★  Lyon, Nathaniel

Nathaniel Lyon

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Lyon.jpg


Born: July 14, 1818

Birthplace: Ashford, Connecticut

Father: Amasa Lyon 1771 – 1843
(Buried: Phoenixville Cemetery, Eastford, Connecticut)​

Mother: Kezia Knowlton 1781 – 1852
(Buried: Phoenixville Cemetery, Eastford, Connecticut)​

Education:

1841: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (11th in class)​

Occupation before War:

1841 – 1847: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 2nd Infantry Regiment​
1841 – 1842: Served in the Seminole War in Florida
Lyon 2.jpg
1842 – 1846: Garrison Duty at Sackett’s Harbor, New York​
1846: Garrison Duty at Fort Columbus, New York​
1847 – 1851: 1st Lt. United States Army, 2nd Infantry Regiment​
1847: Served in the Siege of Vera Cruz, Mexico​
1847: Served in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Mexico​
1847: Served in the Battle of Contreras, Mexico​
1847: Brevetted Captain for Gallantry in two Mexican War Battles​
1847: Wounded at the Belen Gate during capture of Mexico City​
1848: Garrison Duty at Fort Hamilton, New York​
1848 – 1849: Served on a Voyage to California​
1849 – 1850: Frontier Duty in California​
1850: Served on Expedition to Clear Lake and Russian River​
1850 – 1851: Quartermaster Duty in San Diego, California​
1851 – 1861: Captain, United States Army, 2nd Infantry Regiment​
1854 – 1855: Frontier Duty at Fort Riley, Kansas​
1855: Frontier Duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​
1855: Served in the Sioux Expedition​
1859 – 1860: Frontier Duty at Fort Riley, Kansas​
1860 – 1861: Frontier Duty at Silver Lake, Kansas​
1861: Frontier Duty at Fort Scott, Kansas​

Civil War Career:
Lyon 1.jpg

1861: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1861: Commander of St. Louis, Missouri Arsenal Defenses​
1861: Broke up an assembly of Secessionists at Camp Jackson​
1861: Kicked in the stomach by an Aide’s Horse​
1861: In Engaged in Capture of State Archives at Jefferson City, Missouri​
1861: Union Army Commander at Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Missouri​
1861: Mortally Wounded three times Battle of Wilson’s Creek​
1861: His first wound was to the outer part of his right calf​
1861: His second wound grazed the right side of his head​
1861: He was killed by a chest wound, made by a squirrel rifle​
1861: Attempts to embalm the body were not successful​
1861: His body was placed in an icehouse at Springfield, Missouri​

Died: August 10, 1861

Place of Death: Battlefield, Missouri

Cause of Death: Killed in battle

Age at time of Death: 43 years old

Original Burial Place:
Cornfield on Farm, Springfield, Missouri

Burial Place: Phoenixville Cemetery, Eastford, Connecticut
 
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It is not often noted that Lyon commanded US Dragoons that took part in a massacre of Native Americans at Clear Lake, California in 1850.

I was watching a documentary on the battle of Wilson’s Creek on YouTube and it was mentioned. They said it was revenge for a murder by the Native Americans. I must read up on the incident.
 
I was watching a documentary on the battle of Wilson’s Creek on YouTube and it was mentioned. They said it was revenge for a murder by the Native Americans. I must read up on the incident.
I believe the origin had to do with hunting down perpetrators that allegedly killed Americans. But the actual victims and involved tribe in the massacre were unrelated.
 
So far in researching Lyons I can't find where his body couldn't be readily embalmed. I'm guessing it was because it was possibly already in a state of decay after being mistakenly left behind on the battlefield. It was discovered by the Confederates and briefly buried on a Union Soldier's farm near Springfield. It was later dug up and sent to Eastford, Connecticut for burial in the family plot.
 
As @Booner and @mofederal have suggested, Lyon doesn't get much praise in Missouri. This is not without reason. His actions were extremely controversial, then and now. For example, in my home town, he not only suppressed the free press, he destroyed a newspaper by scattering its type and hauling off its printing press. I really have to snicker at the line in his obit that says "in manner he was singularly modest and unassuming." He was neither of those things during the Planter House meeting in St. Louis. I know he's a hero to some. To me, he was a strutting little egomaniac and a martinet.
 
How did Franz Sigel keep getting commands. He seemed a poor military commander from the limited reading that I’ve done on the man. Did he have political connections ? I only read up on him in reference to Wilson’s creek & New Market. Or have I misjudged him.
I believe the logic behind him getting commands after Wilson's Creek was because people thought Lyon's whole plan of dividing his forces with no communication between them was rotten from the start, and he could have done little to salvage it. He did redeem himself at Pea Ridge, where he did well in a senior command role.
Also, keep in mind, the German immigrant community, especially in Missouri, thought highly of him. More German immigrants served in the war than the Irish or African Americans (though only slightly so). They were a significant portion of the Union war effort, and Lincoln and other politicians who want to win the war (and another term) need to have a prominent German American in high command. Thus he is assigned to the "Dutch" 11th Corps (only half of which was made up of German or other Central European immigrants), which he would lead at Second Manassas (with honestly poor results). He was replaced by General Howard, which was not popular with the troops (eventually, the Corps would be disbanded in late 1863 and be folded into 20th Corps).
When 1864 rolls around, the election is around the corner, and Lincoln needs the immigrant and German vote, and thus assigns Sigel to command in the Valley. The rest is an embarrassment, and Sigel's reputation is irrecoverably destroyed by the blowout Confederate Victory at New Market.
 
As @Booner and @mofederal have suggested, Lyon doesn't get much praise in Missouri. This is not without reason. His actions were extremely controversial, then and now. For example, in my home town, he not only suppressed the free press, he destroyed a newspaper by scattering its type and hauling off its printing press. I really have to snicker at the line in his obit that says "in manner he was singularly modest and unassuming." He was neither of those things during the Planter House meeting in St. Louis. I know he's a hero to some. To me, he was a strutting little egomaniac and a martinet.
Sherman sings his praise. I think these two have a lot of elements in common. Who knows; maybe Lyon would have won the war in 1862; maybe he would have turned out to have been a different timeline's General Pope. His legacy rests on whether you think highly of his aggressive "decisive" actions, or condemn him for his rashness. And that complexity in opinion fascinates people like me.
 
Sherman sings his praise. I think these two have a lot of elements in common. Who knows; maybe Lyon would have won the war in 1862; maybe he would have turned out to have been a different timeline's General Pope. His legacy rests on whether you think highly of his aggressive "decisive" actions, or condemn him for his rashness. And that complexity in opinion fascinates people like me.
Not sure how ignoring securing the state to be drawn into it's least important corner to be defeated either showed promise as far as strategy, or remotely any reason to think he "could have won the war in 1862".

Yes he was aggressive or rash, but did it have any purpose other then being drawn off a wild goose chase to end in defeat? Frankly the answer is no. His defeated army retreats ultimately to St Louis, where it had started from, leaving Fremont to secure the state then ultimately drive the MSG from the state. His campaign was a failure, and Fremont's ends up the successful one as far as actually achieving any measurable lasting results in holding the state of Missouri.
 
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