The Battle of Carthage, Missouri, was the first full-scale land battle of the Civil War. Governor Claiborne Jackson's rebel Missouri State Guard made its way toward southwest Missouri near where Confederate volunteers collected in Arkansas, while Colonel Franz Sigel's Union force occupied Springfield with orders to intercept and block the rebels from reaching the Confederates. The two armies collided near Carthage on July 5, 1861. The battle lasted for ten hours, spread over several miles, and included six separate engagements before the Union army withdrew under the cover of darkness. The New York Times called it "the first serious conflict between the United States troops and the rebels." This book describes the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself, and the aftermath.

Fought by pro-Confederate Missouri State guardsmen and Union volunteers more than two weeks before First Bull Run, it was the culmination of the first major land campaign of the Civil War.

Translated as "New City," Carthage was founded in 1842 as the county seat of Jasper in southwest Missouri. The town prospered for two decades until military advances during the Civil War destroyed the entire town and dispersed its population. This volume, assembled by the Powers Museum, offers a pictorial glimpse into the rebuilding and growth of this historic city during its most influential years. The citizens of Carthage quickly rebuilt the city during the late 1860s and early 1870s, and eventually reclaimed its pre-war prominence as an agricultural and trade center located at the edge of the northern prairies and the Ozark foothills. When lead, zinc, and limestone were discovered and developed into prosperous industries, families began to arrive from all over to take advantage of the area's economic opportunities. Carthage's trademark Victorian architecture, still in place today, is a result of the economic affluence of the town during this late nineteenth and early twentieth century period.

In the summer of 1861, Americans were preoccupied by the question of which states would join the secession movement and which would remain loyal to the Union. This question was most fractious in the border states of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. In Mi

A history of the bitter battles and skirmishes in the Ozark Region, including photos: “It’s great to see a revised edition of this Civil War classic.” —Ozarks Mountaineer In this revised edition of Civil War in the Ozarks, Phillip W. Steele and Steve Cottrell provide new insight into the clashes that occurred in the Ozarks and additional commentary from experts. Explanations of the political and cultural conditions there at the time create a backdrop for the drama that unfolded as a result. An updated map is also included. In writing the original version, the authors extensively researched the battles taking place between 1861 and 1865. With meticulous detail, they chronicle the heroes, outlaws, and peacemakers who were at the center of this hot-blooded battleground. Skirmishes between the abolitionist Kansas Jayhawkers and slaveholders in Arkansas and Missouri began years before the firing upon Fort Sumter, making the Ozarks a volatile and dangerous region during the Civil War. Although many citizens of Missouri wished to remain neutral, they reluctantly found themselves caught in the crossfire of raids between the two groups. Relocated Indian tribes of present-day Oklahoma also fell prey to the vicious fighting. As the war crept westward, more groups were drawn into the conflict—making the Ozarks one of the bloodiest regions in the battle between the Blue and Gray. Includes photos and illustrations “Highly recommended.” —Curled Up with a Good Book

"Explore the haunted history of Carthage, Missouri"--