Lexington MO006

1861-09-13 to 1861-09-20 · MO · Operations to Control Missouri [June-October 1861] · frozen result: Confederate · NPS summary (as listed)

CWSAC description
Following the victory at Wilson's Creek, the Confederate Missouri State Guard, having consolidated forces in the northern and central part of the state, marched, under the command of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, on Lexington. Col. James A. Mulligan commanded the entrenched Union garrison of about 3,500 men. Price's men first encountered Union skirmishers on September 13 south of town and pushed them back into the fortifications. Price, having bottled the Union troops up in Lexington, decided to await his ammunition wagons, other supplies, and reinforcements before assaulting the fortifications. By the 18th, Price was ready and ordered an assault. The Missouri State Guard moved forward amidst heavy Union artillery fire and pushed the enemy back into their inner works. On the 19th, the Rebels consolidated their positions, kept the Yankees under heavy artillery fire and prepared for the final attack. Early on the morning of the 20th, Price's men advanced behind mobile breastworks, made of hemp, close enough to take the Union works at the Anderson House in a final rush. Mulligan requested surrender terms after noon, and by 2:00 pm his men had vacated their works and stacked their arms. This Unionist stronghold had fallen, further bolstering southern sentiment and consolidating Confederate control in the Missouri Valley west of Arrow Rock.

Command responsibility (ledger v2)

US: James A. Mulligan

Grade A under rule 2; echelon detachment_or_post.

Rule 2, single listing. The description says Mulligan commanded the garrison, and Britton calls him 'the Federal commander' at the Anderson house fight. Britton also writes of 'Colonels Mulligan and Peabody' reinforcing the outpost on the 13th and 'the Federal commanders', but names no other officer as commanding the whole garrison, so there is no contradiction. Fremont's instructions to hold the place came from St. Louis (departmental; not labelled).

Colonel
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO006, belligerent US, fullname James A. Mulligan; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Col. James A. Mulligan commanded the entrenched Union garrison of about 3,500 men.
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO006; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
Colonel Mulligan ordered out a strong force to retake it
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1 · snapshot 642bcb039285…

Confederate: Sterling Price

Grade A under rule 2; echelon army.

Rule 2, single listing. The description has the State Guard march on Lexington under Price's command and meet Union skirmishers on the 13th; Price reports the surrender 'to the army under my command'.

Major General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO006, belligerent Confederate, fullname Sterling Price; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
marched, under the command of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, on Lexington
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO006; column description · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
the army under my command
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1 · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…

Side strength (ledger v3)

US: grade A, 3,500 (1,900–3,680)

applicability_unresolvedcompiled_dependencederivation_unknownwhole_engagement_leakage

InputClassPrintedBasisBoundCodesPassage
us-cwA3,500reported_engagedderivation_unknown
3,500
arnold-cwsac-forces, battle MO006, belligerent US; column description · snapshot a462f6be964b…
us-npsA3,500reported_engagedderivation_unknowndossier claim reported-force-scope
us-britton-2000C2,000unknownengagement_link_unknowndossier claim reported-force-scope
us-britton-3000C3,000unknownengagement_link_unknowndossier claim reported-force-scope

Confederate: grade A, 12,000 (11,400–12,600)

compiled_dependencederivation_unknownsingle_inputwhole_engagement_leakage

InputClassPrintedBasisBoundCodesPassage
cs-cwA12,000reported_engagedderivation_unknown
12,000
arnold-cwsac-forces, battle MO006, belligerent Confederate; column description · snapshot a462f6be964b…
cs-npsA12,000reported_engagedderivation_unknowndossier claim reported-force-scope
cs-britton-rainsbound3,000unknownlowerone_sided_boundpartial_scopedossier claim reported-force-scope
cs-britton-parsonsbound3,000unknownlowerpartial_scopedossier claim reported-force-scope
cs-lane-10000C10,000unknownadversary_or_hearsay_estimateengagement_link_unknowndossier claim reported-force-scope

Nested records

ContainingContainedOutcomeReason
Lexington MO006Liberty MO003not_nestedLiberty (Blue Mills Landing) was fought north of the Missouri River by the northern State Guard columns under Atchison, en route to Lexington, against Scott's Third Iowa detachment; the Lexington description narrates only the siege and does not mention it, and neither Union force was part of the other. The force scopes partly overlap: Britton says Saunders's division crossed from North Missouri and joined Price in time for the siege, and Atchison's report puts five regiments under Saunders at Blue Mills. Atchison's report to Price says 'I delivered your orders to the above commands to hasten to this point (Lexington) with as much dispatch as possible.' Only views that include both records are affected.

Dossier claims

Draft dossier, revision missouri-1861-review-correction-2026-09-25. Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON

information

supportedunresolved Britton says secessionists joining Price gave him accurate information on the Federal troops, and that Fremont had ten days' notice of Price's advance on Lexington.

Knowledge attributed by a history; no dispatch chain inspected.

giving him accurate information of the numbers and position of the Federal troops at Warrensburg and Lexington.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.134 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
General Fremont had fully ten days' notice of the advance of Price upon Lexington
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.144 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

logistics

supportedunresolved Price says his ammunition, mostly left behind on the march, was nearly exhausted on the 13th and thousands of his men had not eaten for thirty-six hours, so he withdrew to the fair ground until his ammunition wagons came up; he sent men to cut the garrison off from water. Britton says the garrison's water supply was cut off and the works had made no ample provision for water.

Conditions from an interested report and a history; not returns.

that our ammunition, the most of which had been left behind on the march from Springfield, was nearly exhausted
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
thousands of whom had not eaten a particle in thirty- six hours
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
My ammunition wagons having been at last brought up
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
to cut them off from the water on the north, east, and south of the college
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
their water supply had been cut off by General Price's army.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.140 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
the Federal officers had not made ample provision for supplying the troops with water
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.140 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

objectives

disputedunresolved Price says he fell back on the 13th, unwilling to risk a doubtful engagement when delay would make success certain; Britton says he withdrew feeling that his force was not strong enough to make a successful assault and being short of ammunition. Britton says the garrison commanders had instructions from Fremont to hold the place to the last extremity.

Stated aims from an interested report and a history; the two give different reasons for the withdrawal of the 13th, and neither is adopted.

Being unwilling, however, to risk a doubtful engagement, when a short delay would make success certain
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
feeling that his force was not strong enough to make a successful assault, and being short of ammunition
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.137 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
having received in- structions from General Fremont to hold the place to the last extremity
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.141 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

outcome

supportedpost_outcome The frozen and live results read Confederate victory. Price reports the surrender of the United States forces and property after fifty-two hours of firing; Britton calls the fall of Lexington a severe blow to the Union cause in Missouri.

Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit. Britton's judgment is campaign context.

Confederate victory
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO006; column results_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
Confederate Victory
nps-mo006-v1, Results · snapshot 4202e83ada55…
the surrender of the United States forces and property at this place to the army under my command
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.185 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
after fifty- two hours of continuous firing
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.187 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
The fall of Lexington was a severe blow to the Union cause in Missouri.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.143 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

disputedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads 1,874 (US 1,774; CS 100); the live field reads 3,600 (US 3,500; CS 100). Price reports 25 killed and 72 wounded for his army and about 3,500 prisoners; Britton gives 39 Federal killed, 120 wounded and 3,000 prisoners.

Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap. Prisoner counts are a different population from killed and wounded and are not added.

1,874 total (US 1,774; CS 100)
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO006; column casualties_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
3600 total (US 3500; CS 100;)
nps-mo006-v1, Estimated Casualties · snapshot 4202e83ada55…
Our entire loss in this series of engagements amounts to 25 killed and 72 wounded.
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.188 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
The casualties on the Federal side were 39 killed and 120 wounded, and 3,000 prisoners.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.143 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

responsibility

disputedunresolved The frozen commanders are Major General Sterling Price and Colonel James A. Mulligan. Price says he caused the hemp bales to be moved and that Harris, McBride, Rives and Winston built the breastworks; Britton says Harris proposed the hemp and asked Price's permission. Price says the surrender was agreed by Colonel Marshall and officers Mulligan associated with him; Britton says Mulligan ordered the counterattack at the Anderson house, says Mulligan's council was sensible that the blunder or incompetency of the department commander or his subordinates had placed them there, and himself ascribes the disaster to unpardonable blunders and want of concert among subordinate Federal commanders.

Command roles from an interested report and a history; the initiative for the hemp breastworks is attributed differently. The council's view is as Britton reports it; his ascription of the disaster is his own judgment. No automatic sole credit.

Major General
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO006, belligerent Confederate, fullname Sterling Price; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
Colonel
arnold-cwsac-commanders, battle MO006, belligerent US, fullname James A. Mulligan; column rank · snapshot 6c587c298717…
I caused a number of hemp bales to be transported to the river heights
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.187 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
by Generals Harris and McBride, Colonel Rives and Major Winston
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.187 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
requested of General Price permission to take about one hundred and fifty bales of the hemp thus found.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.141 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
by Colonel Marshall and the officers associated with him for that purpose by Colonel Mulligan
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.188 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
Colonel Mulligan ordered out a strong force to retake it
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.139 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
They were deeply sensible that through the blunder or incompetency of the Depart- ment commander or his subordinates
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.142 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
It was a disaster that was due to a series of unpardonable blunders and want of concert of action among subordinate Federal commanders
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.143 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

strength

unknownunresolved

No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. Imported numerical estimates remain unchanged; this pass does not validate them as simultaneous opening forces.

disputedunresolved The frozen force field gives the garrison about 3,500 and the State Guard 12,000; the live field agrees. Price reports about 3,500 prisoners and an army increasing hourly, with large reinforcements received before the 18th. Britton says Price knew of only about two thousand men at Lexington when he left Springfield and that Mulligan and Peabody held it with about three thousand; he gives Rains's division upward of three thousand and Parsons's three thousand, repeats Lane's report of ten thousand with seven guns, and counts 3,000 prisoners.

Garrison, prisoner and division figures of different dates and scopes; no inspected return gives either side's strength on September 13 or 18. None is adopted as a matched opening strength.

Garrison (approx. 3,500) [US]; Missouri State Guard (12,000) [CS]
arnold-cwsac-battles, battle MO006; column forces_text · snapshot 952b5d08402a…
15500 total (US 3500; CS 12000;)
nps-mo006-v1, Forces Engaged · snapshot 4202e83ada55…
about 3,500 prisoners
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.188 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
an army increasing hourly in numbers and enthusiasm
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.185 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
large re-enforcements having been received
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
a small force of about two thousand men, composed of Missouri Home Guards and a regiment of Illinois volunteers under Colonel Mulli- gan
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.121 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
holding that place with about three thousand men.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.132 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
with his division of upward of three thousand men and two three- gun batteries
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.137 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
General Parsons, with a division of three thousand secessionists
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.135 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
marching on Lexington with ten thousand men and seven pieces of artillery.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.144 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…
3,000 prisoners.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.143 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

terrain

supportedunresolved Price says the garrison had strongly fortified the college; his men took the Anderson house position within 125 yards of the intrenchments and on the 20th advanced behind movable breastworks of hemp bales. Britton says Peabody and Mulligan began fortifying Lexington when they heard of Price's advance.

Works built by the garrison and approaches made by the besiegers during the operation; no map verification.

which building they had strongly fortified
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.186 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
The important position thus secured was within 125 yards of the enemy's intrenchments.
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.187 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
movable breastworks were speedily constructed
or3-price-lexington-selections-v1, p.187 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 6fc6ea23b1ca…
at once commenced fortifying Lexington, with the view of holding out until reinforcements arrived.
britton-border-1-missouri-1861-selections-v1, p.134 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot 642bcb039285…

Open questions