The Union camp at Pacific was situated on one of a few vital strategic spots to the Union side in all of Missouri. This was the intersection there of the Pacific Railroad (much later called the Missouri Pacific RR) and the Missouri Central Railroad (also known as the Iron Mountain Railroad). Top northern leaders determined early in the war to control all the vital transportation means in the frontier state of Missouri in order to keep the connection to the West, particularly California, Oregon, Washington, and the southwest territories of New Mexico and Arizona. They concentrated on the railroads and main waterways in the state, and saw to it that their side controlled the infrastructure associated with these links throughout the war. That is why some Union troops were stationed at Pacific (named after the railroad) throughout the war, and soldiers from a variety of units called that place home.

Located that close to the Meramec River wasn't always good for the men's health, and I imagine a number of Yanks are buried there. I seem to recall perhaps in this forum some years back a lady submitted a query about one northern soldier's grave in her front yard at Pacific, but I don't recall more details. There may have been some skirmishing near Pacific early in the war and in 1864 perhaps associated with Confederate General Shelby's raiding along the Missouri Central RR in September 1864 during Price's great raid of Missouri. The Federals withdrew most of their bridge guards at that time, because they stood no chance against Shelby's brigade of veteran cavalry. Some Union bridge guards failed to get the word and had "to skin it" for hiding places in the woods when the Rebel cavalry came raiding in September 1864. I recall from reading somewhere that one of those guards complained either in a letter or diary that he didn't seen much sense in guarding a steel bridge in the rain to prevent some Reb from setting fire to it. The way he put it was much better than my poor words, but you get the idea.

Bruce Nichols