Siege of Lexington, Missouri
E1021821
The Siege of Lexington, Missouri was a key early Civil War engagement in September 1861 in which Confederate forces under Sterling Price captured a strongly fortified Union garrison, boosting Southern control and morale in Missouri.
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
American Civil War battle
ⓘ
battle ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs |
Battle of Lexington
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Battle of the Hemp Bales NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| attackingForceCommander | Sterling Price NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| belligerentRole |
Missouri State Guard conducting siege operations
ⓘ
Union forces defending a fortified garrison ⓘ |
| casualtiesAndLosses |
Missouri State Guard – comparatively lighter casualties
ⓘ
Union – significant casualties and capture of most of the garrison ⓘ |
| combatant |
Confederate States-aligned Missouri State Guard
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Union NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| commandedSide |
James A. Mulligan – Union garrison
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Sterling Price – Missouri State Guard NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| commander |
James A. Mulligan
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Sterling Price NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| conflict | American Civil War ⓘ |
| consequence |
Boosted Southern morale in Missouri
ⓘ
Increased Confederate and Missouri State Guard control over parts of Missouri ⓘ |
| country |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| dateDetail | Main assault and surrender occurred on September 18–20, 1861 ⓘ |
| defensivePosition |
Entrenched Union lines around the Masonic College
ⓘ
Union fortifications on College Hill NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| endDate | 1861-09-20 ⓘ |
| followedBy | Union counteroffensives in Missouri later in 1861 ⓘ |
| garrisonCommander | James A. Mulligan NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| historicalEra | American Civil War era NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| locatedIn |
Lafayette County, Missouri
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Missouri ⓘ Western Theater of the American Civil War NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| location | Lexington, Missouri NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| notableTactic | Use of water-soaked hemp bales as movable breastworks by attackers ⓘ |
| objective |
Capture of Union garrison at Lexington
ⓘ
Control of central Missouri along the Missouri River ⓘ |
| outcome | Surrender of Union garrison under James A. Mulligan ⓘ |
| partOf | Missouri campaign of 1861 NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| precededBy | Battle of Wilson’s Creek NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| relatedMilitaryUnit |
Missouri State Guard
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Union volunteer regiments from Illinois and Missouri ⓘ |
| result | Confederate victory ⓘ |
| significance |
Demonstrated effectiveness of improvised field fortification tactics
ⓘ
Key early-war engagement in the struggle for Missouri ⓘ |
| startDate | 1861-09-12 ⓘ |
| stateDuringConflict | Slave state remaining in the Union but contested by secessionists ⓘ |
| strength |
Missouri State Guard approximately 10,000–15,000 men
ⓘ
Union garrison approximately 2,500–3,500 men ⓘ |
| theater | Trans-Mississippi Theater NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| year | 1861 ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
subject surface form:
Battle of Wilson's Creek