The Story Behind Missouri's Mass Gravesite Is Like Something From A Horror Movie

Life in Missouri was turbulent during the Civil War. Towns were divided as men choose to enlist in either the Union or Confederate armies. Guerilla warfare ravaged many small and unprotected towns. Although the Show Me State remained in the Union, it was a slave state so tensions were at an all time high. In 1862, just six months before the Emancipation Proclamation Callaway County residents were mostly loyal to the Confederacy, largely because the county had the 5th highest slave population in Missouri. On July 28th in 1862, Union and Confederate soldiers met their bloody end in Callaway County .

The Battle of Moore's Mill resulted in a win for the Union but sadly, men on both sides of the battle lost their lives. Confederate troops were ordered to withdraw and upon leaving their cover were shot down. Union troops were exhausted from their efforts but had to pursue the Confederates.

In their haste, some men were not identified and were buried, without honors or rites, in an unmarked mass grave.

150 years later, members of the Elijah Gates Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans finally found the site of Moore's Mill's mass grave. Using sonar they confirmed that there were 24 bodies buried in a small section of privately owned farm land.

Luckily, the land owner agreed to have a fence built around the property and for marker to be erected.

On July 27th, 2014 the gravesite was officially marked and dedicated. The soldiers were finally given a proper burial and were identified on the monument.

Today, visitors can pay their respects and learn about the Battle of Moore's Mill from the displays that were added to the site when it was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2015. .

Have you visited the Battle of Moore’s Mill gravesite in Missouri? What other Civil War sites in Missouri have you visited? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Visit another Missouri Civil War battle site and see the war hospital that was ravaged by bullets and cannon blasts.

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The Story Behind Missouri's Mass Gravesite Is Like Something From A Horror Movie

Liz Oliver

Author

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