Well, I am back! What a great trip! If you have never been to Wilson's Creek you really should plan a trip.
Let me start by saying , DO NOT get your directions from Mapquest! The directions I got from there took me to a lumber yard in Springfield. Having discovered this, I made my way to the Battlefield on my own, and was only 20 mins late.
It rained all day, but this did not discourage me. The battlefield is very dynamic. No matter where you are you can see the area. I was amazed to see how close everything was on the field. For example; you can walk form Bloody Hill all the way back to Prices HQ. Its not that far. For my first stop I went to the Gibsons Mill site, and walked down to find the area where Union troops forded the creek. I then walked the 1 mile or so to Wire Road. From there I backtracked and came up thru Rays Cornfield,where part of the battle took place then back down thru the oatfield where Confederate forces had camped.
The next stop was the Ray house,which is one of two actual structors that were standing during the battle. This is where Confederate soldiers brought Gen Lyons body after Union soldiers left him on the field. They have the actual bed he laid in.
If I had one complaint it would be that Mother Nature has taken over. Obviously its been 200 yrs, and trees have grown. LOS is almost non-existant espically from Battery positions. For example; at Bloody Hill you cannot see the Confederate batteries of Guibors which are just across the field until you have gone approx 200 meters below Sokalskis Section of Union artilley. Further down are Tottens Batteries and you cannot see the Confederate batteries again. From the Confederate position you cannot see any of the Union Guns. Still, having walked up Bloody Hill across the field from what would have been Confederate positions you can get an idea of what it must have been like.
I could ramble on all day, as I spent a good five hours at the battlefield. All in all a great trip and I fully recommend it.
Pis to posted somewhere soon.
Dan
BG D.H. Smith
EN/2IN/III Corps/AoA
http://sapper99.com