Four hundred kilometers straight east along the Missouri River from Kansas City is St. Louis.
There was originally a railway under construction between the two cities, but it was temporarily stopped due to the previous Kansas Civil War.
St. Louis is the largest city in Missouri. It is located in the eastern part of the state at the border with Illinois. St. Louis is a water and land transportation hub in the Midwest, south of the confluence of the Missouri River and the Mississippi River.
The entire city stretches north and south along the east bank of the Mississippi River.
St. Louis was originally an Indian fur trading place.
In 1764, French fur traders built a castle here and named it after King Louis IX.
It was established as a city in 1808. In the early days, it was a trading center for agricultural and livestock products in nearby areas. Since the 1850s, due to the opening of river ports and the construction of railways, the city's industry and commerce have developed rapidly, and it has become an important base for the westward development of the United States.
Missouri recognized slavery and was considered a slave state.
But due to the influx of large numbers of immigrants, the power of new immigrants here is also very strong.
In particular, the development of river and railway transportation and the rich local mineral resources have allowed local industrial production to develop rapidly.
At the same time, the contradiction between slave owners and industrial capitalists was also very acute here.
It’s just that so many years of struggle have allowed them to form a tacit understanding of mutual recognition.
After the southern states seceded from the Union, there were calls from Missouri to join the Southern camp.
Mainly planters located in southern Missouri.
However, St. Louis, the political center of this state, is located close to the northern industrial state of Illinois.
In addition, the city of St. Louis itself is mainly based on industrial production, and the local opposition to slavery is even stronger.
Therefore, after several discussions in the state legislature, Missouri remained in the Union.
However, although the slaveholding faction did not have an advantage in the state assembly, they controlled most of the land in Missouri.
Especially on the border with Kansas.
Because of the previous Civil War in Kansas, most of the slave plantation owners here had their own armed forces, and after years of war, they were already experienced in hundreds of battles.
The location here is so important, and it is impossible for a smart person like Abraham not to pay attention to it.
He had noticed this place as early as the Kansas Civil War.
At that time, he pointed out from the perspective of northern liberals that if he wanted to win the Kansas region, he must have the support of Missouri.
Because the railways built by the federal government extend to this place from north to south and from east to west.
This is considered the bridgehead for federal control of the entire central prairie region.
However, because of President Buchanan's favoritism, the Kansas Civil War was ultimately won by the slaveholding faction. The center of the struggle between the two sides moved to the Nebraska region in northern Kansas.
As a result, Missouri's role diminished.
However, after the South seceded from the Union, Lincoln again paid attention to it.
Leon was originally the commander of the Union Army in St. Louis City.
His men originally only had 108 federal soldiers guarding the arsenal.
Don't think that the number of soldiers under his command is small. You must know that the number of active federal army troops at that time was only more than 10,000.
Even the famous Fort Sumter had more than a hundred soldiers stationed at the beginning of the Civil War.
However, Abraham soon authorized Colonel Leon, the commander of the arsenal, to recruit five thousand volunteers.
The officers are served by the soldiers under him.
It is worth mentioning that although the Federation does not have a standing army, almost every army officer has received professional education.
They are actually a standing army composed of a group of sub-officers.
When a war is actually launched, all that is required is to recruit volunteers on a large scale.
Then by placing these officers, the army can be organized quickly.
Almost everyone here has a gun and everyone can shoot. Ordinary volunteers will have basic tactical literacy as soon as they are recruited.
In the northern suburbs of the city, on a high ground by the river, the arsenal and military barracks of St. Louis City are surrounded by tall walls.
In the dark night, it looked like a giant beast standing by the river.
In the middle of the silent arsenal is a two-story stone building.
The building is shaped like a mini fortress. There are parapets and shooting holes on the roof.
In a room on the second floor, four or five officers in blue uniforms sat around Leon.
Colonel Leon graduated from the Infantry Section of West Point Military Academy. He once participated in the war with the Canadians.
He also once commanded the army to expel and massacre the Yin Di'an people.
In one game, he won the game with 136 scalps. He was highly sought after by people in the military.
But Leon doesn't look burly at all.
The thin cheeks are covered with wrinkles. There are several large gold teeth inlaid in the middle of the big yellow teeth.
His eyes are very sharp and deep. His golden shawl hair is pressed under a blue dome-shaped military cap.
"Everyone, I believe everyone knows that the Battle of Manassas was not fought very well. When I was reviewed by General Scott at West Point Military Academy, I discovered that this was a man who could only talk and talk, and could not lead the soldiers to charge.
How can a general win a war?" Colonel Leon criticized the current Army Commander-in-Chief, General Scott.
In the Milician army, this situation is very normal. No one would think that they must respect the other party because he is the commander-in-chief.
This is completely different from the Renaissance Army, which has a strict hierarchy and a strong sense of obedience.
"Yes, Mr. Colonel, so we are going to fight a good fight." A short, fat major with short chestnut hair and a shiny face agreed.
Major Taylor Jones is Leon's old subordinate. He has followed him since he was fighting against the enemy in the north.
Later, Jones even saved Leon's life when fighting against the Black Hawk tribe of the Indians in the Dakota Territory.
At that time, Leon was concentrating on scalping. Unexpectedly, there was a Yin Di'an who was not completely dead.
The Yintian picked up a spear and prepared to attack Leon from behind.
The Yin Di'an people are all born hunters, and they can move without making any noise.
Just when the Yin Di'an man was about to succeed.
Jones, who happened to arrive, spotted this scene and shot a follow-up shot from behind.
In this way, no matter which army Leon was transferred to, he would take Jones with him.
There were even rumors about the two of them being indecent in the military.
"Our main enemy is the Missouri militia in the hands of Price. I heard the news that Price is preparing to lead his militia to take control of St. Louis City and then force the state Legislature to vote to join the Confederacy," Leon said.
"This is not okay, Colonel, we must stop these traitors." The speaker was a tall, thin, middle-aged man with a pair of glasses.
This man is a lieutenant colonel named Jaren Collins. Lieutenant Colonel Collins has a very bookish air about him.
He graduated from the Engineering Department of West Point Military Academy and was the most important staff officer around Leon.
Despite his appearance, he looks gentle and weak. The more than 5,000 soldiers under Leon can be coordinated by him in an orderly manner.
"Yes, Colonel, we need to strike first. If Price's people take control of St. Louis, it will be difficult for us to capture there." Jones on the side also agreed.
"Of course I know this, but I'm worried about the Kansas army next to me." Leon said worriedly.
"Colonel, maybe the mercenaries in Kansas have been disbanded! Will the southern rebels still pay those mercenaries now?" Collins said.
"Even if the Kansas army is still there, if we launch a surprise attack on Price, as long as we are quick enough, the other party may not be able to react," Collins added.
After hearing this, Leon nodded and said: "Well, Collins, you are right, then we must send a telegram to Washington immediately and ask them to send people to support us as soon as possible after we launch the attack."
Jones also added: "Colonel, I heard that both Illinois and Indiana have begun recruiting volunteers on a large scale. It won't take long for them to come by train to support us."
"In this case, let's prepare to fight this battle." Leon said.
Next, Leon began to plan how to occupy St. Louis City as quickly as possible.
In order to avoid a long night and many dreams, Leon set the time of attack at that night.
Because no one knows when Price's militiamen will march into the city.
Everyone discussed the details again, and Major Jones and his regiment were designated as the vanguard.
They want to control the checkpoints entering the city, and then enter the city to occupy the city hall, police station and cathedral.
At this time, these three places were generally the most important in the Millennium cities.
When the church bell rang the early morning bell, the whole city had already fallen into silence.
In the military camp in the north of the city, groups of federal soldiers wearing blue military uniforms quietly walked out of the military camp.
In order to keep quiet, Major Jones, who led the forward troops, asked the soldiers to advance on foot.
Jones led a group of soldiers to sneak one kilometer in front of the main force.
They quietly approached the checkpoint in the north of the city where the National Guard was stationed.
These National Guard troops were composed of militiamen recruited by Price.
They were all loyal to the slaveholding forces who were trying to get Missouri to secede from the Union.
Jones shook the dagger in his hand at his soldiers to signal them not to shoot, and used the dagger to sneakily kill the enemy.
As he got closer and closer to the enemy, Jones could even hear the enemy's breathing.
The sound of his own heartbeat seemed to be ringing in his ears.
Although Jones is a fat man, he is very flexible.
His stealth skills were all learned from his enemies while fighting the Yin Di'an people.
"Puff...Puff..." The sound of the dagger penetrating into flesh was heard.
National Guard soldiers inside the checkpoint fell one after another.
These newly recruited militiamen still lack vigilance.
Because it was not a wartime situation, they did not even set up a hidden sentry, thus losing their lives in vain.
At this time, the main force of the National Guard in Price's hands was still in Jefferson City in the southwest, which was the headquarters of the slave-owning forces.
At this time, there were less than a thousand people in St. Louis, and the duty of these thousand National Guards was only to cooperate with the police in the city to maintain law and order.
Jones's men entered the city smoothly and occupied strategic locations that had been marked in advance.
"Bang bang bang..." gunshots rang out in the city, suddenly breaking the tranquility of the night.
Most of the buildings were not lit, but the owner of the home had already picked up the musket hidden in the bedside table.
One by one, they hid behind windows or behind their own front doors.
If anyone dares to break into their own home, they will definitely shoot without hesitation. Geographically, this is the central region, but in terms of development, it is definitely the western region.
This is the case in America. The more newly developed areas are, the more wild the people are.
The next morning, federal patrol soldiers in blue uniforms could be seen everywhere on the streets.
While patrolling, they posted notices on street light poles.
The notice stated that because someone in the city was trying to undermine the unity of the Union, the Union Army took over the city of St. Louis in accordance with the power granted by the Constitution. The normal life of the residents in the city was protected and not restricted.
Most of the city's residents were indifferent to whether slavery should be restricted or not.
They run around all day long to make a living, so they don't have time to take care of these things.
Only some new immigrants without fixed jobs and assets were eager to abolish slavery.
Because only then can they obtain cheap land in the western region.
After quickly capturing St. Louis, Leon wasted no time.
He used the funds in the city and the weapons in the arsenal to recruit a group of volunteers again.
At this time in western Millennium, all you needed to build an army was money and guns.
There can be some training, but if not, the volunteers recruited will generally be able to use firearms proficiently.
What's more, today's soldiers use breech-loading guns that use bullets.
This is much simpler than a muzzleloader gun.
Just like if you ask a person who drives a manual transmission to drive an automatic transmission car, it will naturally be easy to get started.
As for how Leon obtained the funds from St. Louis City, no one will pursue it.
He has sent people to take control of the police station, all police officers are under his command, and his soldiers are on duty in front of the state Capitol building.
There are also soldiers sent by him at the doorsteps of important people's homes.
Next, Leon led his soldiers to fight all the way to Jefferson City.
The distance between the two cities is only two hundred kilometers.
Leon marched and fought very decisively, and it took him only three days to reach the foot of Jefferson City.
Then they launched an attack on the city.
And Price wasn't even prepared.
Because Leon captured St. Louis City in a night attack, he blocked the road from St. Louis City to Jefferson City early the next morning.
He also let Jones take control of the telegraph office immediately. Those southerners living in the city had no way to send the news back.
Leon didn't even use artillery to prepare for firing, and stormed into Jefferson City in one go.
At this time, Leon's federal army was full of momentum.
However, the Missouri National Guard under Price was demoralized because it was attacked by many enemies.