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founder:
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Impson
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date created:
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04/03/2008
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no. of members:
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7
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description/mission statement:
On January 8, 1863, Confederate troops under the leadership of General John S. Marmaduke, marched from Arkansas into Springfield. Union General Egbert Brown had only 24 hours notice of their advance and solicited all the strength he could gather from local militia groups and city volunteers, including the sick and wounded that some called "quinine brigade". The Rebs were advancing from the southeast and Brown ordered over twelve houses in the city to be burned to give him a clearer shot.
The fight began when the Confederates opened fire on Fort #4. The Confederate objective was the Arsenal Building which was the United Methodist Church on the SW corner of Walnut and South Streets. The iron guns in Fort #4 responded so vigorously that the Confederates split up their troops and decided to attack from the south and the southwest.
Some of the rebels advanced up the little valley at the foot of South and Campbell streets, sweeping to the west towards a group of single story, brick houses known as "Dutchtown" on the south side of State Street between Campbell and Market. The invaders passed through using the houses and their outbuildings for shelter.
Some of the fiercest fighting took place in a graveyard which was located at the NE corner of State and Campbell streets. A number of Union volunteers took possession of a house at the corner of Market and Mt. Vernon which was riddled with bullet holes. At the corner of South and State Streets, General Brown was shot from his horse and suffered a severe injury to his arm.
From the southwest, the Confederate Calvary took cover by a ravine which led uphill toward town from what is now the intersection of Grand and Grant. They then attacked across the area bounded by Grand on the south, Grant on the west, State on the north and Campbell on the east.
The 72nd Enrolled Missouri Militia (EMM) battled the Confederates over a considerable area bounded by Sate Street n the south Grant on the west, College on the north, and Campbell on the east and were pushed back from Mt. Vernon Street as far north as Walnut and College before the 72nd counterattacked and pushed them south.
The Confederates made a final charge later in the day in the direction of Fort #1 (at the corner of what is now Kansas and Brower Streets) but the Union volunteers drove them back. Until sunset, the Confederates shot recklessly into the city, but no serious fighting occurred after dark. At daylight from the top of the courthouse on the Square, the Confederates could be seen in the southwest gradually moving away. The battle was over. - Historical Park Central and West Central Springfield guide
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open enrollment: ON
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Category Status: The The Battle of Springfield Historical References category has been created (without variables).
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