Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict.
Lyon is a controversial figure in American history. Some credit his quick action and hard line Unionism for stopping the Missouri secession movement. Others question his influence peddling and his role in events such as the Camp Jackson Affair, which inflamed many Missourians on the secession issue (See Missouri secession.)
Read more about Nathaniel Lyon: Early Life and Career, St. Louis Arsenal, Pursuit of Jackson, Battle of Wilson's Creek, Fate of Lyon's Remains, Legacy, Namesakes and Honors
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“The American, who up to the present day, has evinced, in Literature, the largest brain with the largest heart, that man is Nathaniel Hawthorne.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
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