Camp-Fire and Cotton-Field | Page 7

The
Convention thought it injudicious for Missouri to secede, at least at that
time, and therefore she was not taken out. This discomfited the prime
movers of the secession schemes, as they had counted upon the
Convention doing the desired work. In the language of one of their own
number, "they had called a Convention to take the State out of the
Union, and she must be taken out at all hazards." Therefore a new line
of policy was adopted.
The Governor of Missouri was one of the most active and unscrupulous
Secessionists. After the failure of the Convention to unite Missouri
with the Confederacy, Governor Jackson overhauled the militia laws,
and, under their sanction, issued a call for a muster of militia near St.
Louis. This militia assembled at Lindell Grove, in the suburbs of St.
Louis, and a military camp was established, under the name of "Camp
Jackson." Though ostensibly an innocent affair, this camp was intended

to be the nucleus of the army to hoist the Rebel flag in the State. The
officers in command were known Secessionists, and every thing about
the place was indicative of its character.
The Governor of Louisiana sent, from the arsenal at Baton Rouge, a
quantity of guns and munitions of war, to be used by the insurgent
forces in Missouri. These reached St. Louis without hinderance, and
were promptly conveyed to the embryonic Rebel camp. Captain Lyon,
in command of the St. Louis Arsenal, was informed that he must
confine his men to the limits of the United States property, under
penalty of the arrest of all who stepped outside. Governor Jackson
several times visited the grounds overlooking the arsenal, and selected
spots for planting his guns. Every thing was in preparation for active
hostility.
The Union people were by no means idle. Captain Lyon had foreseen
the danger menacing the public property in the arsenal, and besought
the Government for permission to remove it. Twenty thousand stand of
arms were, in a single night, loaded upon a steamer and sent to Alton,
Illinois. They were conveyed thence by rail to the Illinois State Arsenal
at Springfield. Authority was obtained for the formation of volunteer
regiments, and they were rapidly mustered into the service.
While Camp Jackson was being formed, the Union men of St. Louis
were arming and drilling with such secrecy that the Secessionists were
not generally aware of their movements. Before the close of the day
Captain Lyon received permission for mustering volunteers; he placed
more than six hundred men into the service. Regiments were organized
under the name of "Home Guards," and by the 9th of May there were
six thousand armed Union men in St. Louis, who were sworn to uphold
the national honor.
Colonel Francis P. Blair, Jr., commanded the First Regiment of
Missouri Volunteers, and stood faithfully by Captain Lyon in all those
early and dangerous days. The larger portion of the forces then
available in St. Louis was made up of the German element, which was
always thoroughly loyal. This fact caused the Missouri Secessionists to
feel great indignation toward the Germans. They always declared they

would have seized St. Louis and held possession of the larger portion
of the State, had it not been for the earnest loyalty of "the Dutch."
In the interior of Missouri the Secessionists were generally in the
ascendant. It was the misfortune of the time that the Unionists were
usually passive, while their enemies were active. In certain counties
where the Unionists were four times the number of the Secessionists, it
was often the case that the latter were the ruling party. The Union
people were quiet and law-abiding; the Secessionists active and
unscrupulous. "Peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must," was the
motto of the enemies of the Republic.
In some localities the Union men asserted themselves, but they did not
generally do so until after the first blows were struck at St. Louis.
When they did come out in earnest, the loyal element in Missouri
became fully apparent.
To assure the friends of the Union, and save Missouri from the
domination of the insurgents, it was necessary for Captain Lyon to
assume the offensive. This was done on the 10th of May, resulting in
the famous capture of "Camp Jackson."
On the night of the 9th, loyal parties in St. Louis supplied a sufficient
number of horses to move the light artillery necessary to accomplish
the desired object. On the morning of the 10th, Captain Lyon's
command moved from various points, so as to surround the Rebel camp
at three o'clock in the afternoon. At that hour General Frost, the Rebel
commander, was surprised at the appearance of an overpowering force
on the hills surrounding his position. A demand for surrender gave half
an hour