The St. Louis Massacre - May 10, 1861

In 1861 the border state of Missouri was involved in the violent tug-of-war over the secession issue. The thriving port city of St. Louis, was divided on the issue of secession, and had a large population of German immigrants who were opposed to slavery and secession. In spite of the state's official decision to remain neutral, strong secessionist sentiments continued to exist. Governor Claiborne Jackson, a vehement supporter of secession, personally corresponded with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, that Missouri would prove most favorable to the Confederacy. In May 1861, Postmaster Montgomery Blair learned of a secessionist plot to seize the Union depot at the St. Louis Armory, where large numbers of weapons and ammunition were stored. On May 10th, 3,000 Union soldiers under the command of Captain Nathaniel Lyon marched to the armory at the state militia barracks at Camp Jackson. A large number of German immigrants served in the Home Guard Unit. Missouri militiamen, led by General Frost, surrendered to Lyon, but trouble soon began. To humiliate the Missouri militiamen, Lyon paraded them through the streets between two columns of the Home Guard. Many citizens were hostile toward the Germans and cursed or spat at them. Rocks were even thrown, and someone in the crowd opened fire. The soldiers were ordered to fire back into the crowd. The mob retaliated by throwing blocks at the troops. Gunfire on both sides was heavy, by nightfall 60 civilians were wounded, with another 30 dead. Lyon dismissed the guardsmen in an effort to stop the fighting, but mobs roamed the streets throughout the night, burning and pillaging. It was a scene of total insurrection. The following day another seven people were killed by the Home Guard, who had been called back to duty again to restore order. The idea of Missouri remaining neutral was now out of the question.