The Battle of Droop Mountain occurred in
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Pocahontas County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,869. Its county seat is Marlinton. The county was established in 1821. It is named after the daughter of the Powhatan chie ...
, on November 6, 1863, during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
. A
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
brigade commanded by
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 ...
William W. Averell defeated a smaller
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 ...
force commanded by Brigadier General
John Echols
John Echols (March 20, 1823 – May 24, 1896) was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early and family life
John Echols was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He joined the Virginia Military Institute in 1840 ...
and Colonel
William L. "Mudwall" Jackson. Confederate forces were driven from their
breastworks
A breastwork is a temporary fortification, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position. A more permanent structure, normally in stone, would be described as a parapet o ...
on Droop Mountain, losing weapons and equipment. They escaped southward through
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,930 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Greenbrier County.
Geography
Lewisburg is located approximately one mile north of the Greenbrier River ...
; hours before a second Union force commanded by Brigadier General
Alfred N. Duffié occupied the town.
The Battle of Droop Mountain was one of the largest engagements in
West Virginia during the war. Although Averell had a sound victory at Droop Mountain, he did not achieve his objectives of eliminating the Confederate army in Lewisburg and damaging 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 pro-Confederate community of Lewisburg was captured, but the Confederate army escaped and returned weeks later. No serious attempt was made to attack the railroad. After the expedition, Averell moved north to near the West Virginia-
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
border, and Duffié moved back toward
Charleston.
Some historians claim the battle ended organized Confederate resistance in West Virginia. Post battle, most of the region's fighting shifted east to the
Shenandoah Valley and West Virginia's
eastern panhandle region. Other historians believe that the battle was a
tactical victory
In military tactics, a tactical victory may refer to a victory that results in the completion of a tactical objective as part of an operation or a result in which the losses of the "defeated" outweigh those of the "victor" although the victor ...
for Echols and Jackson, since Averell did not eliminate the Confederate army in Lewisburg; and more importantly, did not disturb the railroad.
Background and plans
On April 17, 1861, representatives of the Commonwealth of
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 ...
held the
Virginia Secession Convention, and passed an
Ordinance of Secession that declared
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...
from the United States. The ordinance was ratified by popular referendum on May 23, and Virginia later joined the
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
.
Many people in the northwestern portion of the state preferred to remain loyal to the United States, and delegates from that portion of the state met in June at the
Second Wheeling Convention. On June 19, they approved a plan to establish an alternative loyal state government that would be located in
Wheeling.
Although loyal Virginians approved their own statehood on October 24, 1861,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
did not become a state in the United States until June 20, 1863.
After the creation of West Virginia, regular
Confederate Army soldiers still operated within the state. Residents of the new state were not all loyal to the union, and the state continued to be plagued by
bushwhacker
Bushwhacking was a form of guerrilla warfare common during the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, American Civil War and other conflicts in which there were large areas of contested land and few governmental resources to control these tra ...
s and
Partisan rangers
The Partisan Ranger Act was passed on April 21, 1862 by the Confederate Congress. It was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
The Confederate leadership, lik ...
practicing
guerrilla warfare.
Historians estimate that residents of West Virginia provided 20,000 to 22,000 soldiers to each side in the American Civil War.
Lewisburg, located in West Virginia near the border with Virginia, was one of the communities that supported the Confederacy. Five skirmishes occurred at Lewisburg during the war, plus a small battle in 1862 and the town's capture and brief occupation in 1863.
The new state had rugged terrain, few good roads, few settlements, and its people were poor.
One important asset for the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
was the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (a.k.a. B&O Railroad), which had rail line in the northern part of the West Virginia that was often targeted by the Confederate Army and its sympathizers.
Army resources were needed for the railroad's protection.
Union Army leaders normally considered troops in West Virginia to be a defensive force that should handle Confederate raids and confront guerrillas and bushwhackers. Troops were typically scattered in small detachments.
A significant portion of the fighting in West Virginia was related to railroads.
While the Union had an important railroad in the northern part of West Virginia; the Confederacy had 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 ...
, which was located in Virginia close to West Virginia's southern border. This railroad was used by the Confederacy for moving troops and supplies between those states, and connected to more railroads at
Lynchburg, Virginia and
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in the State of Tennessee. Located in Sullivan County, its population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. T ...
.
It also 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, and important salt and lead mines were located along its route near
Wytheville, Virginia
Wytheville is a town in, and the county seat of, Wythe County, in southwestern Virginia, United States. It is named after George Wythe, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and mentor to Thomas Jefferson. Wytheville's populat ...
.
The lead mine was the source for an estimated one third of the lead used by the Confederacy to produce bullets for its armies.
Multiple raids on the railroad originated from West Virginia.
A mid-July 1863 raid by Union cavalry and mounted infantry, known as the
Wytheville Raid
The Wytheville Raid or Toland's Raid (July 18, 1863) was an attack by an undersized Union brigade on a Confederate town during the American Civil War. Union Colonel John Toland led a brigade of over 800 men against a Confederate force of about 1 ...
or Toland's Raid, failed to inflict permanent damage to the railroad and did not reach the mines.
An August 1863 planned raid on Lewisburg, which Confederate leaders worried was a raid on a railroad, ended when
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 ...
William W. Averell was "handsomely repulsed" by a brigade commanded by Colonel
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
in the
Battle of White Sulphur Springs.
Kelley's orders
Brigadier General
Benjamin Franklin Kelley
Benjamin Franklin Kelley (April 10, 1807 – July 16, 1891) was an American soldier who served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in several military campaigns in West Virginia and ...
was commander of the Union Army's Department of West Virginia. Kelley reported to
General-in-Chief
General in Chief has been a military rank or title in various armed forces around the world.
France
In France, general-in-chief (french: général en chef) was first an informal title for the lieutenant-general commanding over others lieutenant- ...
Henry Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck (January 16, 1815 – January 9, 1872) was a senior United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory: "Old Brains". He was an important par ...
. Through his
chief-of-staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
, Brigadier General
George W. Cullum
George Washington Cullum (25 February 1809 – 28 February 1892) was an American soldier, engineer and writer. He worked as the supervising engineer on the building and repair of many fortifications across the country. Cullum served as a general ...
, Halleck let Kelley know that he wanted the Confederates out of Lewisburg and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad disabled.
On October 23, 1863, Kelley ordered Averell to move his command south from
Beverly, West Virginia
Beverly is a town in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA. It is the oldest settlement in the Tygart River Valley (1787) and was the county seat for over a century—from 1790 until 1899—after which the nearby settlement of Elkins assumed that ...
, and attack a Confederate force stationed near Lewisburg in
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Greenbrier County () is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,977. Its county seat is Lewisburg. The county was formed in 1778 from Botetourt and Montgomery counties in Virginia.
History
...
. Droop Mountain was not part of the plan. The objective was to capture, or drive away, Confederate forces at or near Lewisburg.
A second Union force, which was from Brigadier General
Eliakim P. Scammon's Third Division, would move southeast from
Charleston to meet Averell in Lewisburg and provide assistance. The Charleston force would consist of two regiments of infantry and two regiments of cavalry, plus artillery.
After Lewisburg, Averell was to attack the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad if practicable. Union infantry that was not mounted would remain in Lewisburg while mounted troops (cavalry and mounted infantry, including Duffié's) would proceed further south to
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
and cross into Virginia. Their objective was to destroy the railroad bridge over the
New River, which was less than from the railroad's Dublin Station near
Newbern, Virginia
Newbern is an unincorporated community in Pulaski County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. From 1839 until the court house burned in 1892, Newbern was the county seat of Pulaski County
A large share of the early settlers being natives of Switzerla ...
.
One historian considers the destruction of the railroad bridge and line to be the principal goal of Averell's expedition. At the time, Confederate Lieutenant General
James Longstreet was in Tennessee with two divisions of the
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...
—serious damage to the railroad would disrupt his ability to communicate with army leadership and make it difficult to return his troops to the east.
If Averell determined that an attack on the railroad bridge was impracticable; he was to send his infantry and one battery back to Beverly. The remaining portion of his command would move to
New Creek
New Creek is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 stream in eastern West Virginia, United States. It is the third major West Virginia tributary to the North ...
and get resupplied.
New Creek, originally known as Paddytown and later as Keyser, was a stop on the B&O Railroad near the West Virginia–Maryland border.
With no attack on the railroad, Duffié's command would hold Lewisburg or fall back to
Meadow Bluff, West Virginia
Meadow Bluff is an unincorporated community in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. Meadow Bluff is southeast of Rupert.
The community was named after the meadows and bluffs near the original town site. Located near Meadow Bluff is ...
.
Opposing forces
Confederate army
In November 1863, the Confederate Army controlled much of the
Greenbrier Valley in West Virginia.
Confederate Major General
Sam Jones commanded the Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee, and his headquarters were about south of Lewisburg, West Virginia, at the Dublin Rail Depot for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad in Virginia. Although Jones did not participate directly in the battle, the men and territory were his responsibility, as were the railroad and bridge near his headquarters that were targeted by the Union.
He was in eastern Tennessee when Averell began his expedition, and returned to Dublin around November 6.
Brigadier General
John Echols
John Echols (March 20, 1823 – May 24, 1896) was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early and family life
John Echols was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He joined the Virginia Military Institute in 1840 ...
commanded a brigade that was headquartered in Lewisburg, and Colonel
William L. "Mudwall" Jackson had a small cavalry brigade that patrolled in the Huntersville-Hillsboro region of West Virginia.
Further east, Brigadier General
John D. Imboden
John Daniel Imboden (; February 16, 1823August 15, 1895), American lawyer, Virginia state legislator, and a Confederate army general. During the American Civil War, he commanded an irregular cavalry force. After the war, he resumed practicing la ...
commanded the Shenandoah
Valley District
The Valley District was an organization of the Confederate States Army and subsection of the Department of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, responsible for operations between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Allegheny Mountains of Vir ...
.
Brigadier General
Albert G. Jenkins, who was a
Cabell County, West Virginia
Cabell County is located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,350, making it West Virginia's fourth most-populous county. Its county seat is Huntington. The county was organized in 1809 and named f ...
native, was recovering from a wound received at the
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...
—but two regiments and a battery from his brigade were detached in the Greenbrier County area of West Virginia. Colonel Milton J. Ferguson temporarily commanded Jenkins' brigade.
Union army—Averell
Beginning Union Army commander Kelley's plan, Averell's 4th Separate Brigade departed from Beverly on November 1, 1863. Many of his men were already familiar with the territory and opposition because they had been defeated a few months earlier during August in the Battle of White Sulphur Springs.
The brigade consisted of two infantry regiments, three mounted infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, a portion of an independent cavalry battalion, two light batteries, and a signal corps detachment. The two infantry regiments were the
10th West Virginia and the
28th Ohio, while the mounted infantry regiments were the
2nd West Virginia,
3rd West Virginia, and
8th West Virginia.
The infantry was often led by Colonel Augustus Moor, and Colonel John H. Oley usually led the mounted infantry.
Moor was a veteran of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
's
Second Seminole War, and colonel of his regiment in the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
.
Averell's cavalry was the
14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment
The 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment (also known as the 159th Pennsylvania Volunteers) was a cavalry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Most of its fighting happened in the last half of 1863 and full year 1864. The regime ...
and a battalion of six companies from West Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio. The cavalry was led by Colonel
James M. Schoonmaker, and was armed with
carbines
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and light ...
.
The infantry, mounted or not, had muzzle-loader
Enfield muskets.
Based on earlier reports, Averell's brigade had a maximum of 3,855 officers and men present for duty.
Union army—Duffié
The mounted portion of Scammon's force, commanded by Brigadier General
Alfred N. Duffié, departed from Charleston for Lewisburg on November 3. It numbered 970 officers and men with 1,025 horses, and initially consisted of the
2nd West Virginia Cavalry Regiment
The 2nd West Virginia Cavalry Regiment served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized in Parkersburg, Virginia (now West Virginia) during September 1861. Most of the original members of this regiment were from southeaste ...
, the
34th Ohio Mounted Infantry Regiment, and
Simmonds' Battery.
Most of the men were familiar with Lewisburg, which was about away—one soldier from the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry described this excursion as the "Third Expedition to Lewisburg".
Both regiments were involved in a July 1863 raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, where they captured the town of Wytheville but inflicted little permanent damage to the railroad—and
lost both of their colonels.
On November 4, after crossing the
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. The river features numerous recreational whitewater areas, including those in Gauley River National Recreation Ar ...
at
Gauley Bridge
Gauley Bridge is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 614 at the 2010 census. The Kanawha River is formed at Gauley Bridge by the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers. Two miles to the southeast of Gaule ...
, Duffié was delayed by blockades in the road that were so numerous that a new road had to be dug around them in some instances.
Two infantry regiments, commanded by Colonel
Carr B. White, joined Duffié's mounted men on November 5 at
Tyree's Tavern in
Fayette County.
Initial movements
Contact
In the first few days of the expedition, Averell's Brigade traveled south over the most direct route, and encountered a few bands of guerrillas and small detachments of Confederate Army soldiers.
They reached the summit of
Cheat Mountain
Cheat Mountain is an exceptionally high and rugged ridge situated in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It is about long (north to south) and more than five miles (8 km) wide at its widest. Its highest point is at its sou ...
at noon on November 2, and camped that evening in the Greenbrier Valley in
Pocahontas County.
On November 3, a
squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
of the 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry, which Averell had sent on a different route, was discovered near
Green Bank
A green bank (sometimes referred to as green investment bank, clean energy finance authority, or clean energy finance corporation) is a financial institution, typically public or quasi-public, that uses innovative financing techniques and market ...
, by a detachment of about 350 men from the
19th Virginia Cavalry
The 19th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
History
During the first two years of the war, two groups of semi-organized militia operat ...
Regiment commanded by Lieutenant George W. Siple. After a small clash, the squadron of West Virginians continued south and reunited with Averell's main force near Green Bank and
Arbovale, which was about north of
Huntersville.
Siple reported the encounter to Colonel Jackson, who was headquartered with the main body of the 19th Virginia Cavalry just northwest of Hillsboro in
Mill Point.
Jackson warned Colonel William W. Arnett, who was north with the
20th Virginia Cavalry
The 20th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly in western Virginia.Richard L. Armstrong, 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry (H.E. ...
Regiment near the Greenbrier River in
Marling Bottom. Jackson also sent the news to nearby detachments and Brigadier General John Echols in Lewisburg.
Siple's detachment became cut-off and did not rejoin the 19th Virginia Cavalry until days later—depriving Jackson of much needed manpower.
While Jackson repositioned his small brigade, Averell moved further south and went into camp. His
advance
Advance commonly refers to:
*Advance, an offensive push in sports, games, thoughts, military combat, or sexual or romantic pursuits
*Advance payment for goods or services
*Advance against royalties, a payment to be offset against future royalty pa ...
camped about north of Huntersville.
Averell and Jackson were now aware of each other's proximity, and Jackson needed reinforcements for his small brigade.
Jackson's brigade consisted of the 19th and 20th Virginia Cavalry Regiments, a cavalry battalion consisting of four companies commanded by Major Joseph R. Kessler, and a battery that consisted of two
12-pounder howitzers. Only 750 men were available to Jackson three days later at Droop Mountain.
Averell's trap
Averell resumed his march southward at 7:00am on November 4, and burned two enemy campsites. Arriving at Huntersville and finding no enemy troops, he determined that a portion of the 19th Virginia Cavalry was west at Marling Bottom—and devised a plan to cut them off from their headquarters at Mill Point. About noon, he sent Schoonmaker and the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with the 3rd West Virginia Mounted Infantry, southwest on Beaver Creek Road. Their objective was to reach the intersection with the Marling Bottom Road before the 19th Virginia Cavalry got there from Marling Bottom, and prevent the Virginians from reaching Mill Point and Hillsboro.
Averell was somewhat correct—Colonel Arnett and the 20th Virginia Cavalry Regiment (not the 19th) were at Marling Bottom, which is north of Mill Point.
Four hours later, Colonel Oley and the 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry, which had been in the rear of Averell's command, arrived in Huntersville. Hoping to trap a portion of the Confederate cavalry between Schoonmaker and Oley, Averell immediately sent Oley west to Marling Bottom with a force that consisted of the 8th West Virginia, the 2nd West Virginia Mounted Infantry, and a section of Ewing's Artillery.
Hours earlier, Arnett and his brigade commander Jackson learned of the Union force on Beaver Creek Road. Arnett departed from Marling Bottom for Mill Point to unite with Jackson, setting blockades on the road as he went. Jackson sent a portion of the 19th Virginia Cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William P. Thompson, north on the Beaver Creek Road to blockade the road long enough for Arnett to pass through to Mill Point.
Thompson and Schoonmaker began skirmishing around 3:00pm. Around dusk, Oley entered Marling Bottom, but Arnett was already gone and passed through the intersection near Mill Point after dark while Thompson continued skirmishing—Averell's trap had failed.
Elsewhere, during the afternoon of November 4, two regiments from Jenkins' Confederate cavalry brigade were resting in Greenbrier County while their commander, Colonel Ferguson, consulted with Brigadier General Echols. Ferguson divided his brigade to assist Jackson at Mill Point and to protect Lewisburg. His 16th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was sent west of Lewisburg to guard one of the approaches to town. A portion of his 14th Virginia Cavalry Regiment guarded a second approach. The remaining six companies from the 14th Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel James A. Cochran, rode north to assist Jackson at Mill Point.
That evening at Mill Point, Jackson's Confederates assumed defensive positions on the southwest side of
Stamping Creek, with Arnett commanding the "infantry" (dismounted cavalry).
Schoonmaker fought through Thompson's blockade and took a position on the northeast side of the creek. The two camps were separated by and a creek, and both sides could see each other. Oley was still in Marling Bottom, and Averell remained in Huntersville with the infantry and one battery.
Further east in the Shenandoah Valley, Brigadier General John Imboden was notified that Averell was in Greenbrier County with a large force.
Fight at Mill Point
Early in the morning on November 5, Averell moved his infantry from Huntersville toward Mill Point, and Oley left Marling Bottom for the same destination.
Schoonmaker believed he was outnumbered three-to-one, and placed his force in a defensive position.
He began skirmishing with Jackson's two regiments around daylight. Jackson also made use of his two howitzers, which made the situation difficult for Schoonmaker because he had no artillery. Oley, who was about away, could hear the artillery—and knew that Schoonmaker had none.
He hurried his two mounted regiments and battery toward the front. Upon arrival, he found Schoonmaker facing strong pressure. Schoonmaker had him dismount his two regiments and deploy them on the right (west) while Schoonmaker and his two regiments took the left (east) side. Ewing's battery, which had longer range than Jackson's howitzers, was placed in between.
Jackson was aware of the Union reinforcement, and also knew that his howitzers did not have the range of the Union guns. He chose to fall back to Droop Mountain, which was just south of Hillsboro and about north of Lewisburg.
Arnett led his men to the top of the mountain adjacent to the road, using a route that had forest and hills for cover.
Lieutenant Colonel Thompson and 32 men from the cavalry covered the rear and defended against a Union cavalry assault.
When Lurty's Battery, already positioned on the mountain, began shelling the pursuing Union cavalry, all fighting ended.
Averell and his infantry arrived at Mill Point around the time Jackson was falling back to Droop Mountain.
The Union soldiers went into camp around 2:00pm after fighting stopped. Averell, whose November 7 report said he "attacked Jenkins in front of Mill Point" (actually Jackson), said there was a "trifling loss on either side".
Confederates prepare
When Jackson and Arnett reached the summit of Droop Mountain on November 5, they deployed Arnett's 20th Virginia Cavalry in a defensive position at a high point next to the road. The crest of Droop Mountain is high, and Jackson could see Union Army camps around Hillsboro.
Jackson had about 750 men, since a squadron (Siple's) was cut off further north in Pocahontas County.
About away, Imboden's Brigade had moved to
Buffalo Gap in Virginia's
Augusta County
Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its count ...
, but did not depart from there until November 6. He had about 600 mounted men and a section of artillery.
At Lewisburg, Echols decided to bring more reinforcements to Jackson despite his worry that another Union force might attack from the west and cause the entire Confederate force to be surrounded. (Duffié was, in fact, approaching from the west.)
Echols covered half the distance to Droop Mountain on November 5, and camped at
Spring Creek
A spring creek is a type of free flowing river whose name derives from its origin: an underground spring or set of springs which produces sufficient water to consistently feed a unique river. The water flowing in a spring creek may additionally b ...
near the Greenbrier River.
That evening, Cochran and six companies from the 14th Virginia Cavalry arrived at Droop Mountain as the first group of reinforcements for Jackson.
At 2:00am on November 6, Echols resumed his march to Droop Mountain.
After about , he realized that the road from
Falling Springs to Hillsboro could be used by Union soldiers to attack Jackson's extreme right flank. Wary of a Union trap, he detached the
26th (Edgar's) Infantry Battalion, with one piece of artillery, to block the road.
Battle
Averell's plan
Averell was up early in the morning on November 6 planning his strategy, and began moving his troops from Mill Point to Hillsboro shortly after sunrise. Skirmishers went further south on diverse maneuvers for the purpose of confusing the Confederates.
As the Confederate skirmishers fell back to the mountain, Averell inspected the terrain and enemy positions. He determined that a frontal assault would be a disaster, and made a plan for a three-sided dismounted attack. While a portion of his troops on his left would divert the attention of the Confederates, a large portion would
flank
Flank may refer to:
* Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen
** Flank steak, a cut of beef
** Part of the external anatomy of a horse
* Flank speed, a nautical term
* Flank opening, a chess opening
* A term in Australian rules football
* Th ...
the enemy from the right. In the final phase, more troops would attack from the front and right.
Beginning the flanking maneuver, Colonel Augustus Moor departed shortly after 9:00am with 1,175 men. His force included the 10th West Virginia Infantry, the 28th Ohio Infantry, CompanyC of the
16th Illinois Cavalry Regiment, and a small group of signalman from the 68th New York Infantry led by Lieutenant Abraham C. Merritt. Colonel
Thomas M. Harris led the 10th West Virginia Infantry, and Lieutenant Colonel Gottfried Becker led Moor's 28th Ohio Infantry when needed. Moor's force fell back about , then began an obscure circuitous route of to that would put them on the enemy's left flank.
Schoonmaker and the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry moved to the left (Confederate right) with the artillery, where they made sure they had the attention of Jackson's men at the top of the mountain.
The Union battery was positioned on a hill that was lower than the Confederate guns, making it difficult to achieve the same accuracy as the Confederate cannons.
Echols takes over
Brigadier General Echols arrived at Droop Mountain with reinforcements around 9:00am on November 6, bringing Colonel Ferguson from Jenkins' Brigade with him.
Echols brought the
22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment
The 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment from the western Virginia that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Its commander was George S. Patton Sr., the grandfather of World War II General Geor ...
, the
23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion (a.k.a. Derrick's Battalion),
Chapman's Battery, and Jackson's Battery from Jenkins' Brigade.
Their arrival was acknowledged by loud
rebel yell
The rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers used the yell when charging to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had many other uses. No audio ...
s and music from a
band
Band or BAND may refer to:
Places
*Bánd, a village in Hungary
*Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
* Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania
*Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
—making sure both sides knew about the reinforcement.
Echols assumed command of all forces, and Colonel George S. Patton commanded Echols' Brigade. Major Robert A. "Gus" Bailey commanded the brigade's 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment, and the 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion was commanded by Major William Blessing.
Major William L. McLaughlin commanded the two batteries.
Echols placed his two batteries on his right close to Colonel Jackson's two howitzers. Blessing's Battalion (a.k.a. Derrick's Battalion) was placed on the Confederate right on the right side of the road to Lewisburg. Bailey and the 22nd Virginia were placed behind the artillery.
The total Confederate force engaged in the battle, mostly dismounted cavalry, numbered 1,700.
Throughout most of the battle, Echols would command the Confederate right, Jackson the center, and the left was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William P. Thompson (not to be confused with Lieutenant Colonel Francis W. Thompson, commander of the 3rd ''West'' Virginia Mounted Infantry).
Battle begins
Although some skirmishing already happened, historians consider artillery shots fired at Droop Mountain by Schoonmaker using Keeper's Battery, which occurred around 11:00am, as the beginning of the battle.
Artillery fire continued all day, but the Union cannons were not able to hit enemy artillery. Confederate artillery was accurate and eventually killed almost all the horses belonging to Ewing's Battery (Battery G).
Keeper's Battery (Battery B) had two people killed and five wounded.
By noon, Schoonmaker realized he could not hit enemy artillery, so he withdrew two of the three sections of Keeper's Battery to preserve the guns and ammunition.
Between noon and 1:00pm, Averell readied his men for the center and right-center dismounted assault. In the case of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott's 2nd West Virginia Mounted Infantry, the men dismounted near the front and remained out of sight while waiting for orders. Scott's men were positioned on the right center, between Oley's 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry on the left and Colonel Francis S. Thompson's 3rd West Virginia Mounted Infantry on the right.
Around 1:00pm, Schoonmaker repositioned two sections of artillery while preparing to assist in the frontal attack on his right. At that time, Lieutenant Joseph W. Daniels of Keepers Battery was decapitated by artillery fire while standing next to Schoonmaker.
The main body of Schoonmaker's troops did not get to the foot of the mountain in time to assist the three regiments making the frontal assault, although his advance did.
Moor finds the Confederate left
On the far right (or Confederate left) Colonel Moor encountered the Confederate left flank at about 1:45.
The 28th Ohio Infantry and Lieutenant Colonel Becker led the way and met Captain Jacob W. Marshall of the 19th Virginia Cavalry, who was reinforced by a group of 50 dismounted cavalry men led by Major Joseph R. Kessler. The Confederate force, numbering about 200, surprised Becker with a charge from close by that drove the 28th Ohio Infantry back. Understanding he was outnumbered, William Thompson sent a request to Echols for more reinforcements. Echols responded by sending 300 men from the 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion and two companies from the 14th Virginia Cavalry—CompanyB and CompanyI. Those two companies were equipped for
close-quarters fighting, as they were armed with sabers, pistols, and carbines.
Moor responded to the initial Confederate thrust by ordering his Ohio infantrymen to lie down and "fire by file".
Colonel Thomas M. Harris and the 10th West Virginia Infantry moved to the front on Moor's right and began pushing their outnumbered enemy back.
Center attack
Although signals from Moor on the Confederate left were not received, the sounds from the fighting and the Confederate "disturbed appearance in front" led Averell to conclude that it was time for the attack at the center.
Averell's three mounted infantry regiments began advancing up the mountain while dismounted, with Francis Thompson's 3rd West Virginia Infantry making the most progress and the 8th West Virginia Infantry struggling with the steep and barren mountainside.
They faced sharpshooters, musket fire from
breastworks
A breastwork is a temporary fortification, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position. A more permanent structure, normally in stone, would be described as a parapet o ...
, and battery fire of
grape
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...
and
canister.
Schoonmaker briefly advanced two guns from Ewing's Battery partially up the mountainside, where they fired upon the 22nd Virginia Infantry. Return fire from Chapman and Lurty caused the Union guns to back off.
The 3rd West Virginia Infantry found Moor's left, and Echols began to face five Union regiments on his left and center. The Confederate center was strongly defended by portions of the 14th Virginia Cavalry commanded by Colonel Cochran and the 20th Virginia Cavalry commanded by Colonel Arnett. When the Union regiments reached the breastworks, the fighting was hand-to-hand at the top as Confederate soldiers used their empty muskets as clubs. After Union soldiers began sticking only their pistols over the breastworks and firing blindly, the Confederates eventually retreated.
The 2nd West Virginia Infantry, which had the most casualties of the three center-attack regiments, was the first to enter the Confederate breastworks.
Both Jackson and McLaughlin recognized that the Confederate center defense was faltering, and moved most of the artillery to the rear where it could be used to cover a retreat if necessary.
Resistance crumbles
Although the 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion helped William Thompson's men stall Moor's large infantry force, the Confederates on the extreme left were being driven back toward the center, forming a dangerous angle in their line. After receiving a report from Thompson, Echols shifted Patton and three companies to the left and joined Jackson at the center. The reinforcements temporarily checked the Union advance, but sustained a high number of casualties and was not strong enough to stop Moor's advance. The Confederate center and right were also in trouble, as Ewing's Battery found a target and some of Jackson's men began fleeing toward the rear.
A signalman from the 68th New York Infantry signal corps detachment observed the Confederate disarray, and Averell received the news near 3:00pm. Averell ordered Major Thomas Gibson, whose Independent Cavalry Battalion was held in reserve almost back, to advance as quickly as possible. A section of Ewing's Battery was also sent in pursuit. The battle was mostly finished by 4:00pm, and Echols received news about then that Duffié was at a mountaintop only west of Lewisburg.
With both his left and right flanks breached, Echols ordered Jackson and Patton to fall back. Major Blessing and the 23rd Infantry Battalion (Derrick's Battalion) were ordered to fall back to the road to Lewisburg. Moor's infantry advanced from the Confederate left to the Confederate right where the Confederate artillery had been posted on a hill. Although the Confederates were able to withdraw their last two pieces of artillery that were still on the hill, Moor's presence caused some Confederate panic as men feared being cut off and captured.
Retreat and pursuit
One of the last Confederate officers to leave Droop Mountain was Major Robert Augustus Bailey, of the 22nd Virginia Infantry. Bailey was mortally wounded trying to rally his men. His regiment started the battle with 550 men, and had 113 casualties. The regiment also had three captains wounded (two seriously), and one lieutenant mortally wounded. By the time Bailey was shot, the pike to Lewisburg was "blocked with artillery, caissons, wagons, and horses."
The Confederate retreat became even more urgent, and weapons were being thrown away as the men ran. At least one officer is known to have ordered his company to "get out and save yourselves".
Many of the Confederate soldiers ran to the woods. Colonel Patton was unable to reorganize his command until he arrived at
Frankford— south of the battle.
Both Colonel Cochran and Lieutenant Colonel Thompson were thought to be captured or killed, but were unharmed and eventually returned to their units.
The 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion, which had been posted on another road before the battle, became cut off from Echols' Brigade.
The first pursuers of the Confederate army were Moor's infantry, who fired into the retreating rebels from the original location of the Confederate artillery. Moor described a scene of dead and wounded horses, a "fast-moving mass" that "melted away by scattering through the woods south of the pike."
Moor's infantry pursued the Confederates about , before stopping after dark to go into camp.
Other pursuers were Gibson's Independent Cavalry Battalion and Ewing's Battery, who advanced about before falling back in the dark.
Schoonmaker reported going into camp at 8:00pm.
Lewisburg
Duffié skirmished with enemy pickets on Little Sewell Mountain on November 6, and continued on to Meadow Bluff—about from Lewisburg. His advance guard was briefly attacked at 2:00am on November 7, and his command was moving toward Lewisburg by 3:00am. The command arrived in Lewisburg at 9:00am, as the Confederate read guard was departing. Most of the Confederate army passed through 2 hours earlier.
The Confederate read guard was the 16th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, which had been guarding the western approach to Lewisburg and had not endured fighting at Droop Mountain.
Duffié began a pursuit with the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry as the advance, but returned to Lewisburg after finding blockades and a burnt bridge at the Greenbrier River.
The 2nd West Virginia Cavalry captured 110 head of cattle and a small number of the enemy. At Lewisburg the knapsacks and tents of the 22nd Virginia Infantry were captured in addition to supplies.
Averell had Schoonmaker's cavalry in the advance on the morning of November 7. Upon arriving in Lewisburg, Schoonmaker found looting that was ended by his
provost marshal.
Duffié reported that Averell arrived in Lewisburg around 4:30pm.
By the evening, Echols was in Monroe County close to the Virginia border at
Salt Sulphur.
Expedition ends
The pursuit of Echols ended on August 8, and Averell and Duffié appeared to blame each other for the stoppage. Averell reported that he began the pursuit on the morning of November 8, but ended the search because of a "formidable blockade", being "encumbered" with prisoners and captured property, and Duffié's infantry being "unfit for further operations".
Duffié's report said ''he'' made the pursuit on the morning of November 8 with his cavalry and mounted infantry, and he "received an order from General Averell to return" when he was from
Union, West Virginia
Union is a town in Monroe County, West Virginia, United States. Union’s population is 427 as of 2020. It is the county seat of Monroe County.
History
Monroe County was established by an act of the Assembly of Virginia on January 14, 1799, occu ...
.
One important factor in the decision to end the chase was that Averell was informed that reinforcements would be waiting for Echols at the Dublin Rail Depot.
Although he could not have known, only the
36th Virginia Infantry Regiment with a battery was moving toward Echols' destination of
Salt Pond Mountain.
The 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion, which did not engage at Droop Mountain and became cut off from the main force, was able to reunite with Echols in Virginia by November 10—and had several hundred additional men that fled the battle.
Duffié began a move to Meadow Bluff as ordered, but found that location impractical because of bad weather and difficulties with the supply line.
He endured a snowstorm on Sewell Mountain and returned to Charleston on November 13.
Moor, with the 28th Ohio Infantry, 10th West Virginia Infantry, and Keeper's Battery, was sent back to Beverly. Moor took the prisoners and wounded, and reached his destination on November 12. Averell moved north with the cavalry, mounted infantry, and Ewing's Battery.
They moved through White Sulphur Springs, where Averell learned that enemy troops were nearby.
Imboden reached
Covington in Virginia's
Alleghany County on November 8. There he found 100 to 200 men from Jackson's command that had fled Droop Mountain. During the night, more men arrived. He also had 800 more men, and two
6-pounder guns from the Rockbridge Home Guard and Cadets about away at
Clifton Forge
Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the greater Roanoke Region. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as J ...
.
Averell detached two squadrons of the 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry, under the command of Major Hedgmen Slack, on the evening of November 8. On the next day, Slack had a small confrontation with Imboden's rear guard near Covington, capturing 21 men. However, Slack believed that Imboden was moving his command south toward the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to reinforce Echols, and neither side pursued each other.
Averell reached New Creek on November 17, bringing prisoners and captured horses.
Casualties
Averell had 45 men killed, including those mortally wounded. He also had 93 wounded and 2 captured.
This total of 140 casualties agrees with the National Park Service summary.
The original report listed 30 killed as part of 119 casualties, although some of the mortally wounded may not have died at the time of the report. The 10th West Virginia Infantry, followed by the 28th Ohio Infantry, had the most casualties.
For Confederate troops, 33 were killed, 121 wounded, and 122 captured. The 19th Virginia Cavalry and the 22nd Virginia Infantry had the most casualties.
The total of 276 casualties almost matches the count of 275 reported by Echols and used by the National Park Service.
Aftermath
Averell reported that his Droop Mountain "victory was decisive and the enemy's retreat became a total rout".
However, Duffié reported that "Had General Averell, instead of attacking the enemy in force and making a general engagement, engaged him lightly, detaining him until my command reached Lewisburg, it is my opinion that we might have captured almost the entire rebel force."
The Confederates were aware that if they had held their line on the mountain, they would have become trapped between Duffié and Averell. They also knew that if they had not retreated (or ran) when they did, they would have been surrounded by Averell's two wings of infantry led by Moor and Oley.
One historian was critical of Averell's decision to end the mission, writing that if Averell had "the drive and the instinct for the jugular" of someone like
Philip Sheridan
General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...
or
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars.
Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...
, he would have continued pursuing Echols and gone on to the railroad bridge.
On November 7, Major General Sam Jones sent a report to
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
Samuel Cooper in Richmond requesting assistance and saying that Echols was badly defeated, closely pursued, and would probably not escape.
By November 15, Jones believed the affair at Droop Mountain was not as big of a loss as he originally thought. On December 11, he reported that Confederate troops had reoccupied their positions held prior to the battle, and the enemy had suffered heavier losses than those inflicted.
After the Battle of Droop Mountain, the only major battles in West Virginia were the
Battle of Moorefield, the
Battle of Summit Point
The Battle of Summit Point, also known as Flowing Springs or Cameron's Depot, was an inconclusive battle of the American Civil War fought on August 21, 1864, near Summit Point, West Virginia.
The battle was part of Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheri ...
, and the
Battle of Smithfield Crossing
The Battle of Smithfield Crossing was a small battle during the American Civil War fought August 25 through August 29, 1864, in Jefferson and Berkeley counties in West Virginia.
Battle
On August 29, two Confederate infantry divisions under ...
. All three battles were in the
Eastern Panhandle
The Eastern Panhandle is the eastern of the two panhandles in the U.S. state of West Virginia; the other is the Northern Panhandle. It is a small stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia. Some sources ...
of the state.
Some historians conclude that Confederate resistance in West Virginia collapsed after the Battle of Droop Mountain.
However, the Confederates returned to their original positions in December, and fighting may have simply shifted to the Shenandoah Valley.
At worst (for the Union cause), the Battle of Droop Mountain can be considered a tactical victory for Echols, since the Confederate army was not eliminated from West Virginia and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was unharmed. In December, Halleck again ordered Averell to destroy the railroad and another expedition started.
At best, the Battle of Droop Mountain was a sound victory for Averell and a morale booster. President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
made reference to the battle in a speech, and Major General
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three times Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor ...
confirmed that the victory encouraged his
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.
History
1st Army of the Ohio
General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. ...
in Tennessee.
Future leaders
Averell was often criticized for being too cautious, and was removed in September 1864 as a division commander by General Philip Sheridan for not pursuing the enemy promptly enough.
However, Averell was one of the few Union cavalry leaders that achieved cavalry victories in the
eastern theater before Sheridan arrived. In addition to Droop Mountain, he soundly defeated the Confederates at the
Battle of Rutherford's Farm
The Battle of Rutherford's Farm, also known as Carter's Farm and Stephenson's Depot, was a small engagement between Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur and Union forces under Brig. Gen. William W. Averell on July 20, 1864, in ...
and the Battle of Moorefield. He also performed well at the
Battle of Kelly's Ford
The Battle of Kelly's Ford, also known as the Battle of Kellysville or Kelleysville, took place on March 17, 1863, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the cavalry operations along the Rappahannock River during the American Civil War. It set ...
. Historian Scott Patchan noted that Averell had successes while "serving as an independent or quasi-independent commander, while his failures arose when his superiors expected him to cooperate within the framework of a larger command structure."
Averell and Echols were the generals on the field at the Battle of Droop Mountain. Of the Union leaders in the battle, Harris, Moor, and Oley eventually became generals.
Schoonmaker led a charge against a fort in the
Third Battle of Winchester
The Third Battle of Winchester, also known as the Battle of Opequon or Battle of Opequon Creek, was an American Civil War battle fought near Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864. Union Army Major General Philip Sheridan defeated Confederate ...
, and was awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
.
Harris served on the commission that tried the
Lincoln assassination conspirators
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
.
For the Confederates, Jackson eventually became a general, while Patton would have become a general if he had survived his wounds received at the Third Battle of Winchester.
Patton is the grandfather of the famous
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
tank commander,
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
.
Today
The battlefield site is preserved and administered by West Virginia as
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is a state park located on Droop Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The park was the site of the Battle of Droop Mountain, the last major battle of the American Civil War in the state taking plac ...
, and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
The park was dedicated in 1928, and is West Virginia's oldest state park.
Unknown Confederate dead from the battle are buried in the
Confederate Cemetery at Lewisburg, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
References
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External links
Droop Mountain Battlefield State ParkDroop Mountain Battlefield State Park - Pocahontas County
{{DEFAULTSORT:Droop Mountain, Battle of
Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
Union victories of the American Civil War
Pocahontas County, West Virginia in the American Civil War
1863 in the American Civil War
1863 in West Virginia
Battles of the American Civil War in West Virginia
November 1863 events