Britannica AI Icon

Nathaniel Lyon

American general

Quick Summary

Nathaniel Lyon was an American Union general during the Civil War. He commanded Union troops in Missouri, a key border state. In August 1861, Lyon's forces were defeated by a larger Confederate army at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Despite this setback, Union forces under other commanders later secured Missouri for the Union. Lyon was killed in the engagement at Wilson's Creek, making him the first Union general to die in the war.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.