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The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain was a
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victory in western
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
on May 9, 1864, that allowed the Union forces to destroy a large bridge on the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic gauge railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway. It played a strategic role in supplying the Confederacy during the American ...
. The railroad was used to carry
Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
troops and supplies, and served important lead and salt mines. It also helped connect the Confederate capital of
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
with
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, and had
telegraph Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
wires along its line for communications. The fight had a high percentage of casualties for both sides, and the Confederate commander,
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Albert G. Jenkins, was mortally wounded.


Background

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
George Crook George R. Crook (September 8, 1828 – March 21, 1890) was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. During the 1880s, the Apache nicknamed Crook ''Nantan ...
commanded the Union
Army of West Virginia The Army of West Virginia served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was the primary field army of the Department of West Virginia. It campaigned primarily in West Virginia, Southwest Virginia and in the Shenandoah Valley. It is not ...
, made up of three
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...
s from the Division of the Kanawha. When
Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
launched his spring offensive of 1864, two Union armies marched towards
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
and a third moved into the
Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge- ...
. Crook's troops were also involved in the offensive and began to march through the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
into southwest Virginia. His objective was to destroy the
Virginia & Tennessee Railroad The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic gauge railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway. It played a strategic role in supplying the Confederacy during the American ...
, working in conjunction with William W. Averell's offensive (
Battle of Cove Mountain The Battle of Cove Mountain occurred in Wythe County, Virginia, on May 10, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Union cavalry division commanded by Brigadier General William W. Averell was prevented from attacking a lead mine located near Wy ...
), which had similar objectives.
Brig. Gen. Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Albert G. Jenkins was in command of the few scattered
Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
units protecting the rail lines. He had assumed command only the day before Crook's army began to approach the railroad. Nevertheless, Jenkins was an experienced soldier. During the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, Jenkins' Brigade had formed the cavalry screen for
Richard S. Ewell Richard Stoddert Ewell (February 8, 1817 – January 25, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. L ...
's Second Corps. Jenkins led his men through the Cumberland Valley into Pennsylvania and seized
Chambersburg Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley, and north of Maryland and the Mas ...
, burning down nearby railroad structures and bridges. He accompanied Ewell's column to
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, briefly skirmishing with Union
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
at the Battle of Sporting Hill near
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Jenkins was wounded on July 2 and missed the final day's fighting. He did not recover to rejoin his command until autumn. Jenkins spent the early part of 1864 raising and organizing a large cavalry force for service in western Virginia. By May, he had been appointed Commander of the Department of Western Virginia with his headquarters at Dublin.


Battle

Jenkins, having decided to make a stand at Cloyd's Mountain, set up a strong defensive position. When Crook arrived, he decided against a frontal assault, concluding that the Confederate works were too strong and such an attack would decimate his army. The surrounding area was heavily forested and Crook used this as cover to swing his brigades around to the Confederate right flank. Crook began the battle with an artillery barrage, then sent in his brigade of green West Virginians under Colonel Carr B. White. Crook's remaining two brigades under Colonel Horatio G. Sickel and future
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Colonel
Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor ...
were to launch a frontal assault as soon as the West Virginians had gotten under way. Serving as a major under Hayes was another future U.S. President,
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
. White's brigade, in its first fight, advanced to within 20 yards before heavy casualties from its exposed position forced it back. Crook, moving with Hayes' Ohio brigade, had to dismount and walk the slopes on foot because they were so steep. Still wearing his jack boots, he sank in a small stream the troops were crossing and his boots filled with water. Nearby soldiers rushed back and pulled him out. Hayes' brigade spearheaded the main assault around 11 a.m. The troops fought their way to the Confederate works and severe hand-to-hand fighting ensued. Sparks from the musket fire ignited the thick blanket of leaves on the ground, and many men from Sickel's and Hayes' brigades were pinned down and burned alive. The brigades had begun to fall back, when Crook sent two fresh regiments into Hayes' front. The West Virginians finally advanced against the artillery and overran its crew. The Ohio troops now began to overwhelm the Confederate center. Jenkins tried desperately to shift troops to the threatened areas, but he fell severely wounded and was captured. His second-in-command,
John McCausland John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. Ear ...
, took command and conducted a rear-guard action as he withdrew his troops. The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain was fought on the Back Creek Farm. The farmhouse served as a hospital and as headquarters for the Union General George Crook.


Results

The battle of Cloyd's Mountain was short and involved few troops, but it contained some of the most severe and savage fighting of the war. The engagement lasted a little over an hour, with much of that being hand-to-hand combat. Casualties were high for the modest number of troops involved. Crook lost 688 men, roughly 10% of his force. The Confederates lost fewer men—538—but that totaled 23% of their total force. Jenkins died a few days after his arm was amputated. The battle is considered a Union victory because Crook drove the Confederates away from the battlefield, and was able to continue on and destroy the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic gauge railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway. It played a strategic role in supplying the Confederacy during the American ...
depot at
Dublin, Virginia Dublin is a town in Pulaski County, Virginia, Pulaski County, Virginia, United States. The amount of Bojangles was 1 in 2023. It is part of the Blacksburg, Virginia, Blacksburg–Christiansburg, Virginia, Christiansburg Blacksburg-Christiansbur ...
. Averell was also able to destroy several railroad bridges along the same line, severing one of the Confederacy's last vital lifelines and its only rail connection to East Tennessee. The day after the battle, the remaining Confederate troops unsuccessfully defended the large railroad bridge over the nearby New River. In the melee, a soldier who refused to take cover until Col. Hayes did so was mortally wounded. While undergoing first aid, the soldier was found to be a woman.


Order of battle


Union

Kanawha Division — Brig. Gen.
George Crook George R. Crook (September 8, 1828 – March 21, 1890) was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. During the 1880s, the Apache nicknamed Crook ''Nantan ...
*1st Brigade — Col.
Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor ...
**
23rd Ohio Infantry The 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during much of the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater in a variety of campaigns and battles, and is remembered with a stone memorial on the Antietam Nati ...
— Lt. Col. James M. Comly ** 36th Ohio Infantry — Col. Hiram F. Devol **Detachment,
34th Ohio Infantry The 34th Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It primarily served in the Eastern Theater in what is now West Virginia and in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley region. They are w ...
— (attached to 36th Ohio) ** 5th West Virginia Cavalry (Dismounted) — Colonel Abais A. Tomlinson ** 6th West Virginia Cavalry (Dismounted) *2nd Brigade — Col. Carr B. White ** 12th Ohio Infantry — Col. Jonathan D. Hines ** 91st Ohio Infantry — Col. John A. Turley ** 9th West Virginia Infantry — Col. Isaac H. Duval ** 14th West Virginia Infantry — Col. Daniel D. Johnson *3rd Brigade — Col. Horatio G. Sickel ** 3rd Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment
Capt. Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Jacob Lenhart ** 4th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment — Colonel Richard H. Woolworth (killed) ** 11th West Virginia Infantry — Col. Daniel Frost ** 15th West Virginia Infantry — Lt. Col. Thomas Morris *Artillery — Capt. James R. McMillin ** 1st Ohio Battery — Lieut. G.P. Kirtland ** 1st Kentucky Battery — Capt. David W. Glassie


Confederate

Department of Southwestern Virginia — Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins ''(wounded and captured)'';
John McCausland John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. Ear ...
*4th Brigade — Col. John McCausland **
45th Virginia Infantry The 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly in the mountainous area that today encompasses ...
— Col. William H. Browne **
60th Virginia Infantry The 60th Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia and in Tennessee. The 60th Virginia (als ...
— Col. Beuhring H. Jones ** 36th Virginia Infantry — Lt. Col. Thomas Smith (wounded) Maj. William E. Fife **10th (Diamond's) Kentucky Cavalry (Dismounted) (400 men) ** 45th Virginia Infantry Battalion — Lt. Col. Henry M. Beckley **Home Guards *Artillery — Capt. Thomas A. Bryan (wounded) **Botetourt (Va.) Artillery — Capt. H.C. Douthat **Bryan's (Va.) Battery — Lieut. G.A. Fowlkes **Ringgold (Va.) Battery — Capt. Crispin Dickenson *Morgan's Brigade — Brig. Gen.
John Hunt Morgan John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in t ...
(brigade arrived late and took part only in the retreat) **5th Kentucky Cavalry - Col. D. Howard Smith


See also

* Valley Campaigns of 1864


References


Additional sources

* Kennedy, Frances H., editor, ''The Civil War Battlefield Guide: Second Edition'' (1998)
National Park Service battle description



Official Report - McCausland Confederate casualties

Official Report - Crook Union casualties
{{authority control Cloyd's Mountain Cloyd's Mountain Cloyd's Mountain Pulaski County, Virginia Cloyd's Mountain 1864 in Virginia May 1864 events