Early in 1861 the
Confederates attempted to permanently occupy the country south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway in
Virginia.
They were placed under the command of
R. S. Garnett, a meritorious soldier, who was in the war with
Mexico, and was brevetted for gallantry at
Buena Vista.
He made his headquarters at
Beverly, in Randolph county, and prepared to prevent the
National troops from pushing through the mountain-gaps into the Shenandoah Valley.
The roads through these gaps were fortified.
At the same time
ex-Governor H. A. Wise, with the commission of a brigadier-general, was organizing a brigade in the
Great Ranawha Valley, beyond the
Greenbrier Mountains.
He was ordered to cross the intervening mountains, and co-operate with
Garnett.
General McClellan took command of his troops in
western Virginia, at
Grafton, towards the close of May, and the entire force of
Ohio,
Indiana, and
Virginia troops under his control numbered full 20,000 men. With these he advanced against the
Confederates.
He sent
Gen. J. D. Cox with a detachment to keep
Wise in check, while with his main body, about 10,000 strong, he moved to attack
Garnett at
Laurel Hill, near
Beverly.
At the same time a detachment 4,000 strong, under
General Morris, moved towards
Beverly by way of
Philippi, while another body, led by
General Hill, was sent to West Union, to prevent the escape of any Confederates by that way over the
Alleghany Mountains, to join
Johnston at
Winchester.
Garnett was then strongly intrenched at
Laurel Hill, with about 8,000
Virginians.
Georgians, Tennesseeans, and Carolinians.
To this camp
Morris nearly penetrated, but not to attack it—only to make feints to divert
Garnett while
McClellan should gain his rear.
There was almost daily heavy skirmishing, chiefly by
Colonels Dumont and
Milroy, on the part of the Nationals.
So industrious and bold had been the scouts, that when
McClellan appeared they gave him full information of the region and the forces there.
During a few days, so daring had been the conduct of the Nationals that they were regarded almost with awe by the
Confederates.
They called the 9th Indiana— whose exploits were particularly notable — “Swamp Devils.”
While on the road towards
Beverly,
McClellan ascertained that about 1,500 Confederates under
Col. John Pegram, were occupying a heavily intrenched position in the rear of
Garnett, in the
Rich Mountain Gap, and commanding the road over the mountains to
Staunton, the chief highway to
southern Virginia.
Pegram boasted that his position could not be turned; but it was turned by
Ohio and
Indiana regiments and some cavalry, all under the command of
Colonel Rosecrans, accompanied by
Colonel Lander, who was with
Dumont at
Philippi.
They made a detour, July 11, in a heavy rain-storm, over most perilous ways among the mountains for about 8 miles, and at noon were on the summit of
Rich Mountain, high above
Pegram's camp, and a mile from it.
Rosecrans thought his movement was unknown to the
Confederates.
Pegram was informed of it, and sent out 900 men, with two cannon, up the mountain-road, to meet the Nationals, and just as they struck the
Staunton road the latter were fiercely assailed.
Rosecrans was without cannon.
He sent forward his skirmishers: and while these were engaged in fighting, his main body was concealed.
Finally
Pegram's men came out from their works and charged across the road, when the Indianians sprang to their feet, fired, and,
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Battle of rich Mountain. |
with a wild shout, sprang upon the foe with fixed bayonets.
A sharp conflict ensued, when the
Confederates gave way, and fled in great confusion down the declivities of the mountain to
Pegram's camp.
The battle lasted about an hour and a half.
The number of Union troops engaged was about 1,800, and those of the
Confederates half that number.
The former lost 18 killed and about 40 wounded; the latter 140 killed and a large number wounded and made prisoners.
Their entire loss was about 400.
For his gallantry on this occasion,
Rosecrans was made a brigadier-general.
Garnett was a prey to the Nationals.
In light marching order he pushed on towards
Beverly, hoping to escape over the mountains towards
Staunton.
He was too late, for
McClellan moved rapidly to
Beverly.
Garnett then turned back, and, taking a road through a gap at
Leedsville.
plunged into the wild mountain regions of the
Cheat Range, taking with him only one cannon.
His reserves at
Beverly fled over the mountains.
Meanwhile
Rosecrans had entered
Pegram's deserted camp, while the latter, dispirited and weary, with about 600 followers, was trying to escape.
He surrendered to
McClellan July 14.
