Battle of Athens - Athens, MO
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 40° 35.086 W 091° 41.773
15T E 610336 N 4493481
The Battle of Athens was the most northern fight fought west of the Mississippi.
Waymark Code: WM6411
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 03/29/2009
Views: 9
On August 5, 1861, aproximately 2000 Missouri State's Guardsmen commanded by Colonel Martin Green, marched to take the town of Athens which was protected by 500 Missouri Home Guard. Green's much larger force surrounded the town on three sides, with the river behind the Unionists. Although the forces were much larger, the union troops successfully defended the river port town.
The battle resulted in only 3 union fatalities, and it is speculated that 31 confederate fatalities. The real results of the battle was dispursion of forces in the area and no other battles occurred this far north, west of the Mississippi River.
Today, the site is the location of a State Historic Site. The site preserves ruins and remaining buildings of the town. Primative camping is avalable on-site.
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