192:
32:
490:
205:
504:
1153:
311:
1163:
413:
433:
Green's much larger force surrounded the town on three sides, with the river behind the
Unionists. Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Callihan commanded the Union left flank. He found himself facing Major Shacklett's cavalry and James Kniesley's three gun battery. The Unionists had no artillery. However,
429:
with three cannons tried to capture the town from about 500 Missouri Home Guard. Moore's pickets warned of the secessionists' advance at 5 AM, and Moore called out the regiment to begin assembling it for battle. Between men still absent on weekend leaves and removing the sick across the river, Moore
380:
Moore was faced by a growing secessionist force and by dissension in his own command. He determined to strike local secessionists, then fall back to Athens, Missouri (pronounced "Aythens") where he would be close to the Croton, Iowa supply depot and Iowa militia support. On July 21, with the help of
462:
Moore's small force succeeded in driving off a much larger force with few casualties. Moore reported three dead and twenty wounded. The full extent of
Missouri State Guard losses are unknown although Moore captured twenty men, most of them wounded. Moore estimated 31 Missouri State Guard killed and
437:
While the artillery spooked a cavalry scout, it had little other impact on the battle. The first shot from the artillery passed over the defenders, across the river and into the Croton railway depot. Another passed through the
Benning house and into the river. Predictably, the log cannon flew apart
466:
What is known is that Moore captured 450 horses with bridles and saddles, hundreds of arms, and a wagon load of long knives. The defeat was demoralizing for the state guard's efforts in
Northeast Missouri. They lost the initiative and were obliged to continue avoiding capture by pursuers. Had they
449:
The advance faltered as they approached through a cornfield. Shacklett was wounded in the neck and his demoralized men began falling back. Seeing this, Moore commanded his men to fix bayonets. Then he ordered, "Forward! Charge! Bayonets!" This counterattack sent the
Missouri State Guardsmen into
441:
As the secessionists advanced, firing became general. Other than the lack of artillery, Moore's small force was much better armed with rifled muskets and bayonets versus shotguns and squirrel rifles. Green's force contained many poorly equipped, untrained and untested recruits.
445:
Captain
Hackney's Home Guard drove the rebels away from Stallion Branch. However, Callihan was unnerved by the sight of Major Shacklett's large force advancing. Callihan fled toward the river with one of the Home Guard's cavalry companies. Other troops held their positions.
1209:
453:
Although a few shots were fired at long range across the river by some Iowa militia, they played no real part in the battle. By the time a relief force reached Athens the rebels had already begun a general retreat.
404:
On August 4 Green bivouacked seven miles west of Athens. While Moore attempted to prepare for attack, several of his company commanders allowed men to visit home. Moore called for reinforcement from Croton and
400:
on July 31—stampeding the local Home Guards. He then proceeded toward his target, Moore's
Unionist regiment in Athens. Meanwhile, several hundred of Moore's regiment received Springfield rifled muskets.
1214:
303:). The Union victory has the distinction of being the most northerly of Civil War Battles fought west of the Mississippi, and also of being the only such battle fought along the
467:
captured Moore's force they would have obtained a supply of high quality muskets from their captives, and they would have retained the initiative versus the
Missouri Unionists.
622:
97:
1204:
1199:
671:
1156:
1166:
1085:
1072:
434:
Kniesley's guns were a motley assortment (a 6-pounder, a 9-pounder, and a hollowed log) supplied with only a few solid shot and improvised canister.
1113:
592:
138:
1219:
1077:
615:
1097:
1062:
676:
470:
The war was hard on the town of Athens; and the emergence of rail transport after the war led to the demise of this river port. The state of
1057:
475:
53:
969:
1189:
631:
608:
522:
208:
517:
75:
20:
338:
companies were forming throughout the state, while at the same time stranded secessionists were still attempting to organize. At
1194:
1090:
697:
574:
959:
913:
857:
821:
801:
780:
760:
730:
1229:
1133:
908:
898:
806:
785:
765:
450:
headlong retreat. Kniesley withdrew his artillery. Most of the Union force was on foot so the pursuit was very short.
745:
204:
46:
40:
903:
1224:
933:
918:
841:
811:
755:
495:
386:
343:
57:
928:
867:
836:
831:
750:
173:
888:
692:
655:
347:
222:
132:
872:
770:
735:
397:
361:
called up the 2nd
Division of the Missouri State Guard to a training camp on the Horseshoe Bend of the
816:
509:
426:
331:
862:
826:
725:
720:
650:
964:
923:
893:
366:
335:
273:
241:
102:
992:
775:
324:
1023:
1018:
1002:
370:
339:
300:
292:
284:
381:
a company of
Illinois militia and a company of Iowa Home Guards he attacked the village of
1138:
645:
393:
358:
228:
1028:
997:
382:
327:
1183:
1067:
600:
197:
365:. There he formed the 1st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Division, Missouri State Guard. The
406:
374:
362:
310:
296:
409:, but they would not cross the river in time to participate in the engagement.
485:
412:
579:
153:
140:
558:
Anders, Leslie, "'Farthest North' The Historian and the Battle of Athens,"
471:
280:
276:
351:
584:
389:
and drove off Shacklett's MSG cavalry. He then fell back to Athens.
1210:
Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
411:
309:
304:
288:
604:
425:
On 5 August 1861, Colonel Martin Green's force of about 2,000
25:
438:
on its first fire and played no further part in the battle.
247:
II Division Missouri State Guard (~2,000 men plus 3 cannon)
575:
Battle of Athens State Historic Site General Information
1126:
1106:
1048:
1041:
1011:
985:
978:
946:
881:
850:
794:
713:
706:
685:
664:
638:
354:of the 1st Northeast Missouri Home Guard Regiment.
463:wounded. Others claimed large numbers of dead.
90:
1215:Battles of the American Civil War in Missouri
616:
334:to the southwest portion of the state, loyal
8:
1045:
982:
710:
623:
609:
601:
87:
1205:Battles of the American Civil War in Iowa
1200:Union victories of the American Civil War
76:Learn how and when to remove this message
39:This article includes a list of general
596:, "Civil War history in Iowa, Missouri"
534:
7:
1162:
476:Battle of Athens State Historic Site
392:Colonel Green responded by entering
314:Missouri Home Guard Col. David Moore
545:, Camp Pope Bookshop, 2007, page 13
416:Defeated commander Martin E. Green.
632:Missouri in the American Civil War
523:Missouri in the American Civil War
45:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
518:Battles of the American Civil War
21:Battle of Athens (disambiguation)
1161:
1152:
1151:
502:
488:
203:
190:
30:
16:Battle of the American Civil War
1220:1861 in the American Civil War
1:
478:in the ghost town of Athens.
279:that took place in northeast
698:Price's Missouri Expedition
580:Civil War in Missouri Facts
541:Cooper-Wiele, Jonathon K.,
377:was Benjamin W. Shacklett.
1246:
587:Skim Milk Yankees Fighting
560:Missouri Historical Review
543:Skim Milk Yankees Fighting
430:had only 333 men in line.
18:
1190:1861 in the United States
1147:
496:American Civil War portal
387:Scotland County, Missouri
330:pursued the secessionist
283:in 1861 near present-day
251:
234:
215:
183:
108:
98:Trans-Mississippi Theater
95:
585:Jonathan Cooper-Wiele's
427:Missouri State Guardsmen
656:Harney–Price Convention
651:Capture of Camp Jackson
262:31 killed & wounded
240:1st Northeast Missouri
60:more precise citations.
1195:Clark County, Missouri
417:
315:
299:(3 miles southeast of
216:Commanders and leaders
209:Missouri (Confederate)
133:Clark County, Missouri
736:Battle of Dug Springs
415:
398:Knox County, Missouri
313:
252:Casualties and losses
510:United States portal
344:Mexican–American War
332:Missouri State Guard
19:For other uses, see
594:Des Moines Register
150: /
1230:August 1861 events
761:Blue Mills Landing
418:
367:lieutenant colonel
316:
274:American Civil War
103:American Civil War
1177:
1176:
1122:
1121:
1037:
1036:
993:John S. Marmaduke
951:(by city or town)
942:
941:
786:Mount Zion Church
325:Brigadier General
266:
265:
179:
178:
154:40.585°N 91.696°W
86:
85:
78:
1237:
1225:1861 in Missouri
1165:
1164:
1155:
1154:
1134:General Order 11
1114:Confederate Home
1046:
1024:Thomas Ewing Jr.
1019:Samuel R. Curtis
1003:Joseph O. Shelby
983:
952:
914:2nd Independence
822:1st Independence
781:Blackwater Creek
711:
625:
618:
611:
602:
546:
539:
512:
507:
506:
505:
498:
493:
492:
491:
371:Joseph C. Porter
340:Kahoka, Missouri
293:Des Moines River
270:Battle of Athens
211:
207:
196:
194:
193:
165:
164:
162:
161:
160:
155:
151:
148:
147:
146:
143:
123:
121:
110:
109:
91:Battle of Athens
88:
81:
74:
70:
67:
61:
56:this article by
47:inline citations
34:
33:
26:
1245:
1244:
1240:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1180:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1143:
1139:Bleeding Kansas
1118:
1102:
1091:Second Newtonia
1050:
1033:
1007:
974:
953:
950:
949:
938:
877:
858:2nd Springfield
846:
802:Roan's Tan Yard
790:
771:1st Springfield
702:
681:
660:
646:Liberty Arsenal
634:
629:
569:
562:, January 1975.
555:
553:Further reading
550:
549:
540:
536:
531:
508:
503:
501:
494:
489:
487:
484:
460:
423:
359:Martin E. Green
321:
258:
229:Martin E. Green
202:
191:
189:
159:40.585; -91.696
158:
156:
152:
149:
144:
141:
139:
137:
136:
135:
119:
117:
101:
82:
71:
65:
62:
52:Please help to
51:
35:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1243:
1241:
1233:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1182:
1181:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1171:
1159:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1130:
1128:
1127:Related topics
1124:
1123:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1116:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1098:Wilson's Creek
1095:
1094:
1093:
1088:
1086:First Newtonia
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1054:
1052:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1031:
1029:Nathaniel Lyon
1026:
1021:
1015:
1013:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1000:
998:Sterling Price
995:
989:
987:
980:
976:
975:
973:
972:
967:
962:
956:
954:
947:
944:
943:
940:
939:
937:
936:
931:
929:Marmiton River
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
885:
883:
879:
878:
876:
875:
870:
868:Cape Girardeau
865:
860:
854:
852:
848:
847:
845:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
798:
796:
792:
791:
789:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
751:Dry Wood Creek
748:
746:Wilson's Creek
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
717:
715:
708:
704:
703:
701:
700:
695:
689:
687:
683:
682:
680:
679:
674:
668:
666:
662:
661:
659:
658:
653:
648:
642:
640:
636:
635:
630:
628:
627:
620:
613:
605:
599:
598:
590:
582:
577:
572:
568:
567:External links
565:
564:
563:
554:
551:
548:
547:
533:
532:
530:
527:
526:
525:
520:
514:
513:
499:
483:
480:
459:
456:
422:
419:
328:Nathaniel Lyon
320:
317:
287:and southeast
264:
263:
260:
254:
253:
249:
248:
245:
237:
236:
232:
231:
225:
218:
217:
213:
212:
200:
186:
185:
181:
180:
177:
176:
171:
167:
166:
131:
129:
125:
124:
116:August 5, 1861
114:
106:
105:
93:
92:
84:
83:
38:
36:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1242:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1170:
1169:
1160:
1158:
1150:
1149:
1146:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1105:
1099:
1096:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1068:Fort Davidson
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1049:Monuments and
1047:
1044:
1040:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
990:
988:
984:
981:
977:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
957:
955:
945:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
904:2nd Lexington
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
889:Fort Davidson
887:
886:
884:
880:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
855:
853:
849:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
799:
797:
793:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
766:Fredericktown
764:
762:
759:
757:
756:1st Lexington
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
718:
716:
712:
709:
705:
699:
696:
694:
693:Shelby's Raid
691:
690:
688:
684:
678:
675:
673:
670:
669:
667:
663:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
643:
641:
637:
633:
626:
621:
619:
614:
612:
607:
606:
603:
597:
595:
591:
589:
588:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
570:
566:
561:
557:
556:
552:
544:
538:
535:
528:
524:
521:
519:
516:
515:
511:
500:
497:
486:
481:
479:
477:
473:
468:
464:
457:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
428:
420:
414:
410:
408:
402:
399:
395:
390:
388:
384:
378:
376:
372:
368:
364:
360:
355:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
326:
318:
312:
308:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
275:
271:
261:
256:
255:
250:
246:
243:
239:
238:
233:
230:
226:
224:
220:
219:
214:
210:
206:
201:
199:
198:United States
188:
187:
182:
175:
174:Union victory
172:
169:
168:
163:
134:
130:
127:
126:
115:
112:
111:
107:
104:
99:
94:
89:
80:
77:
69:
59:
55:
49:
48:
42:
37:
28:
27:
22:
1167:
1073:Island Mound
934:2nd Newtonia
842:Clark's Mill
837:Island Mound
832:1st Newtonia
812:Moore's Mill
740:
593:
586:
559:
542:
537:
469:
465:
461:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
424:
407:Keokuk, Iowa
403:
391:
379:
363:Fabius River
356:
350:was elected
322:
295:across from
269:
267:
184:Belligerents
96:Part of the
72:
66:October 2018
63:
44:
986:Confederate
948:Involvement
909:Little Blue
873:Chalk Bluff
672:Confederacy
348:David Moore
223:David Moore
157: /
58:introducing
1184:Categories
1107:Cemeteries
817:Kirksville
807:New Madrid
665:Combatants
529:References
474:maintains
336:Home Guard
319:Background
301:Farmington
291:along the
259:20 wounded
242:Home Guard
145:91°41′46″W
142:40°35′06″N
120:1861-08-05
41:references
1082:Newtonia
1078:Lexington
1051:memorials
1042:Aftermath
970:St. Louis
960:Centralia
863:Hartville
827:Lone Jack
726:Cole Camp
721:Boonville
686:Campaigns
458:Aftermath
244:(333–500)
1157:Category
1063:Carthage
924:Westport
919:Big Blue
731:Carthage
482:See also
472:Missouri
373:and the
357:Colonel
346:veteran
307:border.
281:Missouri
277:skirmish
257:3 killed
235:Strength
128:Location
1168:Commons
979:Leaders
965:Osceola
899:Glasgow
894:Sedalia
776:Belmont
707:Battles
639:Origins
352:colonel
272:was an
118: (
54:improve
1058:Athens
741:Athens
421:Battle
297:Croton
285:Revere
195:
170:Result
100:of the
43:, but
1012:Union
677:Union
394:Edina
375:major
227:Col.
221:Col.
882:1864
851:1863
795:1862
714:1861
383:Etna
369:was
305:Iowa
289:Iowa
268:The
113:Date
396:in
385:in
323:As
1186::
342:,
624:e
617:t
610:v
122:)
79:)
73:(
68:)
64:(
50:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
