| Missouri State Guard||||Franklin Served under Capt. James Blankenship 1st MO, 7th div., Vance's Co. Missouri State Guard A force of 3000 men was raised in response to Gov. C. F. Jackson's call on June 12, 1861 for 50,000 State Miltia for active service. Commanded by Sterling Price and M. M. Parsons form Oct. 19, 1861 to March 17, 1862, when it was merged into the Army of the West. The men signed up for a period of six months. By the end of the year the Guard had grown to about 12,000 men. At this time Missouri was a sovereign state. She had her own army and her own flag. They never fought under the Stars and Bars, the flag of the Confederacy. On April 9, 1862, Parsons again resumed command and July 13, 1862 the organization was relieved of duty east of the Mississippi River and ordered to join Hindman in the Trans- Mississippi. Dept. Some men returned home at this time, but over 8,000 men continued with Price in the confederate Army as he marched east of the Mississippi River. NOTE: Though it is true that in the beginning the Missouri State Guard was a neutral and independent army, it is my opinion that all that changed when Missouri seceeded from the Union on October 31, 1861 making Missouri the 12th Confederate State. |
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