August 6, 1862---The Battle of Kirksville, Missouri

AUGUST 6, 1862:       

The Battle of Kirksville, Missouri. 

In a follow-up to the Battle of Moore’s Mill, Missouri (July 28), Union forces attack a Confederate staging point in the town of Kirksville, Missouri. 

Although the 1,000 Federals are outnumbered 2.5 to 1, the Union troops are well-trained and armed with artillery, while the Confederates are irregulars, Bushwhackers, and local farmers for the most part. Although the close-range fire is grievous to both sides, the Federals manage to scatter the Confederates and take the town in three hours of heavy fighting that costs the Blue 30 casualties and the Gray 300 (mostly dead). 

Although random locals continued to harry the Union troops for months thereafter, their attacks, though violent, were sporadic and unplanned and were met with surprisingly harsh retaliation including hangings. Confederate recruitment in the State dwindled.