Missouri's Role in the Civil War

The main purpose of Missouri in the civil war was sending armies, men, supplies and generals across it borderline to the other side; it had different governments who each represented both sides and had both flags. They also endured a neighborly intrastate war with the larger national wars. The question of if or not the secessionist of Missouri could have been held the state for the South in the process of the Civil War has been a matter for decades. Undoubtedly, Missouri had a lot of resources: agricultural, natural and geographical. The natural features of Missouri included miles of navigable rivers, which were of strategic significance later in the war. The Mississippi River, a major point in General Winfields Anaconda Plan was part of an entire eastern border of the state (Anders 736). The river of Missouri passed through and accompanied Mississippi River at St. Louis and joined Kansas, Illinois, and Ohio as it flows into Mississippi at sections that Missouri bluffs overlooked upon which fortifications could have been positioned and artillery made in order to command the river traffic.

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During this period, Missouri can be considered the garden of transit-Mississippi South because it produced more edible agricultural products such as Indian corn, rye, wheat, and buckwheat and non-edible products such as flax, wool, tobacco and hemp compared to their states such as Texas, Arkansas, and Lousiana, combined. Missouri additionally out-produced both the horses and hogs of Arkansas and Texas, essential resources to several armies. The use of horseflesh by the military differed, from pulling supply wagons to ensuring transportation of artillery and mounted cavalry. Pork products such as ham, bacon, and salt pork were part of a huge portion of eating ratios in both the Confederate army and the Union. Apart from the agricultural products, Missouri also had more industrial mines compared to any other Trans-Mississippi state, producing coal, iron ore, copper, lead, and zinc essential wartime commodities.

The agricultural goods of Missouri were transported by rivers and through burgeoning railroad industry. Missouri by 1861, had more miles of railroad tracks compared to the other states put together. In 1845, the state of Missouri gave characters to six railroads in order to construct Missouri. Of these roads, just two of any lengths were constructed in 1861. Exactly as the names suggest, St. Joseph Railroad and Hannibal ran from Hannibal along Missouri river in the west. The line passed through the country seats Shelby Country, Linn Country, Livingstone County and Daviess Country (McPherson 45). One contemporary considered it an uneven-crooked, jerk-water, kind of railroad, but vehicles could be kept on track in case speed was low and the engineers more diligent. The main purpose for the road was originally for goods to be offloaded into the river barges and boats floated down the river. However, Northern interests bought the line and constructed a bridge over the Mississippi. Hence Northern Missouri became inextricably connected with Northern for marketing of the agricultural products that it had.

While the transit proved to be important resources during the Civil War, the possible significance of these railroads to the Confederate war effort in Missouri was a matter of question. No railroads in Missouri ran in Southern states as the tracks were contained exclusively within the northern half of Missouri. Important to note, however, is the fact that Missouri was a transportation and communication gateway during the Civil War. The another important resource in Missouri was the already existing and often functional military system and male populations that could be called upon for service. The reality of how militia companies were active at the time of the time of war is impossible to say. The first law of militia in Lousiana Territory was passed in 1807, which ensured that formation of organizations was effective. Even though the militia size was limited by the natural waning and waxing of the cost and interest of being members, Missouri did have a larger population of possible recruits. With the available wealth and resources, the two sides of the Civil War considered Missouri and often tried to discern what side the state was on.

Apart from uniforms and uniforms, the Missouri State Guard required food, proper arms, and equipment as well as a safe place in order to organize its forces and drill movements up the Missouri river value. The Guard volunteers of Missouri State, in addition to obtaining proper materials for war, added trouble to making simple one of the two column marching south. Of the available resources for the State Guards, most showed that one the main issues that faced the State guard was the inexperience of the volunteers. The lack of proper training and equipment contributed to additional trouble (Gilmore 101). Food, however, was a plague for the State Guards. Later on and in a more prosperous country, troops foraged for food from the local places and hams cornmeal and bacon as well as vegetables. Some of the groups in northern Missouri in mid-June provided fat meat, cornmeal, and sorghum. As the summer progressed there was a shortage in water and food became increasingly scarce. Inhabitants, however, most of who came from Appalachian hill, survived in sustenance agriculture. However, despite the lack of adequate weapons and uniforms, as well as supplies the Missouri State Guard executed several successful battles all through 1861 and an adequate amount of the waging which carried baggage.

Missouri was at the center of slavery debate when it entered 1820. It was the target of antislavery debate all through the 1840s and 50s (Inscoe and Robert 122). Under intense criticism, Missourians considered themselves Southern. They mainly depended on substance crops for survival and had no slaves. However, for most historians the gorilla was the main attention which engulfed Missouri as men such as Quantrill and Bloody Bill, Andersons dominated the Missouri Civil War mystique. Missouris secessionists inability to convince its people to be bold and take the step of secession resulted to fewer secessionist movements in Missouri, which laid foundation for a bitter war that followed after end of Price from Missouri

In conclusion, the Civil war history of Missouri is often associated with the antebellum border of war between Missouri and Kansas. Studies of unfolding war events in Missouri sometimes focus on Confederate gorillas. However, what is often assumed the first year of legitimate and standard action of the military Missouri when the pro-consist governor attempted to plot a route of the conditional Unionist legislature in securing Missouri. Despite the various works conducted on Civil War topics, there are areas to explore and new stories to be unfolded. One reason historians have avoided this topic, however, is due to lack of sufficient materials. Thanks in part to the current spike of the growing need to find new topics for research.

Works Cited

Anders, Leslie. The Eighteenth Missouri. Bobbs-Merrill, 1968.

McPherson, James M. Battle cry of freedom: The Civil War era. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Gilmore, Donald. Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas Border. Pelican Publishing, 2005.

Inscoe, John C., and Robert C. Kenzer, eds. Enemies of the Country: New Perspectives on Unionists in the Civil War South. University of Georgia Press, 2004.