"The Illinois Incursion" – an excerpt from "The Missouri National Guard in the Second American Civil War," Missouri Government Publishing, Jefferson City, Missouri, 2020.

Chapter 4 "The Illinois Incursion"

Part 1 – "The Illinois Collapse"

In the months following the terrorist attack upon many urban areas in the United States, Illinois state government control collapsed throughout the state and pushed many county and local governments into declaring independence.

The nuclear weapon, while not large enough to destroy the entire city of Chicago, plunged the city and its many suburbs into anarchy and lawlessness. The bomb took out many officers of the city, including the mayor, and only the efforts of the chief of police, one Mark Tanner, was order pulled out of chaos.

However, a massive wave of refugees that poured out of the Chicago area overwhelmed relief efforts by both FEMA and the state government. The Chicago problem is not an isolated affair, every city that was attacked suffered through the same problem, though Dallas may be an exception. The explosion at Texas Stadium did not cause as great a panic as the explosions at other cities. It is still unknown if it was distance or the bomb itself did not fully detonate.

Many refugees headed for the supposed safety of the southern and western regions of Illinois. These areas were incapable of dealing with the massive increase in population and the resulting consumption in supplies and food at first caused resentment and then open conflict between the refugees and the local inhabitants.

Chicago chief of police Tanner set up an emergency city hall at the former Fort Sheridan on Lake Michigan and started to try to reorganize city government and restore order. He demanded that state government send the majority of emergency resources and aid to his city. The governor agreed and sent the majority of state national guard, highway patrol and other emergency organizations to the Chicago area. This decision stripped away from the rest of the state many of the necessary organs that would later be needed elsewhere.

That decision would lead to a complete breakdown and a splintering of the "Land of Lincoln" into three separate factions: Chicago, Quincy and Downstate. This splintering would also cause the destruction of the state capitol and the "Missouri Incursion."

------------------------

To be continued…….. Part 2 – "The Quincy Succession"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Illinois Incursion" – an excerpt from "The Missouri National Guard in the Second American Civil War," Missouri Government Publishing, Jefferson City, Missouri, 2020.

Chapter 4 "The Illinois Incursion"

Part 2 – "The Quincy Succession"

-----------------------------

"The Illinois Incursion" – an excerpt from "The Missouri National Guard in the Second American Civil War," Missouri Government Publishing, Jefferson City, Missouri, 2020.

Chapter 4 "The Illinois Incursion"

Part 3 – "The Downstate Response"

------------------------------------

"The Illinois Incursion" – an excerpt from "The Missouri National Guard in the Second American Civil War," Missouri Government Publishing, Jefferson City, Missouri, 2020.

Chapter 4 "The Illinois Incursion"

Part 4 – "The Burning of Springfield and the Missouri Incursion"