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First Battle of Springfield

1861 in Missouri1861 in the American Civil WarBattles of the American Civil War in MissouriBattles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil WarHistory of Greene County, Missouri
History of Springfield, MissouriOctober 1861 eventsOperations to control Missouri (American Civil War)Union victories of the American Civil War
Springfield I Battlefield Missouri
Springfield I Battlefield Missouri

The First Battle of Springfield was a battle of the American Civil War that took place on October 25, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri. Following the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the Missouri State Guard, a pro-Confederate militia organization, drove north and defeated a Federal (Union) force in the Siege of Lexington. Following the fighting at Lexington, Federal Major General John C. Frémont began a campaign that drove into southern Missouri. The main body of the Missouri State Guard fell back to Neosho, but a body of roughly 1,000 new recruits commanded by Colonel Julian Frazier was at Springfield. On October 24, Frémont sent a force raised as his bodyguard commanded by Major Charles Zagonyi on a scouting mission towards Springfield. After joining a cavalry force known as the Prairie Scouts at Bolivar, Zagonyi moved on towards Springfield on October 25. Having lost the element of surprise in a clash with a small group of Missouri State Guardsmen, Zagonyi detoured his men to the west. At around 4:00 p.m., Zagonyi's men encountered Frazier's command. The Missouri State Guardsmen had taken up a defensive position on a partially wooded ridge. The exact details of the battle are unknown, but Zagonyi's men drove off Frazier's troops before entering Springfield and withdrawing north at around the time darkness fell. Zagonyi's post-battle report was intentionally inaccurate and was designed to inflate the contributions of his own troops at the expense of the Prairie Scouts. The action accomplished very little, and Federal troops occupied Springfield again two days later. Frémont was relieved of command in early November, and his successor called off the campaign and withdrew, allowing the Missouri State Guard to reoccupy Springfield, although they were driven out of Missouri in early 1862.

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First Battle of Springfield
South Park Avenue, Springfield

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N 37.2035 ° E -93.3205 °
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South Park Avenue
65802 Springfield
Missouri, United States
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Springfield I Battlefield Missouri
Springfield I Battlefield Missouri
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Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri

Springfield is the 3rd most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri, after Kansas City and St. Louis, and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 487,061 in 2022 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, and Webster, The city sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks, which ranges from nearly-level to rolling hills. Springfield is the second-largest urban area in the Ozarks. Springfield's nicknames include "Queen City of the Ozarks" and "The Birthplace of Route 66". The city has been called the "Buckle of the Bible Belt" due to its association with evangelical Christianity. The city is the headquarters for Bass Pro Shops and the adjoining Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium. Springfield is within close distance to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and sits along the Trail of Tears, now a national historic trail. As of 2020, Springfield's largest ethnicities are 87.6% White, 4% Black, and 5% two or more races. The city is a regional center of medical care, with two of the largest hospitals in the area, CoxHealth and Mercy being the largest employers in the city. Springfield is home to several universities and colleges, including Missouri State University, Drury University, and Evangel University. Springfield is an important regional center for distribution, logistics and manufacturing.