Series 2: From Secession to Pea Ridge (1860–1862) — Article 5 Missouri’s split government emerges, with rival leaders, divided loyalties, and Lexington serving as final proof that the state could no longer function as one. Missouri’s Split Government and the Illusion of Unity Missouri didn’t choose a side all at once. Instead, it fractured. By…

Series 2: From Secession to Pea Ridge (1860-1862) — Article 4 Missouri Early Battles ignite at Carthage and Dug Springs, then explode at Wilson’s Creek—when Missouri’s crisis turns into open war. Missouri Early Battles: The Clash Before Wilson’s Creek Missouri didn’t ease into the Civil War. It snapped. By the time cannons roared in the…

Series 2: From Secession to Pea Ridge (1860–1862) — Article 3 The Battle of Boonville confirmed Missouri’s collapse after Jefferson City fell, forcing the state government into flight and ending any hope of control. Battle of Boonville: The Fall of Jefferson City Missouri’s Civil War did not begin with armies clashing across open fields. It…