Stars and Stripes Museum December 21 at 4:00 PM 🗞️ **The Birth of The Stars and Stripes: A Civil War Legacy** On November 7, 1861, Federal soldiers from Illinois and Iowa made their way into the nearly abandoned town of Bloomfield, Missouri. Little did they know that their actions would set the stage for the birth of an American military legacy - the military newspaper, The Stars and Stripes. Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, commanding officer of the 8th Illinois Infantry Regiment, received orders to lead an expedition to destroy rebel forces in Stoddard County. With approximately 2,200 men under his command, they embarked on a journey through a swampy terrain to reach Bloomfield. As Union forces converged on Bloomfield from different directions, General Thompson of the Missouri State Guard realized his predicament and withdrew further south. The first Union force to enter Bloomfield was the 10th Iowa Infantry, followed by Colonel Oglesby and his Illinois troops. During their occupation of Bloomfield, some of the Illinois troops engaged in looting, prompting Colonel Oglesby to intervene and put a stop to it. Meanwhile, another group of soldiers discovered the abandoned newspaper office of the Bloomfield Herald. In the evening hours, ten soldiers, including some printers from the regiment, took over the printing office and decided to publish a newspaper. They named it THE STARS AND STRIPES. The following morning, carriers distributed the first issue to the troops in and around Bloomfield. Today, you can visit our museum to read what the first Stripers wrote. We proudly display an original copy of The Stars and Stripes and offer reprints for purchase in our gift shop for $2. Come and immerse yourself in the history of this remarkable Civil War legacy. **Visit our museum to learn more about The Stars and Stripes and the Civil War.**