Fort Waynesville Overlook

During the Civil War, Pulaski County alliances were mostly clear in the East, loyalties were much hazier in Pulaski County. Missouri was Confederate territory and, indeed, Waynesville initially flew the Confederate flag. The rugged terrain and relative isolation of the Missouri frontier shielded locals from strong opinions for or against slavery, however, and secession from the Union held little immediate consequence. As the debate raged in the young country, the prevalent support in Pulaski County remained with the South; the presidential election of 1860 yielded only seven votes for Abraham Lincoln to John Breckenridge’s 281. As war became imminent, however, opinions began to shift, and this trend continued throughout the war. In Pulaski County, neighbors, families, and friends found themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield.

Many Pulaski County farmers joined either the Union Army or Confederate militias or guerrilla groups, and by 1862, Waynesville had become the center of the war in Pulaski County. While a few women remained to support local fighters, most fled with their children to safer territory. Union soldiers took over the town and erected a large fort on Fort Street, overlooking the downtown square. A marker at the site is now all that remains of the fort.