Ep. 2. 33: The Battle of Wilson's Creek Closes

This episode delivers a gripping account of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, August 1861, where Union forces under General Lyon and Franz Sigel faced overwhelming Confederate numbers. Monsignor and Teresa describe Lyon’s desperate final charge, his death—the first Union general killed in the Civil War—and the chaotic retreat that left Springfield in Confederate hands. They explore the Confederates’ failure to capitalize on victory due to leadership disputes and logistical blunders, while introducing Father Bannon’s role ministering to Catholic soldiers in Price’s army. The episode sets the stage for the next major clash at Pea Ridge, where these two St. Louisans—Sigel and Bannon—will once again meet on opposite sides of the battlefield.