Missouri State Militia (pre-Missouri State Guard)
Encyclopedia
The Missouri Volunteer Militia was the state militia
organization of Missouri
prior to the Missouri State Guard
in the American Civil War
.
Prior to the Civil War, Missouri had an informal state militia that could be called up by the governor for emergencies or annual drill "in accordance with the Missouri State Statutes of 1854." Larger militia elements, such as Brigades or the element employed in the 1860 Southwest Expedition, were composed of independent regularly drilling volunteer companies, such as the St. Louis Grays, the National Guards, and the Washington Blues. (Interestingly, each of these companies wore its own distinctive, and highly ornate, uniform. Antebellum esprit de corps was enhanced by drilling competitions between the independent companies.) During the secession crisis Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson used the state militia covertly as secessionist tool with the intent of capturing the St. Louis Arsenal
with which to arm the state. Governor Jackson called up the militia for drill under General Daniel M. Frost
at a camp just outside the St. Louis city limits, with the intention of moving against the Arsenal. Previously, on February 13th, General Frost had inducted five new companies composed entirely of pro-secessionist "Minutemen
" volunteers into the MVM.
Aware of the threat to the Arsenal and the presence of stolen artillery in the camp, Captain Nathaniel Lyon
used United States infantry and federally inducted Home Guard
volunteers to capture the militia in what became the Camp Jackson Affair. While marching the prisoners through St. Louis and to the arsenal a deadly riot erupted when the Home Guard was confronted by an angry mob. The bloodshed enraged the state and prompted the Missouri legislature to pass Governor Jackson's "Military Bill" reorganizing the state militia into the Missouri State Guard
and giving him near dictatorial control over it.
Missouri State Guard
Home Guard (Union)
Enrolled Missouri Militia
Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
organization of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
prior to the Missouri State Guard
Missouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Prior to the Civil War, Missouri had an informal state militia that could be called up by the governor for emergencies or annual drill "in accordance with the Missouri State Statutes of 1854." Larger militia elements, such as Brigades or the element employed in the 1860 Southwest Expedition, were composed of independent regularly drilling volunteer companies, such as the St. Louis Grays, the National Guards, and the Washington Blues. (Interestingly, each of these companies wore its own distinctive, and highly ornate, uniform. Antebellum esprit de corps was enhanced by drilling competitions between the independent companies.) During the secession crisis Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson used the state militia covertly as secessionist tool with the intent of capturing the St. Louis Arsenal
St. Louis Arsenal
The St. Louis Arsenal is a large complex of military weapons and ammunition storage buildings owned by the United States Army in St. Louis, Missouri. During the American Civil War, the St...
with which to arm the state. Governor Jackson called up the militia for drill under General Daniel M. Frost
Daniel M. Frost
Daniel Marsh Frost was an antebellum officer in the United States Army and then a brigadier general in the Missouri Volunteer Militia and the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
at a camp just outside the St. Louis city limits, with the intention of moving against the Arsenal. Previously, on February 13th, General Frost had inducted five new companies composed entirely of pro-secessionist "Minutemen
Minutemen (Missouri Secessionist Paramilitaries)
The Minutemen was a secessionist paramilitary organization in St. Louis, Missouri in the early months of 1861. Many members joined the 2nd Regiment of the Missouri Volunteer Militia, and after May 10, 1861 the Missouri State Guard or the Confederate States Army....
" volunteers into the MVM.
Aware of the threat to the Arsenal and the presence of stolen artillery in the camp, Captain Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict....
used United States infantry and federally inducted Home Guard
Home Guard (Union)
In the American Civil War the Home Guard or Home Guards were local militia raised from Union loyalists.-Missouri:In Missouri after the start of the Civil War there were several competing organizations attempting to either take the state out of the Union or keep the state within it...
volunteers to capture the militia in what became the Camp Jackson Affair. While marching the prisoners through St. Louis and to the arsenal a deadly riot erupted when the Home Guard was confronted by an angry mob. The bloodshed enraged the state and prompted the Missouri legislature to pass Governor Jackson's "Military Bill" reorganizing the state militia into the Missouri State Guard
Missouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
and giving him near dictatorial control over it.
See also
Missouri State Militia (Union)Missouri State Militia (Union)
The Missouri State Militia was a federally funded state militia organization of Missouri conceived in 1861 and beginning service in 1862 during the American Civil War...
Missouri State Guard
Missouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
Home Guard (Union)
Home Guard (Union)
In the American Civil War the Home Guard or Home Guards were local militia raised from Union loyalists.-Missouri:In Missouri after the start of the Civil War there were several competing organizations attempting to either take the state out of the Union or keep the state within it...
Enrolled Missouri Militia
Enrolled Missouri Militia
The Enrolled Missouri Militia was a state militia organization of Missouri in 1862 during the American Civil War. It was a part-time force whose primary purpose was to serve as garrison and infrastructure guards, both to augment the Unionist Missouri State Militia in defense versus raids and to...
Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia
Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia
The Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia or PEMM also known as the Detailed Militia was a state militia organization of Missouri's Union government during the American Civil War...