Civil War

1860 Henry Rifle

by mwhisleron June 21, 2020 in Battlefield, Foundation tagged artifacts, battlefield, civil war, education, foundation, preservation, rifle

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield will take possession of an important Civil War artifact thanks to efforts of the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation and its supporters. The Foundation was presented with the opportunity to purchase a very rare .44 caliber Model 1860 Henry rifle recently sold at auction and purchased by the Foundation to be added to the park’s permanent collection. The Foundation will present the rifle to Wilson’s Creek Acting Superintendent Russ Runge at 1 PM on Tuesday, June 23, at Stop 5 on the battlefield’s tour road, overlooking the open fields of Colonel Franz Sigel’s position the morning of the battle, August 10, 1861.

Foundation friends and supporters will be on hand to view the presentation and see the beautifully embellished weapon for themselves. The public is also invited to attend.

While this Henry rifle was not used at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, the weapon does have a Missouri connection. The rifle was owned by Major George W. Fulton of the 21 st Missouri Infantry, a Union regiment that saw extensive service during the war and participated in the battles of Shiloh, Tupelo and other actions. Fulton, a resident of Edina (Knox County), Missouri, served with the regiment from July 1861 until his resignation in December 1864. He died in Edwards County, Kansas, in 1890.

The Henry, which was first produced in 1860, was the most technologically advanced small arm of the Civil War period. A lever-action repeating rifle, the Henry utilized a 15-round magazine containing self-contained metallic cartridges, allowing a soldier to fire anywhere from 15-30 shots per minute at a time when a soldier carrying a single-shot muzzle-loading rifle-musket could fire only 2-3 shots per minute.

This artifact will be displayed in the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield’s newly-renovated Visitor Center set to open in October 2020. The planned exhibit will highlight the history of Civil War weapons technology. Displaying a Henry will allow visitors to gain a greater appreciation of the rapid advance in arms technology that took place during this period, drawing a clear distinction between the single-shot weapon of the pre-war era and the repeating rifle that was destined to spell the end of muzzle-loading weapons and dominate the arms market for decades after the war.

The Wilson’s Creek NB Foundation also recently contributed an additional $40,000 to the visitor center renovation project to provide content for electronic displays highlighting several aspects of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek and the Civil War.

Wilson’s Creek Foundation is the support and fund-raising partner for Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, with the mission of encouraging awareness, appreciation, educational utilization, and development of the park, as well as raising funds for various projects not covered by the National Park Service.

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Trails

History Preserved Through Land Purchase

by mwhisleron March 25, 2019 in Battlefield, Foundation tagged battlefield, Benjamin McCulloch, civil war, land, preservation

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield has recently been able to acquire 6.2 acres of historic land
on the west side of the park from a willing seller. This land preservation effort was completed
through partnerships with the American Battlefield Trust, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield
Foundation, and the National Park Service. The authority for the addition of this property is the
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Boundary Expansion Bill that was approved by Congress in
June 2003.

This historically significant parcel of land was where Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch
ordered Colonel Greer to deploy his men to turn the Union right flank on Bloody Hill. Greer’s
battalion, consisting of about 400 men of the South Kansas Texas Cavalry Regiment, moved
along the north side of Skegg’s Branch. In addition, surgeons of Mayor General Price’s Missouri
State Guard established a field hospital at Skegg’s Spring, which is visible from the property.
According to authors Dr. Thomas Sweeney and Kip Lindberg, the site offered large trees with
shade along with the fine natural spring.

The purpose of this land acquisition is to preserve history as it relates to the Battle of Wilson’s
Creek for future generations of visitors who come to the battlefield to learn about the Civil War
and the events that took place on August 10, 1861.

Mike Ussery, President of the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation, stated, “Our
Foundation is pleased to be able to assist with important land preservation efforts like this one.
One of our goals is to protect the viewshed and the pristine nature of the more than 2,000 acres
that make up this park.”

According to Superintendent Hillmer, “This particular section of land will help park staff to
educate more than 200,000 visitors each year, providing a better understanding of the Battle of
Wilson’s Creek. The park is very grateful for partnerships and willing sellers who assist the
National Park Service and Wilson’s Creek NB with purchases of important historic property like
this.”

Battlefield Land Expansion

by mwhisleron February 15, 2018 in Battlefield, Foundation tagged battlefield, civil war, civil war trust, donation, foundation, land

Recently a piece of historic land was added to the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield through the efforts of the Civil War Trust and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation. The CW Trust is a national organization with the mission of preserving historic Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield’s Boundary Expansion document, dated June 2003, states that additional land may be purchased from willing sellers. The 60-acre parcel was purchased and subsequently transferred to the National Park Service.

The significance of this property, located on the southeast boundary of the battlefield, is that it was the first position of Colonel Franz Sigel’s troops during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The Union forces divided their troops as they left Springfield around 6:00 pm on August 9th. The plan was to take 1,200 men under Col. Sigel and swing wide to the south, flanking the Confederates on the right as General Lyon’s force struck from the north.
The sixty acres acquired on January 22, 2018, allows the park to interpret a very significant segment of the battle under the command of Col. Sigel. This property was conveyed to the U.S. Department of the Interior and will be managed by Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

“In donating this property to the National Park Service, we continue to preserve a piece of our history for generations to come,” stated Jim Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Trust. Furthermore, Wilson’s Creek NB Foundation President Mike Ussery stated that, “Part of the mission of the Foundation is to preserve land directly related to the battle. We are very proud to assist in this land preservation donation.”

Civil War Veteran Burial

by mwhisleron April 8, 2015 in Battlefield tagged battlefield, burial, carthage, civil war, missouri, veteran

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield staff and volunteers will be participating in the internment of a Major Raphael Guido Rombauer on Saturday April 11, at Park Cemetery in Carthage, Missouri. The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. with graveside service at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

“If you have a love of history, especially the Civil War, you need to attend this ceremony, or at least pause at 1:30 p.m., to give honor to this father, husband, and Civil War Soldier, who will finally be laid to rest on Saturday”, according to Supt Hillmer. He continued, “This may be the last Civil War soldier buried in your lifetime.”

A native of Austria-Hungary, Rombauer immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri in the late 1840s. With tensions rising in the spring of 1861, he enlisted in Company A, 1st Missouri Infantry. A ninety-day unit, Rombauer was discharged before that unit’s participation at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Rombauer subsequently enlisted in an Illinois artillery unit and ended the war with the rank of major. Following the war, he settled in the Carthage area and became involved in coal mining and railroads. He eventually lived in Kirksville where he died in 1912 at the age of 75. His remains were sent to St. Louis for cremation, where they remained unclaimed for 102 years. His remains were brought to the attention of Elizabeth Young, his great granddaughter who claimed them. Rombauer will be interned in his family’s plot at Park Cemetery with full honors.

“A number of organizations have working together over the past few months to ensure that Major Rombauer’s remains are finally interned with dignity”, remarked Chief Park Ranger John Sutton. “The Carthage Community Band will provide music, the Holmes’ Brigade, a federal Civil War reenactment unit, will escort the remains. The Sons of Union Veterans and the Daughters of Union Veterans, the U.S. Army and the staff of Park Cemetery will all have a role. The National Park Service has been requested to fire an artillery salute, representing his artillery service during the Civil War.” Major Rombauer will be interned almost 150 years to the day after the surrender of Confederate forces at Appomattox, Virginia which essentially ended the Civil War.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Anniversary Program

by mwhisleron July 25, 2014 in Battlefield tagged anniversary, artillery, battlefield, bloody hill, civil war, foundation

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield will observe the 153rd Anniversary of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek over the weekend of August 9 and 10, 2014, with a variety of programs and activities.

On Sunday, August 10, at 2:00 p.m., at the Visitor Center, the anniversary program will start with a presentation of colors, recognition of guests, and a special presentation by the battlefield’s Foundation. “The main speaker,” according to Superintendent Hillmer, “will be author James W. Erwin. He will talk about his books and the importance of preserving these special places and educating the next generation about their important history.”

“Come and enjoy this special presentation by a Missouri author,” says Superintendent Hillmer. Refreshments will be served and entrance fees for August 9 &10 will be waived.

Artillery and infantry small arms firing demonstrations are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 9, at tour road stop 5. Volunteers will be depicting the Missouri State Guard, pro-Southern state militia that fought at Wilson’s Creek. “The purpose of these programs is to relate to visitors the soldier’s combat experience during the battle,” remarked Chief Park Ranger John Sutton. A special sunset artillery salute will take place at 8:15 p.m. at tour road stop 5 to honor the soldiers who were killed during the battle of Wilson’s Creek.

Guided tours of Bloody Hill will be offered at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visitors should meet at the Bloody Hill parking area for the tour, which should last about an hour. An exhibit on Civil War prisoners and full scale prints of the new exhibits will be available for viewing at the visitor’s center.

Daughters Donate to Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

by mwhisleron June 12, 2014 in Battlefield tagged battlefield, civil war, daughters of the union veterans, donation, history, trans-Mississippi

Mary Whitney Phelps Tent (Chapter) No. 22 Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865, of Springfield, Missouri, recently donated funds to purchase rare prints that will supplement the collection of trans-Mississippi Theatre items that Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield has within their collection.

“Wilson’s Creek is very grateful to the members of the Mary Whitney Phelps tent No. 22 for donating these funds to purchase items within this unique history of the Civil War”, said Superintendent Hillmer, who is pictured along with Doris Jones, President, and Fran Black, Treasurer, of the Daughters of Union Veterans Mary Whitney Phelps Tent No. 22.

Mary Whitney Phelps Tent No. 22, the local chapter of the national Daughters of Union Veterans organization, was formed in 1999. The Daughters of Union Veterans are direct descendants of Veterans of the Union Army of the American Civil War, 1881-1865. They work to preserve our personal ancestral history and assist others to do the same. Abraham Lincoln stated, “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from this earth.”

Volunteer Program Meeting & Orientation

by mwhisleron February 26, 2014 in Battlefield tagged battlefield, civil war, education, v, volunteer

On Saturday, March 8, 2014 Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is hosting a Volunteer Recruitment Fair from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The day’s activities will begin with a short video introducing the NPS Volunteer in Parks (VIP) program followed by a thirty-minute presentation to address some of the specific volunteer needs for the 2014 spring and summer season. Anyone interested in volunteering at the battlefield is encouraged to attend. Volunteers should be at least sixteen years of age to participate in activities. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are not required for the meeting.

After the 9:00 a.m. presentation, visitors and prospective volunteers will have the opportunity to stop by several volunteer exhibition tables set up throughout the visitor center. Each station will be hosted by a park staff member or one of the current volunteers at Wilsons’s Creek NB to provide an opportunity for the public to learn first-hand about the various volunteer positions. The volunteers will also share personal in-sight as well as some of their own experiences with the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield volunteer program.

According to Superintendent Ted Hillmer, “The programs presented at the park are strongly supported by volunteers. Come and be a part of preserving our nation’s rich cultural history.” A registration table will be available to pick up the necessary forms and information.

There is an immediate need for volunteers to assist during the busy spring school season (April/May) with providing educational tours of the historic Ray House as well short programs on Civil War medicine and other Civil War topics. These and other volunteer opportunities for FY 2014 will be discussed in further detail during the fair.

10th Annual Memorial Luminary Driving Tour

by mwhisleron December 11, 2013 in Battlefield, Foundation tagged battlefield, civil war, education, luminary tour

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield presents the 10th Annual Memorial Illumination Ceremony, featuring over 2,539 luminaries, representing those killed, wounded, or missing at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, August 10, 1861. Admission is FREE!

WHEN: Saturday, December 14, 2013.

WHERE: Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Republic, Missouri. Directions: Travel west on the James River Freeway (Hwy 60) to exit Hwy M. Go south on M for about ¾ mile to Wilson’s Creek Blvd. (Hwy ZZ). Turn south on Wilson’s Creek Blvd., go one mile to Farm Rd 182. Then, turn east on Farm Rd 182 and the first right is the entrance to the park.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

4:30 pm Opening Ceremony at the Visitor’s Center

5:00 pm Volunteer Procession through Illumination

5:15 pm Memorial Illumination Tour Opens to Public

Over 2,000 people expected to tour Illumination from 5:15 pm to 9:30 pm

EVENT DETAILS: Over one hundred volunteers, including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation members, Ozark Civil War Roundtable members, and other community organizations will participate in this event, assembling the luminaries and distributing them along the five-mile tour road through the park.

A luminary is a paper bag filled with sand and a lighted candle. A special candle will be utilized this year to honor our park volunteers.

Living history volunteers, carolers, and re-enactors at the Ray House will bring the past to life. Visitors are encouraged to tour the Ray House and learn about the hardships faced by local families during the Civil War. Music, refreshments, and information will be provided at the visitor center.

Vehicles will use parking lights only for the five-mile driving tour through the National Battlefield, with stops at the Visitor Center and the Ray House. There are no restrooms along the tour route.

Free Admission on August 25th

by mwhisleron August 19, 2013 in Battlefield tagged battlefield, civil war, national park service

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield will be joining other national park sites around the country on Sunday, August 25, 2013 in celebrating the founding of the National Park Service with a fee-free day. Established on August 25, 1916, The National Park Service cares for over 400 national park areas which preserve our nation’s natural, historical and cultural heritage.

“This is a great time to come and explore your local national park. The National Park Service provides these special places, which are preserved for citizens and international travelers, to enjoy”, according to Supt Ted Hillmer.

The fee-free designation applies to entrance fees only and does not affect fees for camping, reservations, tour of use of concessions. Interagency Senior and Annual Passes are available for those who wish to purchase them.

For additional information, please call the park visitor center at 417-732-2662, extension 227 or visit the battlefield’s website at www.nps.gov/wicr.

2013 Anniversary Programs

by mwhisleron August 1, 2013 in Battlefield tagged anniversary, artillery, battlefield, civil war, education, history, preservation

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield will observing the 152^nd Anniversary of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek over the weekend of August 10 and 11, 2013, with a variety of programs and activities.

On Saturday, August 10, at 10 a.m., at Tour Stop 5, the anniversary program will begin with music and a presentation of land purchased by the Civil War Trust and WICR Foundation. “This acquisition of land is the continuation of preserving the past for future generations”, according to Superintendent Hillmer. “Come and enjoy this special presentation.” Refreshments will be provided.

Visitors attending the anniversary program are encouraged to arrive early, due to the additional time necessary to drive from the visitor center to Tour Stop 5. Entrance fees for August 10 will be waived.

Living history programs will be presented at Tour Stop 5 depicting the various Southern troops that fought at the battle of Wilson’s Creek. “Generals McCulloch and Price forged a coalition army consisting of Confederate troops from Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, Arkansas state forces and the Missouri State Guard in order to oppose General Lyon’s federal troops”, remarked Chief Park Ranger John Sutton. “The purpose of these programs is to relate the soldier’s combat experience during the battle to the visitor.”

Artillery and infantry small arms demonstrations will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the hour. A special night artillery firing program will take place on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Tour Stop 5 to conclude the day’s observances.

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