August Light: Wilson's Creek and the Battle for Missouri

The Missouri of 1861—where passions raged on both sides of the issues of secession, slavery, and whether that “peculiar institution” should be extended into the rapidly expanding American territories—is the setting for this documentary about the second major battle of the Civil War and the first west of the Mississippi. The state's rivers and railroads made it a key transportation hub sought by both Union and Confederate forces. Ragtag armies and militias roamed the countryside, but what these men lacked in material they made up for in fervor for their beliefs. Producer-director Shane Seley (who co-wrote the script with Brian Rose) combines archival photographs dramatic re-creations, and narration by Danny Cox to tell the story of the divided loyalties, motley units (including German and Irish immigrants), military tactics, and miscalculations that characterized the bloody conflict that took place in August in the valley surrounding Wilson's Creek, southwest of Springfield. The central figure is Union general Nathaniel Lyon, an impetuous West Point graduate who harbored a deep hatred for secessionists. The fierce combat ended with 2,500 casualties, and a Confederate victory that nevertheless failed to secure Missouri for the South. DVD extras include battlefield and museum tours, a discussion of battlefield preservation issues, and photo galleries. Recommended for larger Civil War collections and regional libraries; optional elsewhere. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)