Nathaniel Lyon

Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict. Brig. ... Brig. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... A General is an officer of high military rank. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert Edward Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Lyon is a controversial figure in American history. Some credit his quick action and hard line Unionism for stopping the Missouri secession movement. Others question his influence peddling and his role in events such as the St. Louis Massacre, which inflamed many Missourians on the secession issue (See Missouri secession.) The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The St. ... The Missouri Secession controversy refers to the disputed status of the state of Missouri during the American Civil War. ...

Early life and career

Lyon was born on a farm in Ashford, Connecticut, son of Amasa and Kezia Knowlton Lyon.^[1] As a boy he hated farming. His relatives had fought in the American Revolutionary War and he was determined to follow in their footsteps. In 1837 he applied to the United States Military Academy and graduated eleventh in his class of 52 cadets in 1841. Ashford is a town located in Windham County, Connecticut. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, The Netherlands, Spain, American Indians Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, American Indians Canadian Indians Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene, Bernardo de Gálvez Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the... The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, or simply USMA (or Army, for NCAA purposes), is a United States Army fort and military academy. ...

He was assigned to the 2nd U.S. Infantry regiment after graduation and served with them in the Seminole Wars and the Mexican-American War. Despite denouncing American involvement in the Mexican War,^[2] he was promoted to first lieutenant for "conspicuous bravery in capturing enemy artillery" at the Battle for Mexico City and received a brevet promotion to captain for Contreras and Churubusco. He was then posted to the frontier, where he participated in the massacre of Pomo Native Americans at Clear Lake, California, the 1850 "Bloody Island Massacre.^[3] After being reassigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, Lyon became a staunch abolitionist^[4] and Republican (with ties to prominent Radical Republicans) while serving in the border wars known as "Bleeding Kansas." In January 1861, he wrote about the secession crisis, "It is no longer useful to appeal to reason, but to the sword."^[1] Osceola, Seminole leader, detail from an 1838 lithograph The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three wars or conflicts in Florida between the Seminole Native American tribe and the United States. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia Strength 7,000 - 43,000 18,000 - 40,000 Casualties KIA: 1,733 Total dead: 13,283 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 killed or wounded (Mexican government... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Winfield Scott Antonio López de Santa Anna Strength 7,200 16,000 Casualties 1,651 4,500 The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847 in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the... In the US military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Winfield Scott Antonio López de Santa Anna Gabriel Valencia Strength 8,500 20,000 Casualties 60 killed and wounded 700 killed 843 surrendered Gen Frontera dead Gen Salas, Nicolas Mendoza captured The Battle of Contreras (also known, particularly in Mexico, as the Battle of... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Winfield Scott Antonio López de Santa Anna Manuel Rincón Strength 8,497 2,641 Casualties 133 killed 865 wounded 998 total total 263 dead 1,261 captured Gens Rincon & Anaya captured The Battles of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the... Pomo girl photographed by Edward S. Curtis in 1924. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... Clear Lake is the largest (by area) freshwater lake wholly in California. ... It has been suggested that Califas be merged into this article or section. ... Fort Riley is a United States Army installation in northeastern Kansas, near Manhattan and Junction City. ... This article is about the abolition of slavery. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... Radical Republicans were certain Republicans in Congress and other federal and state leaders during the American Civil War and Reconstruction eras in U.S. history. ... Division of the states during the Civil War:  Union states  Union territories  Border states  Bleeding Kansas  The Confederacy  Confederate territories (not always held) Bleeding Kansas, sometimes referred to in the history of Kansas as Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a sequence of violent events involving Free-Staters (anti...

St. Louis arsenal

In March 1861, Lyon arrived in St. Louis in command of Company D of the 2nd U.S. Infantry. At the time the state of Missouri was relatively neutral in the dispute between North and South, but Governor Claiborne F. Jackson was a strong Southern sympathizer. Lyon was concerned that Blair meant to seize the federal arsenal in St. Louis if the state seceded and that the Union had insufficient defensive forces to prevent the seizure. He attempted to strengthen the defenses, but came into opposition from his superiors, including Brig. Gen. William S. Harney of the Department of the West. Lyon employed his friendship with Francis P. Blair, Jr., to have himself named commander of the arsenal. When the Civil War broke out and President Abraham Lincoln called for troops to put down the Confederacy, Missouri was asked to supply four regiments. Governor Jackson refused the request and ordered the Missouri State Guard to muster outside St. Louis under the stated purpose of training for home defense.^[1] Nickname: Gateway City, Gateway to the West, or Mound City Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: Country United States State Missouri County Independent City Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area    - City 66. ... Claiborne Fox Jackson (1806 - 1862) was the governor of Missouri from 1860 to 1861. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... William Selby Harney (22 August 1800 - 9 May 1889) was a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War and the Indian Wars. ... The Department of the West, later known as the Western Department, was a major command (Department) of the United States Army during the 19th century. ... Francis Preston Blair, Jr. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was an American politician who served as the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (April 3–April 10, 1865) Largest city New Orleans... The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a state militia unit organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. ...

Lyon disguised himself as a farm woman to spy on the State Guard's camp and discovered that Jackson planned to seize the arsenal for Missouri troops. Lyon himself had been extensively involved in the St. Louis Wide Awakes, a pro-union paramilitary organization that he intended to arm from the arsenal and muster into the ranks of the federal army. Upon obtaining command of the arsenal, Lyon armed the Wide Awake units under guise of night. Lyon had most of the weapons in the arsenal secretly moved to Illinois and on May 10 he led the 2nd U.S. Infantry to the camp, forcing its surrender. Riots broke out in St. Louis after Lyon marched his prisoners through the city. The event provoked the St. Louis Massacre of May 10, 1861, in which Lyons' troops opened fire on a crowd of civilians injuring at least 90 and killing 28.^[1] He was nonetheless promoted to brigadier general^[5] and given command over the Union troops in Missouri, replacing Harney in the Department of the West on April 23. He assumed command of the Army of the West on July 2.^[6] The Wide Awakes were a paramilitary organization affiliated with the Republican Party during the 1860 election and American Civil War. ... A paramilitary organization is a group of civilians trained and organised in a military fashion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... The St. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ... The Army of the West, a unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War, was created on Jan 29, 1862. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ...

In June, after meeting personally with Jackson in a futile attempt to resolve their differences, Lyon moved up the Missouri River and captured the state capital at Jefferson City on June 13. The elected Missouri State Government, under the guard of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price and the Missouri State Guard, retreated to the southwest. Lyon installed a pro-Union state government in its place and removed the state's attorney general, J. Proctor Knott, a Unionist who had stayed behind. Lyon reinforced his army before moving southwest as well.^[1] The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... Alternate uses: see Jefferson City (disambiguation). ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... General Price Sterling Old Pap Price (September 20, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an antebellum politician from the U.S. state of Missouri and a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. ... James Proctor Knott (1830 - June 18, 1911) was the Attorney General of Missouri at the outset of the American Civil War and Governor of Kentucky from 1883 to 1887. ...

Battle of Wilson's Creek

Nathaniel Lyon, lithograph possibly depicting the Battle of Wilson's Creek.

By July 13, Lyon was encamped at Springfield, Missouri, with about 6,000 Union soldiers. The Missouri State Guard, about 75 miles southwest of Lyon and under the command of Price, met with troops under Brig. Gen. Benjamin McCulloch near the end of July. The combined Confederate forces numbered about 12,000, formed plans to attack Springfield, and marched northeast on July 31.^[7] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1072x1536, 483 KB) TITLE: Nathl. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1072x1536, 483 KB) TITLE: Nathl. ... Combatants United States of America State of Missouri Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Lyon Samuel D. Sturgis Franz Sigel Sterling Price Ben McCulloch Strength Army of the West Missouri State Guard and McCulloch’s Brigade Casualties 1,235 1,095 The Battle of Wilsons Creek, also known as... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... Springfield is the third largest city in Missouri. ... Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811–March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, Texas Ranger, U.S. marshal, and brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ...

The armies met at dawn a few miles south of Springfield on the morning of August 10 in the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Lyon, who had already been wounded twice in the fighting, was shot in the head, leg, and chest^[6] and killed while dramatically rallying his badly outnumbered men. Although the Union Army was defeated at Wilson's Creek, Lyon's quick action neutralized the effectiveness of pro-Southern forces in Missouri, allowing Union forces to secure the state.^[1] August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Combatants United States of America State of Missouri Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Lyon Samuel D. Sturgis Franz Sigel Sterling Price Ben McCulloch Strength Army of the West Missouri State Guard and McCulloch’s Brigade Casualties 1,235 1,095 The Battle of Wilsons Creek, also known as...

Fate of Lyon's remains

In the confused aftermath of the Union retreat from Wilson's Creek, Lyon's body was mistakenly left behind on the battlefield and discovered by Confederate forces. It was briefly buried on a Union soldier's farm outside Springfield until it could be returned to Lyon's relatives. Eventually the remains were interred at the family plot in Phoenixville, Connecticut, where an estimated crowd of 15,000 attended the funeral. A cenotaph stands in memory of Lyon in the Springfield National Cemetery, Missouri.^[6] The Cenotaph, London A ceremony at the Cenotaph, London, on Sunday 12th June 2005, remembering Irish war dead Memorial Cenotaph, Hiroshima, Japan A cenotaph is a tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. ... Springfield National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of St. ...

Legacy

Lyon was slight of figure with a shabby appearance; his boots were often unpolished, his uniform was often faded, and his insignia were often tarnished. Nonetheless, the men under his command were said to have worshipped him. Lyon was known for his love of mustard, and was often seen by his troops to be slathering it on thick slices of bread, even in the midst of battle. He never married; it is often written that he bequeathed all his property to the federal government of the United States, but this is disputed.^{[citation needed]}

On December 24, 1861, a resolution of thanks was passed by the United States Congress for the "eminent and patriotic services of the late Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon. The country to whose service he devoted his life will guard and preserve his fame as a part of its own glory. That the Thanks of Congress are hereby given to the brave officers who, under the command of the late general Lyon sustained the honor of the flag and achieved victory against overwhelming numbers at the battle of Springfield, Missouri."^[6] December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Seal of the U.S. Congress. ...

Lyon County, Kansas, and Lyon County, Nevada, are named in Nathaniel Lyon's honor. Lyon County (standard abbreviation: LY) is a county located in the state of Kansas. ... Lyon County is a county located in the state of Nevada. ...

References

• Downhour, James G., "Nathaniel Lyon", Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History, Heidler, David S., and Heidler, Jeanne T., eds., W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
• Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders, Louisiana State University Press, 1964, ISBN 0-8071-0822-7.
• Bloody Island Massacre website

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Downhour, pp. 1233-34.
2. ^ Warner, pp. 286-87.
3. ^ Bloody Island Massacre
4. ^ Warner, p. 286, provides a contrary view that Lyon was "far from being an abolitionist and was not even in favor of disturbing slavery where he existed."
5. ^ Eicher, p. 357. He was promoted to brigadier general of the Missouri Militia on May 12, 1861, and in the U.S. Army May 17.
6. ^ ^a b c d
7. ^ Battle of Wilson's Creek