Welcome to the board! Many folks have a very naive understanding of the Civil War in Missouri. To really "get into to it" you need to understand the history of 1861 and the role that radical republicans played in the keeping Missouri from seceding. You might be suprised to find out that many slave owners were moderate republicans, old constitutional party and whigs that actually led the vote to remain in the Union but were eventually "turned confederate" by the actions of the Federal Government. Just as the role of the Federal forces in late 1850 appear counter to the Kansas "Freestaters", the Feds in Missouri in 1861 appear a bit inconsistent and peppered with lots of personal politics. Informed Missourian's of all stripes though, bristled at the way the state government was essentially overthrown by force. Though arguablly not instigated in Washignton DC, Abe Lincoln and company did not too strenously object to the result after the fact. Today many remain sensitive to the threat of the federal government running rough shod over states rights and authority, and at least IMHO, Missourian's suffered the consequences of that abuse of power perhaps more than any other state in the war, on both sides of the coin. Union and Confederate. If you study the people involved you will find many a young man drafted at gun point to fight for whichever side was in the neighborhood at the moment and to refuse meant certain death. So, many men are found with service records in all three armies, USA, MSG, CSA.

Sadly, only in recent years has the war in Missouri really begun to be researched and published in a more "balanced" way, meaning multiple viewpoints of the same event being strenously researched and presented with primary source documentation provided. Luckily many of those leading the publishing parade read and post on the board and I salute them all. We have frankly some of the best here! Opinions are welcomed, but facts are cherished, Enjoy.

John R