The Battle of Wilson's Creek took place on August 10, 1861 near Springfield, Missouri. General Lyon led the Union forces against the Confederates led by Generals McCulloch and Price. Though outnumbered, Lyon launched a surprise attack at dawn. Lyon was killed after mistaking enemy troops, and the Union forces began to exhaust their ammunition and retreat. The battle was a victory for the Confederates and marked a turning point in the war, boosting their confidence after an untrained force defeated a Union general.
3. Who was leading??
Confederates
• General Benjamin
McCulloch
• General Sterling Price
Un ion
• General Franz Sigel
• General Nathaniel Lyon
4. When/Where did Battle take place?
• A little after dawn on August 10th 1861, General Lyon
ordered an attack on the Confederates who were
holding camp west of the Mississippi River.
• General Lyon new that the Confederates had more
men than he did but they were poorly trained and
had little ammunition so he thought by taking them
by surprise he would gain the advantage.
• After 5 am Lyon caught the Confederates off guard
and it seamed as though the Union was going to win.
5. • The Union wanted to make
sure they kept the land in
Why Fight?
Missouri under their
Union leaders
control.
wanted to
• The Confederates were just
preserve the
trying to hold their post.
land and after
• Lyon over looked the fact
they had lost the
they had less men than the
rebels and ordered 1,200
south gained
men to attack the rear as
272 acres when
they caught them by
they retreated.
surprise. (History.com)
6.
7. What changed??
Lyon lost his life in the battle
due to mistaking a group of
troops as Iowa regiments
but were actually Louisiana
troops.
He was the first Union
general to die in the war.
He was replaced with Maj.
Samuel D.
Due to the exhaustion and
low ammunition he pulled
his troops back loosing their
position on the hill.
The Confederates attacked
three more times but failed
to gain more land.
8. After Effects
• It was the turning point for the south.
• They had won one of the biggest battles in the
war.
• Being sorely trained and ran on little
ammunition is the surprising factor of this
battle.
• Winning Wilson’s Creek gave them confidence
so that they would prepare better for the next
battle.
9. How did this impact the war?
• The Union soldiers were now faced with a
different leader since Lyon had been killed.
• He was one of the best Generals in the Union
who had won many battles.
• The Confederates were becoming aware of
what they had to do to win more battles.
• Both sides lost a good amount of soldiers that
day and would have to allow the survivors to
rest before another battle.
10. Work Cited
• Historychannel.com http://www.history.com/this-dayin-history/battle-of-wilsons-creek-missouri
• National Park Service: U.S. Department of the interior.
http://www.nps.gov/wicr/index.htm
• Saving America’s Civil War Battlefields
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/wilson-screek.html
• Legends of America
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/mowilsoncreek.html
