Civil War: The Battle of Wilson's Creek

Mr. Kelsey firing the cannon!
U.S. Markings on the cannon.

Tonight we drove over to the Civil War battlefield here in Springfield, the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. We got there after the visitors center was closed so we weren’t able to get a map. That kind of stunk because we didn’t really know what we were looking at the whole time. There were about 8 stops that had signs. We saw where some of the troops were and where the cannons were stationed. It amazed me that there were 12,000 Confederate troops engaged during the battle. That is a HUGE battle. From what I understand it was the second major battle of the Civil War and the first on this side of the Mississippi River. I’m always amazed when I stand next to a cannon and I think about how much destruction one cannon could do even back then. Then I think about soldiers from both sides running towards them charging the other side. The bravery on both sides is beyond belief.