The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

May 10, 2011

On this date 150 years ago, President Jefferson Davis ordered the purchase of warships and munitions for the Confederacy. Naval Secretary Mallory suggested ironclads as logical additions to the small Confederate navy, hoping that this would favor the Southerners, for their Union opponents had a much larger and more diverse fleet.

A riot in St. Louis, Missouri, resulted when United States troops clashed with pro-secessionists state militia. While Federal forces did not provoke the attack, under the leadership of Captain Nathaniel Lyon they marched to the state militia barracks at Camp Jackson where armaments for secessionists were allegedly stored. The state forces led by General D. M. Frost surrendered peacefully, but during the ensuing march, curious crowds triggered further violence. In the fracas, a reported 29 were killed or fatally injured!