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On October 25, 1861, the First Battle of Springfield (Zagonyi's Charge), was fought in Springfield, Missouri. From the article:
"The Battle of Springfield/Zagonyi's Charge
October 25, 1861 in Springfield, Missouri
Having accomplished little since taking command of the Western Department, which was headquartered in St. Louis, Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont formulated a plan to clear Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s Confederates from the state and then, if possible, carry the war into Arkansas and Louisiana.
Leaving St. Louis on October 7, Frémont’s eventually gathered more than 20,000 troops. His mounted force numbered 5,000 men, including Maj. Frank J. White’s ‘Prairie Scouts’, ‘Frémont's Body Guards’ under Maj. Charles Zagonyi, and cavalry with less grandiose titles. White later fell ill and turned his command over to Zagonyi.
The 2 units operated in front of Frémont’s army to gather intelligence. As Frémont neared Springfield, the local state guard commander, Col. Julian Frazier, sent out requests to nearby localities for additional troops. Frémont camped on the Pomme de Terre River, about 50 miles from Springfield. Zagonyi’s column, though, continued on to Springfield. Frazier set an ambush along Zagonyi’s road, but when the jaws snapped the teeth weren’t very strong: the Union force charged the Confederates, sending them fleeing.
Zagonyi’s men continued into town, hailed Union sympathizers and released Union prisoners. Leery of a Confederate counterattack, Zagonyi pulled out of Springfield before night, but Frémont’s main body arrived a few days later and set up camp in the town.
In mid-November, after Frémont was sacked and replaced by Maj. Gen. Hunter, the Federals evacuated Springfield and withdrew to Sedalia and Rolla. Union troops reoccupied Springfield in early 1862 and it was a Union stronghold from then on. This engagement at Springfield was the only Union victory in southwestern Missouri in 1861, and the Confederates had general control of the area."
"The Battle of Springfield/Zagonyi's Charge
October 25, 1861 in Springfield, Missouri
Having accomplished little since taking command of the Western Department, which was headquartered in St. Louis, Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont formulated a plan to clear Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s Confederates from the state and then, if possible, carry the war into Arkansas and Louisiana.
Leaving St. Louis on October 7, Frémont’s eventually gathered more than 20,000 troops. His mounted force numbered 5,000 men, including Maj. Frank J. White’s ‘Prairie Scouts’, ‘Frémont's Body Guards’ under Maj. Charles Zagonyi, and cavalry with less grandiose titles. White later fell ill and turned his command over to Zagonyi.
The 2 units operated in front of Frémont’s army to gather intelligence. As Frémont neared Springfield, the local state guard commander, Col. Julian Frazier, sent out requests to nearby localities for additional troops. Frémont camped on the Pomme de Terre River, about 50 miles from Springfield. Zagonyi’s column, though, continued on to Springfield. Frazier set an ambush along Zagonyi’s road, but when the jaws snapped the teeth weren’t very strong: the Union force charged the Confederates, sending them fleeing.
Zagonyi’s men continued into town, hailed Union sympathizers and released Union prisoners. Leery of a Confederate counterattack, Zagonyi pulled out of Springfield before night, but Frémont’s main body arrived a few days later and set up camp in the town.
In mid-November, after Frémont was sacked and replaced by Maj. Gen. Hunter, the Federals evacuated Springfield and withdrew to Sedalia and Rolla. Union troops reoccupied Springfield in early 1862 and it was a Union stronghold from then on. This engagement at Springfield was the only Union victory in southwestern Missouri in 1861, and the Confederates had general control of the area."
The Battle of Springfield/Zagonyi's Charge
Posted from mycivilwar.com
Civil War
American History
Military History
Cavalry
Combat
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 5
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Great share. The place at which the Confederates attempted to ambush Zagonyi and his column is about a half mile north of the dog park my dogs love to go to, there is a simple marker stone there, about the size of a nice headstone.
Incidentally, our house is about three miles away and a quarter mile south of the section of South Creek where General Marmaduke's 2,000 Confederate cavalry camped the night before the second battle of Springfield, some 15 months later.
Incidentally, our house is about three miles away and a quarter mile south of the section of South Creek where General Marmaduke's 2,000 Confederate cavalry camped the night before the second battle of Springfield, some 15 months later.
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SGT (Join to see)
My great-great grandfather was a union scout for General Sweeney. He was from Forsyth and was in the Missouri Home Guard. His brother fought for the Confederacy and left Forsyth for Arkansas. 1SG Steven Imerman
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1SG Steven Imerman
There were a lot of split families in Missouri. I hope they both survived the war and were able to reconcile with each other.
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