American Civil War Union Brigadier General. He received recognition as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. After graduating 11th among 52 cadets from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1841, he was commissioned an officer in the US Infantry, gaining battle field experience in both the Second Seminole War in Florida and Mexican War. In 1850 he was sent to California and was involved with the Bloody Island Massacre, which concluded with the killing of nearly a thousand of Pomo Native American warriors as well as squaws, children and old men. He was antislavery and joined the Republican Party. At the start of the Civil War in April of 1861, he was a captain in command of Company D, 2nd Infantry, which was stationed at the United States Arsenal in St. Louis, Missouri. Upon learning a volunteer unit of Confederates at Camp Jackson were planning a raid on the arsenal, he quickly organized and ordered his unit to march into St. Louis and captured the Confederates on May 10th. After capturing the Confederate unit, he marched the captives into town and paroled them in embarrassment. Local citizens began to call the Union soldiers names and throwing rocks. During the march someone fired a gunshot, the Union forces returned fire into the crowd of citizens and killing 28. This led to days of rioting and Marshall Law being enforced. In history, this incident is known as Camp Jackson Massacre and his name will always be associated with the incident. He was promoted to Brigadier General and given command over the Union troops in Missouri and assumed command of the Army of the West in July of 1861. At the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri on August 10, 1861, he became the first Union General to be killed in action during the war. After the battle, Confederates were planning to mutilate Lyon's corpse, but his remains were saved by a captive of the Camp Jackson Massacre, Colonel Emmette MacDonald, C.S.A and returned with a military escort to Union Forces for a proper burial. Although Governor Jackson of Missouri was a known Confederate sympathizer, Lyon's actions are credited with preventing the State of Missouri from joining the Confederacy. Even though he was buried in Phoenixville Cemetery on General Lyon Road in Connecticut, he has a monument erected by local citizens at Springfield National Cemetery in Missouri.
American Civil War Union Brigadier General. He received recognition as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. After graduating 11th among 52 cadets from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1841, he was commissioned an officer in the US Infantry, gaining battle field experience in both the Second Seminole War in Florida and Mexican War. In 1850 he was sent to California and was involved with the Bloody Island Massacre, which concluded with the killing of nearly a thousand of Pomo Native American warriors as well as squaws, children and old men. He was antislavery and joined the Republican Party. At the start of the Civil War in April of 1861, he was a captain in command of Company D, 2nd Infantry, which was stationed at the United States Arsenal in St. Louis, Missouri. Upon learning a volunteer unit of Confederates at Camp Jackson were planning a raid on the arsenal, he quickly organized and ordered his unit to march into St. Louis and captured the Confederates on May 10th. After capturing the Confederate unit, he marched the captives into town and paroled them in embarrassment. Local citizens began to call the Union soldiers names and throwing rocks. During the march someone fired a gunshot, the Union forces returned fire into the crowd of citizens and killing 28. This led to days of rioting and Marshall Law being enforced. In history, this incident is known as Camp Jackson Massacre and his name will always be associated with the incident. He was promoted to Brigadier General and given command over the Union troops in Missouri and assumed command of the Army of the West in July of 1861. At the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri on August 10, 1861, he became the first Union General to be killed in action during the war. After the battle, Confederates were planning to mutilate Lyon's corpse, but his remains were saved by a captive of the Camp Jackson Massacre, Colonel Emmette MacDonald, C.S.A and returned with a military escort to Union Forces for a proper burial. Although Governor Jackson of Missouri was a known Confederate sympathizer, Lyon's actions are credited with preventing the State of Missouri from joining the Confederacy. Even though he was buried in Phoenixville Cemetery on General Lyon Road in Connecticut, he has a monument erected by local citizens at Springfield National Cemetery in Missouri.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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