In the summer of 1861, Americans were preoccupied by the question
of which states would join the secession movement and which would
remain loyal to the Union. This question was most fractious in the
border states of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. In Missouri, it
was largely settled at Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861, in a
contest that is rightly considered the second major battle of the
Civil War.
In providing the first in-depth narrative and analysis of this
important but largely overlooked battle, William Piston and Richard
Hatcher combine a traditional military study of the fighting at
Wilson's Creek with an innovative social analysis of the soldiers
who participated and the communities that supported them. In
particular, they highlight the importance of the soldiers' sense of
corporate honor--the desire to uphold the reputation of their
hometowns--as a powerful motivator for enlistment, a source of
sustenance during the campaign, and a lens through which soldiers
evaluated their performance in battle.