Battle of Cole Camp (1861)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Cole Camp


caption=
partof=the American Civil War
date=June 19, 1861
place=Benton County, Missouri
result=Confederate/MSG victory
combatant1=United States of America
combatant2=Missouri State Guard
commander1=Abel H.W. Cook
commander2=Walter S. O'Kane
strength1=Benton County Home Guard (400-600)
strength2=O'Kane's Battalion Missouri State Guard (350)
casualties1=35 killed
60 wounded
25 captured
casualties2=7 killed
25 wounded

The Battle of Cole Camp was a skirmish of the American Civil War, occurring on June 19, 1861, in Benton County, Missouri. The rebel victory assured an open line of march for the fleeing governor and Missouri State Guard away from Lyon's force in Boonville.

Background

Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon took control of the Missouri capitol in Jefferson City on June 15, 1861. On June 17, 1861 at Boonville he routed the portion of the Missouri State Guard then assembling with pro-secessionist Missouri Governor Claiborne F. Jackson. As the portion of the guard accompanying Governor Jackson fled to the southwest portion of the state, a Unionist Missouri Home Guard regiment was in position to interfere with his flight.

While the majority of Benton county was of Southern lineage and sentiment, the German segment of the population was Unionist and anti-slavery. They formed the core of the Benton County Home Guard. Captain Abel H.W. Cook began to form this regiment in early June and called for the volunteers to assemble northeast of Cole Camp on June 11.

A secessionist force was gathering nearby at Warsaw. Captain Walter S. O'Kane organized the Warsaw "Grays" and Major Thomas W. Murray organized the "Blues." The force numbered about 350, approximately 100 of them mounted. O'Kane eventually commanded the whole battalion as lieutenant colonel. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 183]

The rebels were aided by the Benton County Sheriff, Bartholomew W. Keown. Keown attempted to arrest captains Cook and Mitchell at the Union Home Guard camp, but they would not comply. This was apparently only a pretense for his real mission of gathering intelligence about the camp. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 184]

The Engagement

The Unionist force occupied two adjoining farms roughly 600 yards apart belonging to Henry Harms and John Heisterberg. The Home Guards referred to the location as Camp Lyon. Cook apparently had about 400 infantry muskets. While up to 900 men had initially gathered, as many as half were furloughed for lack of weapons or for other reasons. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 181-3]

O'Kane's force marched from Warsaw toward Cole Camp on June 18 with the intent of attacking the gathering Home Guard. A respected older citizen, John Tyree, had witnessed the preparations of the secessionists in Warsaw and reported this information to the officers at Camp Lyon. That evening as he returned from reporting this, he was captured by O'Kane's force. Some of the men recognized him from earlier in the day, surmised what he had done, tied him to a tree and shot him. (Ironically, he was a slaveowner although a Union man.) [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 185]

Whatever preparation Cook had taken as a result of Tyree's warning was minimal, for the pickets were overrun without alerting the sleeping Home Guard. There were admissions of extensive drinking within the camp and the men were slumbering in the early morning hours of June 19 when the attack occurred. O'Kane's infantry double-quicked from the east to the Heisterberg barn where a portion of the Home Guard were and delivered a volley into the shocked men. However, a company of Home Guard under Captain Elsinger was just north of the barn. They responded with fire into the flank of the attackers, but had little ammunition and as a result were soon forced to withdraw.

O'Kane's mounted force then slammed into and drove away another nearby group of Home Guard that was attempting to form to repel the infantry.

Meanwhile, the remaining unengaged Union men at the Harms barn under Captains Grother and Mueller formed to join the fracas. The presence of a Union flag now in the hands of the rebels confused the men and they held their fire until they were fired upon. They withdrew without engaging and the fighting ended.

Capt. Cook supposedly fled at the beginning of the fight. He claimed to have left to consult with Captain Totten of Lyon's forces, but his men claimed otherwise. His command ended sometime in July, and his widow was denied a pension after the war. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 186-9]

Casualties and Impact

Federal casualties were heavy with at least 34 killed or mortally wounded, 60 wounded, and 25 made prisoner. Perhaps most importantly, O'Kane's force captured 362 muskets with bayonets that would prove useful at the battles of Carthage and Wilson's Creek. Secessionist losses were around seven killed and 25 wounded. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, page 190]

O'Kane's men apparently murdered one of the prisoners who spoke little English and was a cook. They mistook him for Capt. Cook and shot him on the spot. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, page 290]

The victory opened a path for the fleeing Missouri State Guard. When O'Kane's men joined the gathering Missouri State Guard, their tale provided a morale boost to the rest of the beleaguered force.

Sheriff Keown was captured along with 683 other Missouri State Guard recruits on December 19 in the Skirmish at Blackwater Creek (actually a river.) [ Anders, Leslie, "The Blackwater Incident.", Missouri Historical Review, LXXXVIII, No. 4, July 1994, page 422] As a result of his actions at Cole Camp and in another affair, he was charged with spying and robbing loyal citizens, but died in prison on April 16, 1862 before he could be brought to trial. [Cole Camp Community, "Here We Speak Low German", 1989, pages 183-4]

References

External links

* [http://members.aol.com/hrftx/BCHG.htm Benton County Home Guards]
* [http://www.colecampmissouri.com/civilwar/civilwar1.html Robert Owens' Summary of Cole Camp]