This is the route of the attack by elements of the Union 23rd Illinois Infantry and 2nd Illinois Cavalry towards the Union field hospital, visible in the distance, occupied by Confederate sharpshooters. George Henry Palmer, later MAJ, USA, then bugler of the 2nd Illinois, led the charge and won the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Remains of Union trenches. A small Union force of around 3500 men was attacked by Gen. Price's army, mostly composed of Missouri pro-Confederates, about 20,000 strong, September 18, 19, 20, 1861. The Union forces were strongly entrenched, unusually so for that early in the war, and held out for three days against continuous assault until the Confederates sapped up to the trenches using gabions made of hemp bales. The area was a big producer of hemp - maybe that was why the battle was so fiercely fought - oh, wow, man, are those dudes shooting at us? (suuuuuck) I don't know man, are there people over there? Pass the bong man...etc...
The Missouri River as seen from the Union positions. The Union position was finally outflanked and the Confederates cut the defenders off from the river, leading the Union commander Col. James A Mulligan to surrender. Reinforcements under Gen. Sturgis coming up the river from Jefferson City had been turned away by Price's outposts and Mulligan's men were almost out of water. And, perhaps, hemp...
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