Missouri's Important Role in the Civil War

The Nov. 5th Voice of the Day, evidently out of Springfield, Mo. (a great Route 66 town, by the way), discussed Missouri's role in the Civil War. It was titled "Missouri was significant state during the Civil War" by Len Eagleburger, author of "The Fighting 10th" about the 10th Missouri Cavalry, US.

I didn't know that Missouri had the 3rd most engagements during the war, floowing Virginia and Tennessee. The state also sent more men to war in proportion to its size than any other state, 199,111, and they served on both sides.

The sesquicentennial of the Civil War is coming up in 2011. That'd be 150 years. The Missouri legislature has passed a bill to help sponsors on the Civil War Discovery Trail to put up interpretive panels in key spots throughout the state in order to draw attention to state's heritage in the war.

Currently. there is also a bill in both Federal houses called the Sesquicentennial Act. This will provide much-needed funding on the national level.

There are several Civil War groups in Springfield as well.

The Civil War Round Table of the Ozarks (I used to belong to the Chicago CW Round Table)
James H. McBride Camp of Sons of Confederate Veterans(I belong to the Camp Douglas Camp SCV)
Phelps Camp Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Mary Phelps Daughters of Union Veterans (I hadn't heard of this group before)
Wilson Creek National Battlefield Association

I'm a bit surprised there is no Daughters of the Confederacy there.

The SCV Camp is raising money to dedicate a memorial to General James H. McBride in his Texas County home.

The Civil War Preservation Trust, a national organization that I also belong to, well, as soon as I get my dues in), is having a regional conference in Springfield in early 2008.

Glad to Hear the Cause Is Being Furthered in Springfield and Missouri. --B-Runner