The Battle of Wilson's Creek

by Edwin C. Bearss, David Whitman (Maps)

This book by famed Civil War historian Ed Bearss starts with Union general Nathaniel Lyon's capture of Springfield, Missouri, and the concentration of Confederate forces and the Missouri State Guard in southwestern Missouri. Six maps, several engravings, and an order of battle are included.

Genres: American Civil War, Civil War, History, Transmississippi, Military History, Nonfiction

170 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

A specialist in the American Civil War, Edwin Cole Bearss was employed by the National Park Service, where he worked as their chief historian from 1981 until 1994.

Reviews

[Bob R Bogle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because I admire Ed Bearss and his incomparable commitment to the preservation of Civil War battlefields and the stories with which they're associated, it pains me to report that reading this book of his is not unlike reading a master's thesis: a surpassingly dry and tedious master's thesis. This extremely well-researched, slim volume is impressively concise, but unless you're hopelessly obsessed specifically with this one particular battle, to the near exclusion of all other aspects of life, and unless you're already so intimately familiar with all of the officers who take to the field herein that reading one of their myriad names instantly conjures a vast biography in your mind, this book will probably put you to sleep after every page or two. The problem is in the lopsided minute-fact-to-compelling-narrative ratio. The extensive battlefield maps are pretty good, although occasionally unit designations are by a regiment's commander's name while the accompanying text focuses on the names of higher echelon commanders or vice versa so that text/map comparisons becomes a frustrating exercise. I'd welcome a better summary-analysis of what could have been or should have been at Wilson's Creek, but so far I haven't found one in this book or elsewhere.

Bob R Bogle, author of
Memphis Blues Again

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book from the visitors center at the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. The Park Ranger advised this was one of the first books written on the battle. He spoke highly of the author Edwin C. Bearss and told stories of him. The book definitely did not disappoint. This was the first major battle west of the Mississippi a mere 23 days after the Battle of Bull Run. This battle as well showed that this was going to be a costly, difficult fight, that was not going to go away quickly.
It is a quick read, I feel that Edwin covers the battle in detail in 137 pages, the remaining pages are the footnotes, appendix, and index. This battle definitely doesn’t get the proper attention or recognition that it deserves. It seems as though it is quietly tucked away in southwest Missouri. I recommend reading the book, then if you are ever in Springfield, MO take the drive to the battlefield.



The Confederacy would hold Springfield until the battle of Pea Ridge. In 1864 in Kansas City, MO the battle of Westport would take place, which would be the last major Confederate offensive west of the Mississippi. During the war there would be over 1,200 small engagements within the state caused by the Missouri Bushwhackers. These have nothing to do with the book, this just shows a part of the history Missouri played in the Civil War.

[Brian Miracle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considered one of the better tactical accounts of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The book covers action to the regimental level. This book mostly focuses on the battle itself. If you want details on other aspects of the war in Missouri, you’ll want a different book. The book has good maps and, at 170 pages, is a quick read.

[Wayne Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we lived in Affton, MO, near St. Louis, we found that one could not study the Civil War’s impact on Missouri without learning about the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield. Since this was on the opposite end of the state from where we were, we were never able to visit the site during that time. However, after moving to Illinois, we had an opportunity to make a trip to Texas that took us through Springfield, so on our return we stopped to see Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Park, and I picked up this book there in the gift shop as a memento of our visit. Author Edwin C. Bearss was a Civil War park historian for the National Park Service.

Missouri was a border state with many pro-southern and many pro-northern citizens. But the elected governor, Claiborne Fox Jackson, was a secessionist. Union General Nathaniel Lyons, commanding the North's Army of the West, drove Jackson’s Missouri State Guard from Boonville, but Union Col. Franz Sigel failed to stop them at the Battle of Carthage, allowing them to join with the South's Western Army commanded by Confederate Brigadier General Ben McCulloch outside of Springfield, where the Missouri State Guard was now turned over to Major General Sterling Price. The two forces clashed on August 10, 1861. Lyons was killed, and it was a technical victory for the Confederates as the Union troops retreated into the pro-northern city of Springfield and then to Rolla, but the southerners were unable to capitalize on their win due to their own losses and disagreements between Price and McCulloch. Eventually, the secessionists were driven from the state following the battles of Lexington, Fredericktown, and Springfield.

This book is a great introduction to the Battle of Wilson's Creek or Wilson Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, which was the second major land battle of the Civil War in Missouri and the first important battle of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the first battle in which a commanding officer was killed. There are maps and summaries of the battle’s action, along with 26 illustrations which show the principal characters and events. Also, some interesting information is included in the Footnotes, and the Appendix has a good Order of Battle. There are several references to cursing, and the “d” and “h” words are occasionally used in quotations but except for one time they are usually spelled out as “d—n” or “h—l,” with “G-d d—n” found once. The Battle of Wilson's Creek is a relatively detailed and sometimes rather technical account of an important minor battle of the American Civil War. It will likely not appeal to the casual reader, but Civil War buffs will probably appreciate it.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as detailed as the other books I've read about the battle (the one by William Piston and Richard W. Hatcher III is probably the best) but as a brief introduction to the campaign, it's not bad.