General Sterling Price and the Civil War in the West by Albert E. Castel

In the summer and fall of 1861, the Missouri State Guard scored several victories against Union troops. The men fighting under Price were devoted to him and followed his command.

The Missouri State Guard would recruit and drill in McDonald County under Price’s command and go on to engage federal troops throughout Missouri. Price firmly believed in states’ rights and began to organize an army at Booneville. 4 After Nathaniel Lyon captured Camp Jackson, the Missouri General Assembly authorized the formation of the Missouri State Guard. While owning several dozen slaves, he opposed the secession of Missouri from the Union. Price fully embodied the southern antebellum way of life. He had previously served in the state legislature in 1838, but in 1852 he was elected Governor of Missouri. 3 After Price returned from the Mexico War, he embraced a career in policies. 2 Price was a good business man and farmer and developed a southern style manor named “Val Verde.” During the Mexican War, Price was commissioned by President Polk as a colonel and served in the 2nd Missouri Mounted Volunteers. A year later he married Martha Head and they had seven children, five of which survived until adulthood. 1 He arrived in Missouri in 1831 at the age of 22 and established a farm near Keytesville in Chariton County. In his adolescence Price attended a local school and then went on to attend Hampden Sidney College where he studied Law. His family grew tobacco on a large farm, and owned many slaves.

Sterling Price was born in Edward County Virginia on September 20, 1809. Image courtesy of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

General Sterling Price and the Civil War in the West by Albert E. Castel