STL History Live brings you fascinating stories about St. Louis. These programs include a 20- to 30-minute presentation followed by a brief Q&A. This event originally premiered on August 5, 2020.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
During the Civil War, Missouri was in constant turmoil from raids by heavily armed bands of marauders loosely affiliated with the Confederate army. Most of the 1,100 military engagements in Missouri during the Civil War took place between Union troops and guerrillas. Ordinary people felt the dread of uncertainty when riders approached their homes: Were they Union soldiers or guerrillas? It didn’t always matter. Both sides were known to kill and set buildings on fire if their demands for information, food, or horses weren’t met. Join historian and author James Erwin as he traces the history of the guerrilla war from sporadic attacks on railroads to sustained assaults on soldiers, wagon trains, steamboats, citizens, and entire towns. This history is told through the experiences of the guerrillas, the soldiers who fought them, and the civilians who suffered from depredations by Union and Confederate soldiers alike.
