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Continued...Part 2

Wilson Creek Missouri

The 3rd Texas Cavalry traveled, after some delay to Missouri and located after some time near Wilson Creek. Missouri was one of the most turbulent states dominated by the Mississippi River. The Confederacy wanted this state and was will to commit its resources toward those ends. The state had divided loyalties so this was not going to be an easy campaign. Governor Jackson of Missouri was determined to deliver his state to the Confederacy. Governor Jackson asked General McCulloch to intervene and save Missouri for the Confederacy. General McCulloch marched into Missouri on July 4th, 1862. The 3rd Texas and the cavalry command had moved under great haste to join the fray and found themselves joining McCulloch`s command in July. General McCulloch`s command was now nearing 10,000 strong and ready to fight. General Sterling Price was in command of the state guards and was goading McCulloch to engage the end. The General was not at all impressed with Price and knew him to be unproven in battle. In fact, he was hesitant to committee to do battle, as most of the troops were not yet ready. He nevertheless, decided to go forth with the battle. Before the appointed time of the battle was to commence, a rain began to fall.
The attack was postponed.

The Union Commander, General Lyons knew he was outnumbered and felt he had but two choices. He could attack or withdrawal before the Confederates attacked. He audaciously took the first and attacked on the Morning of the 10th of August.

At 5 30 am the Union army opened fired. This caught the Confederates by surprise and they hastily reformed. He achieved complete surprise and led four thousand men against General Price?s position. It took some time for the men to organize themselves and recapture their horses. As the battle loomed on, Colonel Greer was ordered to take his Cavalry and to the west and around Oak Hill to support General Price. The formation of the entire command was incomplete but most of the 3rd Texas did managed to engage the enemy. Many "saw the elephant" for the first time.

The Union General Lyons was killed in the battle. There was much confusion in the battle as the uniforms for both sides were the same color in many cases. Two of the 3rd Texas companies participated in hastily put together ambushes and caught several of the enemy in deadly crossfire and "did terrible execution with their short arms," The 3rd Texas was soon ready for its first charge. A man from the 3rd Texas wrote home and described it this way, " With a yell we went toward that line of blue like the wind ! On we went, pouring lead into the blue line that was standing there 50 yards in front of us, with fixed bayonets, prepared to receive cavalry. The next moment that blue line was a mass of running, stampeding soldiers trying to get out of the way of that mass of horses and men that was bearing down on them."

The 3rd Texas was credited with killing 64 men and capturing 147 men. There loses were 6 men killed and twenty-three wounded. The battle of Wilson`s Creek was particular bloody for this stage of the war. Overall casualties for both sides were about 2,500 killed wounded or missing.