The Minutemen was a secessionist paramilitary organization in St. Louis, Missouri in the early months of 1861. Many members joined the 2nd Regiment of the Missouri Volunteer Militia, and after May 10, 1861 the Missouri State Guard or the Confederate States Army.
The Minutemen organization in St. Louis was founded in January, 1861 [1] by pro-southern St. Louisans who opposed Federal "coercion" of seceding southern states, or who actively supported Missouri's secession from the Union. Members signed a pledge which stated that they opposed coercion, supported armed aid to southern states in case of coercion, and called for secession in case of sectional conflict. Many members had previously been members of Democratic Party marching clubs or Breckenridge activists during the 1860 Presidential Election
The organization was established simultaneously with similar Unionist organizations, [2] which also grew out of Republican Party organizations (such as the Wide Awakes), [3] or the ethnic German Turnverein movement. Members were predominantly younger men, who culturally identified with the South. Organizers included South Carolina born Colton Green, Kentuckian Basil Wilson Duke, and Irish immigrant J. Rock Champion. [4]
The Minutemen had their headquarters in the Berthold Mansion [5] in downtown St. Louis, at the corner of 5th and Pine Streets. Members confronted St. Louis Unionists and maintained surveillance on the Federal Arsenal at the St. Louis riverfront. Members of the organization were wearing the distinctive blue cockade and after collecting weapons organized themselves into provisional companies and engaged in military drill (as did pro-Union activists). [6] Although unofficial military organizations were prohibited by the newly enacted Militia Law, state authorities did not interfere with the activities of the Minutemen. Instead, on February 13, 1861, Brigadier General Daniel M. Frost, Missouri Volunteer Militia (MVM) commander of the 1st (St. Louis) Military District of Missouri, enrolled the Minutemen as companies in a new (pro-secessionist) 2nd Regiment MVM. [7]
Through March and April the members of the Minutemen continued to recruit members, prepare for war, and confront their Unionist opponents in St. Louis. One incident nearly led to bloodshed. In the early morning of March 4, 1861, members of the organization raised "secessionist" flags over the St. Louis Courthouse and their Berthold Mansion headquarters. [8] Although the flag at the courthouse was quickly removed, the flag at Berthold Mansion continued to fly. Pro-Union activists, feeling provoked by the "secessionist" symbol demanded its removal and attempted to enter the building to take it down. The confrontation lead to scuffles and could have escalated to armed violence except for the intervention of the Mayor and several prominent St. Louis Unionists. The "secessionist" flag would continue to fly through May. [9]
In April 1861 Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson announced a statewide militia muster for early May. On May 3 members of the Minutemen mustered at "Camp Jackson" (at Lindell's Grove on the outskirts of St. Louis) as the 2nd Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Militia under the command of Lt. Col John S. Bowen. Many St. Louisans, including members of the Minutmen organization, believed that the muster had been called to facilitate an attack on the St. Louis Arsenal. [10]
On May 8, 1861 a shipment of artillery, small arms, and ammunition arrived from the Confederate Government (from the former U.S. Arsenal at Baton Rouge) and was transferred by the Missouri Militiamen to Camp Jackson. The acting Commander of the Federal Army's Western Department, Captain Nathaniel Lyon, verified the presence of the captured Federal ordnance at the militia camp. This, along with the enlistment of Minutemen and other acts, caused Lyon to decide that he had sufficient evidence of seditious intent by General Frost and his command. On May 10, Lyon marched a mixed force of U.S. Regulars and enrolled Missouri Volunteers to Camp Jackson and arrested the Militia without a shot being fired. However, as Lyon attempted to march the militiamen back to the Arsenal his force was confronted by angry citizens. In the rioting which ensued, 28 people were killed and more than 100 were injured, mostly civilians. [11] [12]
In the immediate aftermath the Minutemen headquarters in the Berthold Mansion was searched and shuttered by Federal forces. The Minutemen who had been captured at Camp Jackson (about 50% of the militiamen had escaped the Federal forces) were briefly detained at the St. Louis Arsenal. All members gave their oath not to take up arms against the Federal Government until paroled, and were released on May 11, 1861.
After being released some Minutemen abandoned the militant cause. Others, considering their arrest illegal and their parole oath not binding, immediately joined the secessionist Missouri State Guard or went south to join the Confederate States Army. A third group remained in St. Louis as captured soldiers on parole, until exchanged for Federal troops captured at the Battle of Lexington (Missouri). These troops were then transported down the Mississippi by steamer where they enlisted in the southern forces.
Many of the Minutemen went on to significant success in the Confederate Army. Basil W. Duke succeeded to the command of John Hunt Morgan's cavalry after Morgan's death and was promoted to Brigadier General. Colton Greene was promoted to Colonel in the Confederate Army and commanded a brigade in the Trans-Mississippi Theater.
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri. Missouri was officially a neutral state, but its governor, Claiborne Fox Jackson, supported the South and secretly collaborated with Confederate troops.
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of the governor Claiborne Jackson.
The Camp Jackson affair, also known as the Camp Jackson massacre, occurred during the American Civil War on May 10, 1861, when a volunteer Union Army regiment captured a unit of secessionists at Camp Jackson, outside the city of St. Louis, in the divided slave state of Missouri.
During the American Civil War, the secession of Missouri from the Union was controversial because of the state's disputed status. Missouri was claimed by both the Union and the Confederacy, had two rival state governments, and sent representatives to both the United States Congress and the Confederate Congress.
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The St. Louis Arsenal is a large complex of federal military weapons and ammunition storage buildings operated by the United States Air Force in St. Louis, Missouri. During the American Civil War, the St. Louis arsenal's contents were transferred to Illinois by Union Captain Nathaniel Lyon, an act that helped fuel tension between secessionists and those citizens loyal to the Federal government.
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During the American Civil War, Missouri was a hotly contested border state populated by both Union and Confederate sympathizers. It sent armies, generals, and supplies to both sides, was represented with a star on both flags, maintained dual governments, and endured a bloody neighbor-against-neighbor intrastate war within the larger national war.
Daniel Marsh Frost was a former United States Army officer who became a brigadier general in the Missouri Volunteer Militia (MVM) and the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Among the handful of Confederate generals born in the North, Frost led the MVM during the Camp Jackson Affair in May 1861 that fanned civil unrest in St. Louis.
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Franklin Archibald Dick was an American lawyer, politician and military officer during the American Civil War. He served as a Republican member of the Missouri state legislature and worked with Francis P. Blair Jr. to oppose slavery in Missouri. He served as volunteer assistant adjutant general to Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon in the struggle to prevent Missouri secession to the Confederacy that resulted in the Camp Jackson Affair. He also served as Missouri provost marshal general and lieutenant colonel under Major General Samuel Curtis. After the war, he worked as a law partner with Montgomery Blair at the Blair House in Washington, D.C.
In the American Civil War the Home Guard or Home Guards were local militia raised from Union loyalists.
The Missouri Volunteer Militia (MVM) was the state militia organization of Missouri, before the formation of the Missouri State Guard in the American Civil War.
The 2nd Missouri Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment, formed from a voluntary regiment using the same name, that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 1st Missouri Infantry Regiment evolved from one of several unofficial pro-Unionist Home Guards militia formed in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. The militia that would become the First Missouri was largely composed of ethnic Germans, although Companies K and I had significant numbers of native born American citizens and Irish-Americans. Although initially without any official standing, beginning on April 22, 1861, the four "underground" militia regiments Blair helped organize were sworn into Federal service at the St. Louis Arsenal by Captain John Schofield acting on the authority of President Lincoln.
The 4th Missouri Infantry Regiment evolved from one of several unofficial pro-Unionist militia units formed semi-secretly in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. The organization that would become the Fourth Missouri was largely composed of ethnic Germans, who were generally opposed to slavery and strongly supportive of the Unionist cause. Although initially without any official standing, beginning on April 22, 1861, four militia regiments Blair helped organize were sworn into Federal service at the St. Louis Arsenal by Captain John Schofield acting on the authority of President Lincoln. Secessionists and opponents of Unionist military organizing in Missouri in 1861 commonly referred to this unit as the "Black Guard" and "the blaggards".
The 3rd Missouri Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It arose from a group of volunteers who were active from April to September 1861.
The 5th Missouri Volunteers evolved from a network of several unofficial pro-Unionist militia groups formed semi-secretly in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. The Fifth Missouri was largely composed of ethnic Germans, who were generally opposed to slavery and strongly supportive of the Unionist cause. Although initially without any official standing, beginning on April 22, 1861, the militia regiments Blair helped organize were sworn into Federal service at the St. Louis Arsenal by Captain John Schofield acting on the authority of President Lincoln.
The 3rd Missouri US Reserve Corps Infantry Regiment evolved from one of several unofficial pro-Unionist militia units formed semi-secretly in St. Louis in the early months of 1861 by Congressman Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and other Unionist activists. The organization that would become the Third U.S.R.C was largely composed of ethnic Germans, who were generally opposed to slavery and strongly supportive of the Unionist cause. 20 percent of the men of the regiment were "native" U.S. citizens. Although initially without any official standing, beginning on April 22, 1861, the Unionist regiments Blair helped organize were sworn into Federal service at the St. Louis Arsenal by Captain John Schofield acting on the authority of President Lincoln.
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