Infection set in, and Slack died on March 21. On March 7, 1862, during the Battle of Pea Ridge, Slack suffered another wound, close to his Wilson's Creek injury. Along with a number of other Missouri State Guard soldiers, Slack transferred to the Confederate army, in which he commanded a brigade with the rank of colonel. Suffering a bad hip wound at Wilson's Creek, Slack was unable to rejoin his command until October. After a Federal surprise attack, Slack's deployment of his division bought time for further Confederate and Missouri State Guard forces to deploy. After participating in the Battle of Carthage in July, Slack next fought in the Battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10. When the Missouri State Guard was formed the next month to oppose Federal forces, Slack was appointed as a brigadier general, commanding the Guard's 4th Division. Returning to his legal career, Slack became influential in his local area.Īfter the outbreak of the American Civil War in April 1861, Slack began to support secession. He saw action at the Battle of Embudo Pass and the Siege of Pueblo de Taos. After serving in the Missouri state legislature from 1842 to 1843, Slack was a captain in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War. Born in Kentucky, Slack moved to Missouri as a child an entered the legal profession.

William Yarnel Slack (Aug– March 21, 1862) was a lawyer, politician, and military officer from Missouri.

Fayetteville Confederate Cemetery, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Slack founder