In the United States during the early 19th century, a large cultural divide developed between

the Northern States and the Southern States over the issue of slavery. By the time of the 1860
United States presidential election, slavery had become one of the defining features of southern
culture, with the ideology of states' rights being used to defend the institution. Eventually, many
southerners decided that secession was the only way to preserve slavery, especially after
abolitionist Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. His candidacy was regionally
successful, as much of his support was from the Northern States; he received no electoral
votes from the Deep South. Many southerners rejected the legitimacy of Lincoln's election, and
promoted secession.[4] On December 20, 1860, the state of South Carolina seceded, and the states
of Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed suit in early 1861. On
February 4, the seceding states formed the Confederate States of America; Jefferson Davis became
the nascent state's president.[5]

12-pounder Napoleon cannon, similar to those issued to the battery

In Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, the military installation of Fort Sumter was still held by a Union
Army garrison.[6] On the morning of April 12, the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter, beginning
the American Civil War.[7] The fort surrendered the next day.[8] Shortly after the attack, Lincoln
requested that the states remaining in the Union provide 75,000 volunteers; in the coming
weeks Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas joined the Confederacy.[9] A Union army
commanded by Brigadier General Irvin McDowell moved south into Virginia and attacked two
Confederate armies commanded by Brigadier Generals P. G. T. Beauregard and Joseph E.
Johnston on July 21. In the ensuing First Battle of Bull Run, the Union army was routed.[10]
Meanwhile, the state of Missouri was politically divided. The state legislature voted against
secession, but Governor Claiborne F. Jackson supported it. Jackson decided to mobilize the
state militia to a point outside of St. Louis, where the St. Louis Arsenal was located. Brigadier
General Nathaniel Lyon, the commander of the arsenal, moved to disperse the militiamen on May 10
in the Camp Jackson affair; a pro-secession riot in St. Louis followed. In turn, Jackson created
the Missouri State Guard as a new militia organization, appointing Major General Sterling Price as
the organization's commander on May 12. [b] After a June 11 meeting between Lyon, Jackson, Price,
and United States Representative Francis P. Blair Jr. failed to lead to a peaceable compromise,
Lyon moved against the state capital of Jefferson City, ejecting Jackson and the pro-secession
elements of the state legislature on June 15.[12]
Two days later, the Missouri State Guard suffered another defeat at the hands of Lyon, this time at
the Battle of Boonville, which led Jackson and Price to withdraw to southwestern Missouri. Lyon
pursued, although a portion of his command, under Colonel Franz Sigel, was defeated at the Battle
of Carthage on July 5. Price was reinforced by Confederate States Army troops commanded by
Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch; the latter commanded the combined force. On August 10,
Lyon attacked the Confederate camp near Wilsons Creek. Lyon's plan in the ensuing Battle of
Wilson's Creek was a pincer attack, with Lyon leading the main Union body to attack one side of the
Confederate camp, and Sigel swinging a column around to attack the Confederate rear. The plan
failed as Sigel was routed and Lyon was killed; the Union troops retreated all the way to  Rolla after
the defeat.[13] Price followed up the Confederate victory at Wilson's Creek by driving north towards
the Missouri River. On September 13, the Missouri State Guard encountered Union troops
near Lexington; the city was soon placed under siege. The Union garrison surrendered on
September 20, ending the Siege of Lexington. However, Major General John C.
Frémont concentrated Union troops near Tipton, threatening Price's position. In turn, Price withdrew
to Neosho in the southwestern part of the state. [14] On November 3, Jackson and the pro-secession
elements of the state legislature voted to secede and join the Confederate States of America as
a government-in-exile; the anti-secession elements of the legislature had previously voted against
secession in July.[15]