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Americana, São Paulo
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Battle of Cole Camp (1861)
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==Background== On June 15, 1861, Union Brigadier General [[Nathaniel Lyon]] occupied the Missouri capitol in Jefferson City. Two days later, he routed the portion of the [[Missouri State Guard]] then assembling at Boonville with pro-secession Missouri Governor [[Claiborne Fox Jackson|Claiborne F. Jackson]]. As the portion of the guard accompanying Governor Jackson withdrew to the southwest of the state, a Unionist Missouri [[Home Guard (Union)|Home Guard]] regiment was in position to interfere with his retreat. The majority of the inhabitants of Benton County were of Southern origin and sentiment; however, the German immigrants were pro-Union and anti-slavery. These Germans made up the core of the Benton County [[Home Guard (Union)|Home Guard]]. Captain [[Abel H.W. Cook]] began to form the regiment in early June and called for the volunteers to assemble northeast of [[Cole Camp, Missouri|Cole Camp]] on June 11. A pro-secession force was gathering nearby at [[Warsaw, Missouri|Warsaw]]. [[Captain (land and air)|Captain]] [[Walter S. O'Kane]] organized the Warsaw "Grays" and [[Major]] Thomas W. Murray organized the "Blues." The combined force numbered about 350, with 100 of them mounted. O'Kane eventually was elecyed to command the battalion as a [[lieutenant colonel]].<ref>Cole Camp Community, ''Here We Speak Low German'', 1989, pages 183</ref> The secessionists were aided by Benton County's Sheriff, Bartholomew W. Keown. Keown attempted to arrest captains Cook and Mitchell at the Union Home Guard camp, but they refused to submit. The "arrest" apparently was cover for his real mission of gathering intelligence.<ref>Cole Camp Community, ''Here We Speak Low German'', 1989, pages 184</ref>
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