A Cultural Landscape Management Plan is in its final stages to provide direction to this effort.

On May 4, 2003, a series of tornados struck southwest Missouri. One tornado crossed the southern portion of the battlefield destroying 120 acres of mature hardwoods. Funding has been requested to clean up the damage which will leave a scar across the battlefield for many years to come.

A conservation easement through the Ozark Greenways Land Trust Committee, in cooperation with the National Resources Conservation Service, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation and the park was signed on November 24 with Mr. Bill Kary, a local landowner. This will protect 102 acres under the Farmland Protection Program. Much of the affected land protects the view-shed along the south boundary of the battlefield.

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LINKS:

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield»

Partnering & Managing for Excellence Report»

Previously Featured Parks»