Civil War Battle of the Hemp Bales See It — Hear It — Feel It
Lafayette County Courthouse, Lexington
Lexington, Mo. – Lexington, Missouri, proudly commemorates the 150th anniversary of the first Civil War Battle of Lexington, with a full weekend of activities, September 16-18, 2011.
The 1861 battle . . .
In September 1861, Confederate Maj. Gen. Sterling Price was determined to rid Missouri of jayhawkers and Union sympathizers. Fresh from his victory at Wilson’s Creek, former Missouri governor Price set his sights on the wealthy river town of Lexington. On September 12, several skirmishes broke out – the Battle of Lexington was about to begin.
Battle of Lexington State Historic Site, Lexington
Price decided to wait until the rest of his force arrived before taking further action against Col. James A. Mulligan’s garrison, which numbered only 2,500 men. By September 18, Price’s ammunition wagons arrived and approximately 10,000 members of the Missouri State Guard, led by Gen. Price, began a full-scale siege against the Union military post, commanded by Mulligan.
The battle became known as the Battle of the Hemp Bales; Price’s army used roughly 130 hemp bales, soaked in water to prevent fire, as a moving fortification behind which they advanced up the river bluffs and closed in on Mulligan’s headquarters. On September 20, 1861, Mulligan’s troops surrendered. The battlefield, on the bluffs of the Missouri River, is now a state historic site.
The reenactment . . .
Witness the Battle of the Hemp Bales, as reenactors bring history to life: watch the cavalry approach; hear the cannons; smell the gunpowder; observe the hemp bales advancing upon the heavily outnumbered Union troops; and witness the surrender.
Reenactments take place on Saturday and Sunday, at Big River Ranch, just outside of town. The reenactment is a designated Signature Event by the Missouri Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
The festivities . . .
Anderson House, Lexington
But that’s not all. Throughout Lexington, as well as at Big River ranch, the weekend is filled with Civil War events, including: a parade; Lexington Black History Exhibit; a Civil War Authors Round Table; Civil War bus tours; living history reenactments; tours of Anderson House (used by Price’s army as a field hospital during the battle); a Civil War ball; a Civil War film festival; an old-time Chautauqua Tent; tours of antebellum homes; campfire tours; a sutlers area; various vendor booths; a beer garden; and other family-friendly activities. Shuttle buses will transport visitors to all event venues.
You will find a full schedule of events, dates and times at: www.VisitLexingtonMo.com.
Find information about the Battle of Lexington State Historic Site at: www.MoStateParks.com/park/battle-lexington-state-historic-site.
For information about Big River Ranch and a schedule of reenactment activities, go to: www.BigRiverRanchTrailRiding.com.
Contact:
Dan Cambridge
Lexington Tourism Bureau
660-259-4711
tourism@HistoricLexington.com
