© 2010 John Milligan/Uncharted Staff

Photographs by John Milligan

Hidden in the silent rolling hills of Missouri lies an intact Civil War battlefield. You can almost smell the gun powder from the cannons that stand as sentinels overlooking “Bloody Hill.” This is near where John Ray hid his family in the cellar of his farm house/post office and then sat and watched from his porch the Battle of Wilson’s Creek unfold before him in his cornfield.

It was Aug 10, 1861, when history was made here. It was the second major battle of the Civil War and where a group of 12,000 rag-tag farmers rounded up from the Missouri countryside, led by Benjamin McCulloch, would beat back a desperate surprise attack by a well-trained but outnumbered Union fighting force of 5,400 men led by General Nathaniel Lyon. When the conflict of “Bloody Hill” was in doubt, Lyon heroically cried out “Come on my brave boys. I will lead you.” While gallantly mounted upon his horse, a Southern bullet ripped through Lyon’s heart and lungs making him the first Union General to be killed in battle.

Ultimately the Union soldiers would lose about 24 percent (1,317) of their men, while the South suffered a ten percent (1,222) loss which would force the North to retreat in humiliation. The battle-weary South did not capitalize on the retreat, however, which allowed the North to regroup and later become victorious at Pea Ridge. Had the South done more, they may have gained control over both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. This could have changed the outcome of the Civil War or at least protracted the conflict out over several more bloody years.

In the Visitors Center you will find a museum filled with relics of the conflict. Some of the most prized items include the flag of the South (first national pattern), a tarnished and tattered “Old Glory,” a carved ivory-handled pistol owned by Sterling Price, commander of the Missouri State Guard, and Major Gen. Samuel Curtis’s coat.

Dr. Barker, a fellow tourist and an emergency medicine physician who currently covers patients from this area, especially enjoyed viewing the medical relics of the day. He stated that upon first viewing the medical tools he thought of them as very simple, but upon further inspection his opinion changed.  He noticed that for their day, the tools were impressive and not as simple as he first thought. He did state that if indeed he was put in the situation of dealing with significant trauma incurred by cannonballs and other war-type injuries that he would feel wholly inadequate to effectively treat the wounded with Civil War era medical tools.  

Ranger Aschwege, who has worked here for 12 years, summed it up by saying “there is something here for everybody.” You can learn about Missouri’s role in the Civil War. There is a five-mile bike path around the battlefield as well as horse and hiking trails that wind through the historical battlefield. Many use this area for reflection, exercise and recreation.

To help visitors better understand the tactics of the battle, they also have an animated bird’s eye view of the battlefield along with narration. If that is not enough, there is a very informative short video directed by Ken Burns who directed the series called “The Civil War” that aired on PBS. His film views the battle from the perspective of a young Union soldier. It is very helpful in deciphering how it all happened. If you have more time, there is an excellent Civil War research library for your use.

In the summer, park volunteers and staff members dress up in old-time fashion and actually fire cannons, muskets, and they say if you listen close you might hear the ancient musket fire and cries of the wounded.

Wilson’s Creek Battlefield is a place of reverence for the dead who died for what they believed in and a gem of the past. If you are in this part of the country I suggest giving yourself a few hours to take in the hallowed ground of Wilson’s Creek.

How to get to Wilsons Creek:

From U.S. Highway 65 (north of Springfield): exit on James River Expressway (U.S. Highway 60). Continue west on James River Expressway past the Missouri Highway FF/Battlefield exit. Take the U.S. Highway 60 (Republic) exit. Turn left (south) on U.S. Highway 60. Continue 2 miles to Missouri Highway M and turn left. Continue east on Highway M for 1/2 mile. Turn right at the traffic light onto Missouri Highway ZZ and travel 1 and 1/2 mile to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). Turn left; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right.

From U.S. Highway 65 (south of Springfield, Branson and the lakes area): turn left on Missouri Highway 14 at Ozark. Continue west on Highway 14 through the town of Nixa to Missouri Highway ZZ. Follow ZZ north to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). Turn right; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right. From Missouri Highway 13: note that Highway 13 becomes Kansas Expressway upon entering Springfield. Follow Kansas Expressway south to U.S. Highway 60 (W. Sunshine). At the intersection turn right on U.S. Highway 60. Continue west and south on Highway 60 to the Missouri Highway MM/M intersection. Turn left on Highway M. Continue 1/2 mile to Missouri Highway ZZ and turn right at the traffic light. Continue south 1 and 1/2 miles to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). Turn left; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right. Public transportation, limousine and taxi service is available from Springfield. Springfield is also serviced by the Greyhound bus line.