Notable Events:

• Raid on Dayton (January 1, 1862)

Early in the war, the town of Dayton, Missouri gained a reputation as an enclave for Southern sympathizers and a fertile recruiting area for the secessionist Missouri State Guard. Union Colonel Charles R. Jennison ordered his Seventh Kansas Cavalry (known as "Jennison's Jayhawkers") to raid the town, resulting in the destruction of most of its buildings. The impact of the raid was long-lasting, as today the tiny community remains unincorporated.