 On July 21, 1861, the 1st Northeast Missouri Home Guards under Colonel David Moore, with assistance of additional units from Iowa and Illinois, attacked pro-Confederate Missouri State Guard (MSG) forces at Etna.The action was part of General Nathaniel Lyon's efforts to clear "rebels" from rural Missouri.After a brief battle the MSG forces, mostly lightly armed cavalry, were driven from the town and surrounding areas of Scotland County and Moore's unit returned to its main base at Athens, Missouri.