Following the Confederate victory at Wilson’s Creek General’s Sterling Price and Benjamin McCulloch disagreed on their next course of action. McCulloch wanted to hold Springfield, Missouri, while Price wanted to advance further north into Missouri. Their fragile coalition army broke apart. McCulloch elected to return to Arkansas, and Price marched north towards the Missouri River. As he went north, Price’s army swelled to 10,000 men. The Missouri State Guard surrounded Lexington, Missouri, and laid siege to the Federal forces under Colonel James A. Mulligan positioned in the Masonic College in town.
During the battle Confederate forces captured Oliver Anderson’s house, which at the time was being utilized as a Union hospital. This enraged Mulligan, and he quickly ordered a counterassault to reclaim the building. The order resulted in heavy casualties, and the Federals only held the Anderson home for a short period before the Confederates overpowered them again.
On September 19, the Guardsmen encircled the college. The Union men, surrounded by enemy troops, were forced to endure the battle and heat without water. On September 20, the Southerners discovered a large quantity of hemp bales stored in a nearby warehouse. The Guardsmen soaked the bales in the river and rolled them onto the battlefield, slowly charging the Union trenches. The bales provided ample protection for the men; even the Union cannons could not penetrate the dense hemp. Finally, the Guardsmen advanced close enough to charge the Union line. Hand-to-hand combat erupted, and soon Mulligan realized surrender was his only option. Price captured several pieces of artillery, 3,000 rifles and 750 horses. Shortly after the battle, Price and the Missouri State Guard retreated south as a column of Federal troops approached their position.
