Captured Missouri State Guard Flag

Cumpston1862

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Sep 10, 2013
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The attached photograph is of a homemade Missouri State Guard Flag (Confederate Militia) that was captured during the Battle of Athens, Missouri on August 5, 1861. The flag was carried by the Confederate sympathized forces of Colonel Martin Green who had loosely organized about 3,000 plus men for his attack on Athens. Opposing Colonel Green was a local militia of Union sympathizers commanded by Colonel David Moore. Colonel Moore reportedly only had about 500 men in his unit and due to leaves and other last minute absences mustered under 400 during the battle of August 5th.

The Missouri State Guard forces led by Colonel Green had an overwhelmning force that were mostly mounted and even had a battery of 3 mismatched artillery pieces, one of them a hollowed out log made into a cannon. Colonel Moore was ill prepared for the coming attack but he had an advantage that the squirrel gun toting MSG could only dream about, brand new model 1861 Springfield rifled muskets.

The Springfields were destined for the 4th Iowa Infantry than be formed in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Cyrus Bussey the military advisor to Iowa Governor Samuel Kirkwood made the decision to divert some of the precious military rifles and ammunition to Colonel Moore's forces. Bussey came to this conclusion probably rightfully believing the MSG forces would continue into Iowa if Moore's forces were routed. When the battle of August 5, 1861 started Colonel Green and his untrained militia were horrified to find that Moore's men were able to hit them well beyond the effective range of their civilan weapons. Despite attacking from three sides Green's men lost their nerve under the accurate withering fire of Moore's Home Guard and withdrew. In the route that ensued Green's men lost this flag.


The flag ended up in the collection of the State Historical Society of Iowa and was conserved and a display case built for it in time for the 150th anniversary of the battle.





Confederate Flag-Captured @ Battle of Athens-August 5, 1861 (Louie Zenti built frame).jpg
 
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