During this time, Missouri governor, Clairborne Jackson appointed Sterling Price to be the Major General of the Missouri Guard. Price met with General William S. Harney, Federal commander in Missouri. He agreed to resist any invasion by Confederate forces. At the same time, the Lt. Governor, Thomas S. Reynolds, traveled to Richmond, Virginia and asked Jefferson Davis to invade the state.
On July 22, 1861, the Missouri State Convention reconvened in Jefferson City. The convention again voted against secession, and on July 27, it declared the governor’s office vacant. On July 28 the convention appointed Hamilton Gamble as provisional governor. Governor Gamble been the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court and had dissented against the proslavery majority in the Dred Scott case. Missouri would have an unelected governor for the remainder of the war.
