This is a group of five bullets recovered on private property in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, near the site of the Battle of Cape Girardeau, that took place 26 April, 1863. This is considered to be Confederate Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke's 2nd expedition into Missouri. Marmaduke was raiding into Missouri from Arkansas, to obtain much needed arms and mounts for several hundred of his men who had neither. General Marmaduke split his 5000 man Confederate division into two columns of two brigades each. The two columns left Arkansas on the morning of 18 April, 1863. The battle of Cape Girardeau began on the morning of 26 April, 1863. Approximately 4000 Union soldiers, under the command of Brigadier General John McNeil, occupied the city of Cape Girardeau and several forts that had been built earlier in the war. The majority of the fighting was done by Colonel Joseph Shelby's "Iron Brigade" for the Confederates and artillery from the forts. The Union reported only12 casualties, while the Confederate suffered 325 casualties. The outcome of the battle was considered a Union victory in light of the fact that General Marmaduke left Missouri and returned to Arkansas. These five bullets were all recovered on private property.

Item # AA2564

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