page_title: Nathaniel Lyon
section_title: Battle of Wilson's Creek and death
hierarchical_section_title: Nathaniel Lyon / American Civil War / Battle of Wilson's Creek and death
caption_attribution_description: English: Nathl. Lyon, Brig. Genl., U.S.A. Killed at the battle of Springfield, Mo., Aug. 10, 1861. Dansk: General Nathaniel Lyon, USA
context_page_description: Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of the governor Claiborne Jackson.
  He had fought in the Second Seminole War in Florida and the Mexican–American War. After being assigned to Kansas, where many residents were divided about slavery and the Union, he developed strong pro-Union views. In February 1861, Lyon was made commander of the Union arsenal in St. Louis, Missouri. Suspicious of governor Claiborne, who was working with Jefferson Davis on a secret plan for secession, Lyon forced the surrender of the pro-Confederate militia.
  Some civilians rioted and Lyon’s troops fired into the crowd. Lyon was promoted brigadier-general and given command of Union troops in Missouri. He was killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, while trying to rally his outnumbered soldiers. But Lyon’s efforts had prevented the State of Missouri from joining the Confederacy.
context_section_description: By July 13, Lyon was encamped at Springfield, Missouri, with about 6,000 Union soldiers. The Missouri State Guard, about 75 miles southwest of Lyon and under the command of Price, met with troops under Brig. Gen. Benjamin McCulloch near the end of July. The combined Confederate forces numbered about 12,000, formed plans to attack Springfield, and marched northeast on July 31.
  The armies met at dawn a few miles southwest of Springfield on the morning of August 10 in the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Lyon was wounded twice in the fighting; shot in the head and leg and his horse shot from under him. He returned to Union lines and commandeered a bay horse ridden by Maj. E.L. McElhaney of the Missouri Infantry. Lyon, badly outnumbered by Confederate forces, then dramatically led a countercharge of the 2nd Kansas Infantry on Bloody Hill, where he was shot in the heart at about 9:30 am. Although the Union Army was defeated at Wilson's Creek, Lyon's quick action neutralized the effectiveness of pro-Southern forces in Missouri, allowing Union forces to secure the state.  According to a witness General Lyon was killed by a soldier named John Morgan after he was completely surrounded by Confederate soldiers. He said "The bravest man I ever saw was General Lyon. He picked up rocks and fought with thousands of men around him. He then said “General Lyon struck Will Morgan in the face with a rock, and John Morgan shot him dead with an old Fashion horse pistol."
caption: Nathaniel Lyon, lithograph possibly depicting the Battle of Wilson's Creek
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