Having accomplished little since taking command
of the Western Department, with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri,
Maj. Gen. John C. Fremont formulated a plan to clear Maj. Gen. Sterling
Price's Rebels from the state and then, if possible, carry the war into
Arkansas and Louisiana. Leaving St. Louis on October 7, 1861, Fremont's
combined force eventually numbered more than 20,000. His accompanying
cavalry force, numbering 5,000 men and other mounted troops, included
Maj. Frank J. White's Prairie Scouts and Fremont's Body Guards under
Maj. Charles Zagonyi. Maj. White became ill and turned his command over
to Zagonyi. These two units operated in front of Fremont's army to
gather intelligence. As Fremont neared Springfield, the local state
guard commander, Col. Julian Frazier, sent out requests to nearby
localities for additional troops. Fremont camped on the Pomme de Terre
River, about 50 miles from Springfield. Zagonyi's column, though,
continued on to Springfield, and Frazier's force of 1,000 to 1,500
prepared to meet it. Frazier set up an ambush along the road that
Zagonyi travelled, but the Union force charged the Rebels, sending them
fleeing. Zagonyi's men continued into town, hailed Federal sympathizers
and released Union prisoners. Leery of a Confederate counterattack,
Zagonyi departed Springfield before night, but Fremont's army returned,
in force, a few days later and set up camp in the town. In mid-November,
after Fremont was sacked and replaced by Maj. Gen. Hunter, the Federals
evacuated Springfield and withdrew to Sedalia and Rolla. Federal troops
reoccupied Springfield in early 1862 and it was a Union stronghold from
then on. This engagement at Springfield was the only Union victory in
southwestern Missouri in 1861.