A Guide to the Civil War in Missouri

While Missouri remained in the Union during the course of the Civil War, it had one of the most divided populations in terms of its loyalties. As a result, over 1,200 battles, skirmishes and actions were fought there during the War (only Tennessee and Virginia had more). While pro-Confederate forces won most of the battles in 1861, the Union poured huge resources in men and materials into Missouri to keep it in the Union. As a result, the period from 1862 to the Fall of 1864 was populated primarily by guerrilla activity (including William Quantrill and "Bloody Bill" Anderson), and occasional cavalry raids by Southern generals (Marmaduke, Price, Shelby). In September of 1864, Confederate Major-General Sterling Price invaded Missouri with 12,000 men. His final defeat at the Battle of Westport and the Battle of Mine Creek (Kansas) spelled the end of serious Confederate resistance in the state.