May 10, 1861 Friday St Louis exploded into action. Troops marched, shots were fired, and people fell. The pro-Union elements in the city, including the vocal German group, were organized under Capt. Nathaniel Lyon, temporarily commanding the arsenal, and Francis Preston Blair, Jr., politician and member of the well-known Blair family. In addition to a few regulars, the unionists had organized some political marching clubs into Home Guards. The State Militia, on the other hand, was largely pro-secessionist or at least opposed to supporting the Union war effort. Gov. Claiborne Jackson had made this abundantly clear. On May 6 the militia had gathered at Camp Jackson in Lindell’s Grove in the western part of the city under command of Gen. D.M. Frost, former army officer turned politician. The camp had definite Southern overtones, with streets unofficially reported to be named “Davis Avenue” and for Beauregard and other Confederates. Surplus arms from the arsenal had been sent into Illinois, but the unionists feared that the militia at Camp Jackson, named for the governor, would attack the arsenal; therefore the camp must be taken. The story is that on May 8 Lyon, dressed as an elderly woman, drove through the camp as a spy, but this is highly dubious, for all the information needed was readily available. Late on May 8 a boat had brought boxes marked “marble” to the city. They turned out to be loaded with mortars and guns for the secessionists. Frost’s militia camp was set to disband May 11, and he denied any covert intentions. Lyon, urged on by Blair, decided to take the camp because of their “unscrupulous conduct, and their evident design … .”
Violent, sometimes almost wild in his patriotism, Lyon led possibly 7,000 men against the roughly 700 at Camp Jackson. Frost had neither attacked the arsenal nor retreated. Surrounded, he surrendered without a shot. During the march back to the arsenal, the prisoners were guarded by the Germans and regulars. Excitement had been extreme in the city for days, with cries of “Hessians” against the Germans, and equally strong anti-Southern feelings expressed. A crowd of the curious and agitated viewed the march, including one William T. Sherman and his son, and of course it happened; someone pushed or shoved, a shot or two rang out, and then more and more with the unionists firing on the crowd. Accounts are many, facts few. When it was over some 28 or 29 people were dead or mortally wounded, including, reportedly, a child in arms. Mobs stormed through the streets of St Louis that night; all saloons were closed. A strange sort of war; the “battle” of St Louis.
Elsewhere, the Maryland legislature passed a resolution imploring President Lincoln to cease prosecuting the war against the South; authorities in Washington still almost hourly expected fighting in Maryland. President Lincoln continued to be involved with the business of appointments, both civil and military, and poses for photographs in M. B. Brady's studio. The President directs commander of U.S. forces on Florida coast to suspend writ of habeas corpus, "if he shall find it necessary." Off Charleston U.S.S. Niagara began a blockade patrol. In Montgomery President Davis signed an act of Congress calling for purchase abroad of 6 warships, arms, and stores. Sec. of the Navy Mallory urged the building of ironclads because the obvious inequality of the Confederate Navy would have to be offset by quality, strength, and invulnerability. The Confederate government in Montgomery placed Virginia Maj. Gen. Robert E. Lee in command of Confederate troops in Virginia.
The Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Alabama announced its withdrawal from the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. A peculiar weapon known as the Winans steam gun was captured by Federals while being sent South from Baltimore.
President Lincoln writes to Rhode Island Governor William Sprague and explains why he will not appoint Sprague's choice to a postmaster position. Lincoln writes, "[A] different man . . . is recommended by both the Senators, and both the old Representatives of the State, and also by one of the new Representatives. In these cases the Executive is obliged to be greatly dependent upon members of Congress; and while, under peculiar circumstances, a single member or two, may be occasionally over-ruled, I believe as strong a combination as the present never has been. I therefore beg you to be assured that if I follow the rule in this case, as it appears to me I must, it will be with pain and not with pleasure, that you are not obliged."
_________________ Gen Ned Simms 2/XVI Corps/AotT Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em. VMI Class of '00
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