The Civil War was a result of the political ideology differences between pro-slavery states, and anti-slavery states, concerning the government’s role in deciding whether slavery should be accepted or prohibited in new states entering the Union. Neither side felt that compromising would be an acceptable resolution, and once Abraham Lincoln was elected to the presidency in 1860, eleven states eventually seceded from the Union. The state of Missouri, however, was not one of these states, and yet it has one of the most unique histories when it comes to their involvement in the Civil War. The people of the state were overwhelmingly for secession, even though slavery was not a major institution throughout the state. A large group of Missouri men,
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The Missouri governor believed that Missouri would successfully secede, and once it happened, he thought the Confederate government would repay the banks by selling bonds to the public. However, the Confederate government in Missouri was overturned and replaced by the federal government after Union military strikes in St. Louis and Boonville that ended his plan before the money officially changed hands. The Confederate people, in turn, were still left to repay the debts that were left by the former Confederate government, after bankers allowed thousands of loans to be issued to pro-Confederate citizens. Union officials sold off many family farms to cover the debt, intensifying the hostilities in Missouri. One historian’s account, believes that the guerrilla insurgency was a direct result of the Confederate loss at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas in 1862. General Thomas Hindman was determined to continue the fight against the Union soldiers who occupied the area, even after a majority of the Confederate troops were moved back to Tennessee. Hence, he quickly organized groups of men into guerrilla bands, and ordered them to fight the Union forces. No matter which argument one decides to side with, it is obvious that several years of grievances and fear led the state to become the most guerrilla populated state throughout the Civil
The Missouri governor believed that Missouri would successfully secede, and once it happened, he thought the Confederate government would repay the banks by selling bonds to the public. However, the Confederate government in Missouri was overturned and replaced by the federal government after Union military strikes in St. Louis and Boonville that ended his plan before the money officially changed hands. The Confederate people, in turn, were still left to repay the debts that were left by the former Confederate government, after bankers allowed thousands of loans to be issued to pro-Confederate citizens. Union officials sold off many family farms to cover the debt, intensifying the hostilities in Missouri. One historian’s account, believes that the guerrilla insurgency was a direct result of the Confederate loss at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas in 1862. General Thomas Hindman was determined to continue the fight against the Union soldiers who occupied the area, even after a majority of the Confederate troops were moved back to Tennessee. Hence, he quickly organized groups of men into guerrilla bands, and ordered them to fight the Union forces. No matter which argument one decides to side with, it is obvious that several years of grievances and fear led the state to become the most guerrilla populated state throughout the Civil