Military
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After massing his troops near here in the late afternoon, Col. J.O. Shelby made a final effort to take Fort No. 4, the key to the Union line. The Confederates struck at sunset, but in desperate, nearly point-blank combat, the Union defenders withstood the assault. Sporadic fighting continued until about 9 p.m. with little result for the Confederates. The Union forces maintained control of the fort and the town. Struggling through the cold night, both sides tended their wounded and made plans for the next day. Few in number and poorly armed, the Confederate raiders stood little chance of capturing Springfield unless the Union defenders made major mistakes or lacked resolve. Neither proved to be the case.
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Springfield, Missouri · United States
