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Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on this date, near Springfield,
Missouri, between Union forces and the Missouri State Guard.. This will be the first major battle of the war
west of the Mississippi River and is sometimes called the "Bull Run of the West." For the numbers engaged it
will be very bloody.
Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon's Army of the West was camped at Springfield, Missouri, with Confederate troops
under the commands of Brig. Gen. Benjamin McCulloch approaching.. About 5:00 a.m. on August 10, Lyon,
in two columns commanded by himself and Col. Franz Sigel, attacked the Confederates on Wilson's Creek
about 12 miles southwest of Springfield. Rebel cavalry received the first blow and fell back away.
Confederate forces soon rushed up and stabilized their positions.
The Confederates attacked the Union forces three times that day but failed to break through the Union line.
Lyon was killed during the battle and Major Samuel D. Sturgis replaced him. Meanwhile, the Confederates
had routed Sigel's column, south of Skegg's Branch. Following the third Confederate attack, which ended at
11:00 a.m., the Confederates withdrew. Sturgis realized, however, that his men were exhausted and his
ammunition was low, so he ordered a retreat to Springfield. The Confederates were too disorganized and
ill-equipped to pursue.
On the Union side 5,400 men are engaged; on the Confederate side 11,000. Casualties would be 1,317 for
the Union and 1,230 for the Confederates. A very high percentage of casualties for so early in the war.
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on this date, near Springfield,
Missouri, between Union forces and the Missouri State Guard.. This will be the first major battle of the war
west of the Mississippi River and is sometimes called the "Bull Run of the West." For the numbers engaged it
will be very bloody.
Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon's Army of the West was camped at Springfield, Missouri, with Confederate troops
under the commands of Brig. Gen. Benjamin McCulloch approaching.. About 5:00 a.m. on August 10, Lyon,
in two columns commanded by himself and Col. Franz Sigel, attacked the Confederates on Wilson's Creek
about 12 miles southwest of Springfield. Rebel cavalry received the first blow and fell back away.
Confederate forces soon rushed up and stabilized their positions.
The Confederates attacked the Union forces three times that day but failed to break through the Union line.
Lyon was killed during the battle and Major Samuel D. Sturgis replaced him. Meanwhile, the Confederates
had routed Sigel's column, south of Skegg's Branch. Following the third Confederate attack, which ended at
11:00 a.m., the Confederates withdrew. Sturgis realized, however, that his men were exhausted and his
ammunition was low, so he ordered a retreat to Springfield. The Confederates were too disorganized and
ill-equipped to pursue.
On the Union side 5,400 men are engaged; on the Confederate side 11,000. Casualties would be 1,317 for
the Union and 1,230 for the Confederates. A very high percentage of casualties for so early in the war.