American Civil War in Missouri

Cole County, Missouri

Cole County, MissouriDate of Organization: November 16, 1820

County Population in 1850: 5,717
County Slave Population in 1850: 979

County Population in 1860: 8,710
County Slave Population in 1860: 987

County Population in 1870: 10,292

Cole County Institutions

Cole County Historical Society
Inman E. Page Library – Lincoln University

Newspaper Collections

Jefferson City Peoples’ Tribune
Jefferson City Missouri State Times
Jefferson City State Journal




Manuscript Collections

  • Sumner, H.M., Letter, 1862 (C0510)
  • Bolton, Joel M., Memoir, 1930 (C1801)
  • Napton, W.B., Letter, 1857 (C1879)
  • Mahan, Garland Jefferson, Diaries, 1864-1873, 1961 (C2586)

    • Actions, Skirmishes, and Battles

    June 14, 1861 – Capture of Jefferson City involving Missouri’s 1st and 2nd Infantries alongside United States’ Battery “F”, 2nd Artillery and United States’ 2nd Infantry (Company B).
    April 25, 1862 – Skirmish on Osage River involving Iowa’s 1st Cavalry (Companies D & K).
    May 30-31, 1864 – Skirmishes at Honey Creek involving Missouri’s 9th State Militia Cavalry.
    October 6, 1864 – Skirmish at Cole County involving Missouri’s 1st, 7th, and 9th State Militia Cavalry.
    October 7, 1864 – Skirmish near Jefferson City involving Arkansas’ 2nd Cavalry, Illinois’ 17th Cavalry, Missouri’s 15th Cavalry, Batteries “B”, “C” and “L” of Missouri’s 2nd Light Artillery, Missouri’s 46th and 49th Infantries, Missouri’s 5th State Militia Infantry, Missouri’s Gasconade Regiment Militia, and Missouri’s Enrolled Militia Cavalry, Artillery and Infantry.
    October 8, 1864 – Skirmish at Jefferson City involving Missouri’s 1st, 6th, and 7th State Militia Cavalries.
    October 9, 1864 – Skirmish at Russellville involving a detachment of Missouri’s 6th State Militia Cavalry alongside Missouri’s Battery H, 2nd Light Artillery.
    November 26, 1864 – Skirmish at Osage.