Volume 5

Volume 5 covers July 1861, as the conflict in Missouri expanded alongside the wider Civil War. At the start of the month the state was temporarily part of the Department of Ohio under Major General George B. McClellan, but on July 3 the War Department created the Western Department, soon placed under Major General John C. Fremont, who arrived in St. Louis later in the month. In the meantime, General Nathaniel Lyon effectively directed federal operations in Missouri while pursuing the forces of Governor Claiborne F. Jackson and the Missouri State Guard. Investigations into Jackson's rebellion intensified, and testimony in the treason trial of secessionist editor Joseph W. Tucker included evidence linking Jackson directly to the insurrection. Federal authorities eventually suppressed the secessionist State Journal, further illustrating the increasingly polarized political climate.

Meanwhile, military operations continued across the state. Lyon advanced into southwest Missouri, reaching Springfield in mid-July as both Union and secessionist forces gathered for what would soon become a major confrontation. The Missouri State Convention reconvened on July 22 in Jefferson City, where delegates took decisive steps to reorganize the state government and remove secessionist leadership. Articles in this volume also document key engagements-including the Battle of Carthage and several smaller skirmishes-along with biographies and reports highlighting the roles of Union commanders such as Lyon and Franz Sigel.