Upon completion of this activity the student will be able to:

1. identify and discuss the choices, and their possible results, civilians and soldiers made in Missouri in response to the Civil War and the Battle of Wilson's Creek.

MATERIALS NEEDED: Elkins's "The Battle,", and Huff's "The Struggle for Missouri," in the HARD TIMES/HARD WAR high school packet, will provide some historical background. See also the OFFICIAL MAP AND GUIDE for Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. August Klapp's The Ray House contains information about the John Ray family. Feel free to copy any of these materials as necessary.

Part One:

Please list and briefly discuss the choices the following individuals and groups made or might have made because of the Battle of Wilson's Creek and the Civil War in Missouri.

1. The John Ray family:

2. Local doctors:

3. Other families in the vicinity of the Battle of Wilson's Creek:

4. Male civilians living in southern Missouri:

5. Women living in southern Missouri:

6. General Nathaniel Lyon:

7. Soldiers on both sides who fought at Wilson's Creek:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

1. The Ray family did not leave their home during the battle. While the family took shelter in their cellar, some have said that John Ray sat on his front porch and watched the fighting on Bloody Hill. Perhaps--but we do know that the Ray House was used as a medical facility during and after the battle, and that the Ray family did not leave the area. Even though John Ray was a Federal employee (U.S. Postmaster), his family tended to wounded Rebels for days, even weeks, after the battle. And, unlike many other local families who were loyal to the Union, the Ray family did not flee the area when Union forces retreated to St. Louis. The Ray family remained on their farm throughout the balance of the war and John Ray remained a loyal Unionist.

2. Local doctors, such as Dr. Beverly Barrett of Springfield, helped treat the many wounded on both sides regardless of their political views.

3. As you can tell from Activity Two above, there were several families living on or near Wilson's Creek at the start of the battle. Despite little warning of what was about to happen, many of them fled their homes and fields once the fighting began. Because of the damage done to their property and the stench of death that permeated the entire area, joined with the retreat of Union forces to Rolla and then St. Louis, after the battle many of these families chose to leave the area. Others remained and did what they could to help with the wounded.

4. After the bloodshed at Wilson's Creek and bitterness and violence so common to guerrilla warfare, men who had wanted to remain neutral at the beginning of the Civil War found it increasingly difficult to do so. Most chose sides and fought, either for regular military units or guerrilla bands. Others left the area and moved to safer places.

5. As Michael Fellman suggests in his book Inside War, because of the nature of civil and guerrilla warfare women "were compelled to be full participants in the war." Many refused to leave this area. Instead, they ran farms and businesses while their men were gone to fight the war. They also chose to encourage the men in their lives either to keep up their fight or avoid military service in keeping with their personal beliefs.

6. In the days and weeks before the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Lyon made numerous choices that affected the lives of tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers. Unlike many others, however, Lyon's decisions were consistent; almost fanatically loyal to the Union, he dedicated his life to its preservation. Lyon chose to stand and fight at Wilson's Creek despite being outnumbered. If not for this choice, there might not have been a Battle of Wilson's Creek.

7. During the battle thousands of men chose to stand and fight despite the roar of battle, the cries of the wounded, and the stifling heat. Most would continue to fight for regular army units throughout the war, many unto their deaths. Others, like William Quantrill and Frank James, chose after the battle to serve in smaller guerrilla units in order to avoid the destruction of major battles. A few deserted to avoid combat.

Part Two (Results/Consequences):

1. over 500 were killed outright or died from their wounds.

2. over 1800 were wounded, many of them severely. They lost legs, arms, eyes, and more.

3. those that survived the battle would have few illusions about the "glory" of war. As a result, they would know fear every time they went into battle thereafter, a fear they would have to overcome each time they fought.

4. many would survive the battle but never be the same again: they would become grimmer, more serious. Others would carry emotional scars with them for the rest of their lives.

5. many would learn valuable lessons from their experience at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Hundreds of them would serve as leaders in later battles.

6. some would become more callous to human suffering and death.