Wilson's Creek National Battlefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilson's Creek National Battlefield |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Location in Missouri
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Location in the United States
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| Location | Greene County, Missouri, USA |
| Nearest city | Republic, Missouri |
| Area | 2,433 acres (9.85 km2) |
| Established | April 22, 1960 |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Wilson's Creek National Battlefield |
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Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000113 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield is a special place near Republic, Missouri. It protects the land where the Battle of Wilson's Creek happened. This battle took place on August 10, 1861. It was the first big fight of the American Civil War that happened west of the Mississippi River.
In this battle, a Confederate army won against a smaller Union army. The Confederate army was led by Benjamin McCulloch and Sterling Price. The Union army was led by Nathaniel Lyon. Even though the Confederates won this battle, they couldn't keep control of much of Missouri. Later, the Union won the Battle of Pea Ridge. This win helped the Union keep control of Missouri.
Today, the battlefield has a five-mile car tour route. You can also see the old 1852 Ray House. Another important spot is "Bloody Hill," where the main part of the battle happened. The battlefield is managed by the National Park Service since 1960. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
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The Battle of Wilson's Creek
In early 1861, President Abraham Lincoln asked the state of Missouri to send soldiers to fight against the Confederate States of America. But Missouri's governor, Claiborne F. Jackson, supported the Confederates. He refused to help Lincoln. Instead, he planned to use the Missouri State Guard to take a United States government weapon storage in St. Louis, Missouri.
In response, Union General Nathaniel Lyon quickly moved against the pro-Confederate Guard. He pushed them away from St. Louis. He also removed Governor Jackson from his leadership role. The Missouri State Guard, now led by Sterling Price, moved back towards Springfield. Lyon and his Union army followed them.
Meanwhile, Price's army got stronger when a small Confederate army joined them. This army was led by Benjamin McCulloch. On August 10, General Lyon decided to attack Price and McCulloch's combined forces. The Confederates were camped along Wilson's Creek. Lyon split his army into two parts. He led one part, and Colonel Franz Sigel led the other. They planned to attack the Confederate camp from two sides.
However, Sigel's group was quickly forced to leave the battle. This allowed Price and McCulloch to combine their forces against Lyon's group. Lyon's soldiers were fighting on a place called Bloody Hill. During the intense fighting, General Lyon was killed. The Union forces then had to retreat from the battlefield. This battle was the first major fight of the American Civil War to happen west of the Mississippi River.
After the battle, Price and McCulloch disagreed about who was in charge. Price decided to move towards Kansas. He was worried about Union soldiers there. McCulloch's army became much smaller. Many soldiers' enlistments ended, and some were sent to other places.
Price then moved north towards the Missouri River. He won a battle at the Siege of Lexington. But when he heard that Union soldiers were coming, Price retreated back towards Springfield. The next year, in March, Price and McCulloch fought together again. They were part of a Confederate army led by Earl Van Dorn at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. The Confederate army lost this battle, and McCulloch was killed. The defeat at Pea Ridge meant that the Confederates no longer had a serious chance to control Missouri.
History of the Park
The battle site became Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Park on April 22, 1960. It was renamed a National Battlefield on December 16, 1970. The battlefield was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The park grew bigger in 2004, adding 615 acres of land. In 2018, another 60 acres were added. This land was bought by the American Battlefield Trust. The park is located near Republic, Missouri, southwest of Springfield. The American Battlefield Trust has helped protect 278 acres of the battlefield. Most of this land has been sold to the National Park Service and is now part of the park. In total, the park protects 1,750 acres of the battlefield.
What to See at the Park
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visitor center has displays about the battle. You can watch a short film and see maps that light up. There is also a bookstore.
You can explore the battlefield by driving a five-mile self-guided tour loop. This loop connects eight important spots from the battle. There are also hiking trails and a seven-mile horseback riding trail. On August 10, the anniversary of the battle, the park holds special events to remember it.
The Ray House is still on the battlefield. It was built before the Civil War. After the battle, it was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. General Lyon's body was brought to the Ray House by Confederate soldiers after the Union army left. You can tour the house during certain hours in the summer.
The tour loop also stops at Bloody Hill. This was a place of very heavy fighting during the battle. It is also where General Lyon died. A monument marks the spot where Lyon was killed. It was put there in 1928. You can also see several old cannons on display at Bloody Hill.
Besides the tour road, the battlefield has other interesting places. One is the John K. and Ruth Hulston Civil War Research Library. It was started in 1985. The library has over 12,000 books about the Civil War. It focuses on the war in the western United States, called the Trans-Mississippi Theater. The library also has digital information to help people research their family history from the Civil War.
Also at the battlefield is the Wilson's Creek Civil War Museum. It used to be called the General Sweeny Museum. This museum has items and displays about the Civil War in the western states.
Newtonia Battlefield
The Mathew H. Ritchey House and 25 acres of battlefields from the First Battle of Newtonia and Second Battle of Newtonia were added to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in 2022. This area includes the Old Newtonia Cemetery in Newtonia, Missouri. Newtonia is about 45 miles away from Wilson's Creek. This addition happened because of a law passed in 2023.
