Director

The Upshur County Historical Society is an active historical/genealogical society that maintains the museum, operates the gift shop, and a document repository at 29 East Main Street that is open to visitors by appointment only. Previous exhibit themes have included A History of Food and Farming (We Grew Most Everything We Ate); The Civil War in Upshur County; A Scrapbook of Unusual and Interesting People, Places, Events and other Curiosities; From Dawn to Dusk based on early 20th Century farm life.The museum building was built in 1856 for the Southern Methodist Church. During a civil war raid, General Albert G. Jenkins discovered that the building was being used as a Federal Commissary. The General ordered Union prisoners to empty the building and burn the supplies. The church was not occupied again until 1887 when the Episcopal Church began meeting there. The building was purchased by the Historical Society in 1986 ending its service as a church. It was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in July 1992.For more information about the Museum, available publications, or access to the Repository, please contact the Historical Society at info@upshurcountyhistorialsociety.com

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A summertime treat awaits visitors to the downtown historic district in Buckhannon, WV. The History Center Museum is open early June until late September. The museum and gift shop resides in a one-story wooden frame building that is one of Buckhannon’s oldest landmarks with a rich history all its own. Managed by the Upshur County Historical Society, a unique exhibit is on display each year that is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons from 1 pm until 4pm.

Upshur County History Center Museum

The United States was still a fairly young nation when the Civil War began. The division set state against state, citizen against citizen, and brother against brother. This is most evident in the people who lived in the state of Virginia. The state of Virginia was quite big at this time containing 95 counties plus the 55 counties of Western Virginia. Having played a significant role in the formation of the country, the leaders in Virginia were hesitant to join in the dissent. By the end of the war the state split into two separate states, a reflection of what could happen to the rest of the country. AFHNA is one area that is preserving this history by working with many partners to conserve, promote and protect this portion of our story. As you tour this portion of the civil war story in what is now West Virginia, may you discover a part of your story along the way.

(For more information about sites that are being preserved check out: https://www.appalachianforestnha.org/ and https://www.battlefields.org/ Plan ahead to experience living history through Civil War reenactments http://www.wvra.org/  )

In the late 1800s, the United States was experiencing quite a bit of growth and expansion, especially due to the start of the railroad. This made it possible to access natural and manufactured resources as well as people and move them great distances supporting new commerce. Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860 who established a strong stand against slavery that many independent-minded states considered to be an overreach of government authority. This stand was part of a powerful rift that was dividing the country and South Carolina became the first of eleven states to secede from the union to form the Confederate States of America. 
The Civil War officially began On April 12, 1861 when the Confederate army opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, South Carolina and forced it to lower the American flag in surrender. This event pushed states to decide where they stood on the issues. President Lincoln then called for 75000 Union troops from surrounding states including Virginia to quell the rebellion. Rather than support the president, on April 17th Virginia passed an ordinance of secession which would not become official until the Virginia voters ratified the decision. In Western Virginia, nine delegates supported secession while 29 voted to remain with the Union. Tensions continued to rise and delegates from the western counties of Virginia moved to form a New Virginia. Differences related to taxes, politics, culture and representation had already driven a wedge between the people living on the eastern and western portions of the Allegheny Mountains.

https://www.pbs.org/video/west-virginia-road-statehood-west-virginia-road-statehood 
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/brief-overview-american-civil-war 

In July, Col. Jonathan Heck with his foraging party had taken hold of Buckhannon. They moved on as McClennan moved his headquarters to Buckhannon and with his troops, he extended the telegraph line into the area. According to reports, a strong Federal force of approximately 10,000 men was camped in or near Buckhannon. Some were on Kanawha Hill, Island Avenue, and what is now known as Heavner Cemetery. Rosecrans and McClennan set up headquarters near a chestnut tree in the backyard of 7 Park Street, home of Mrs. Pearl Burnside. The troops moved on to Middle Fork on July 8th but frequently returned to the area, as was the pattern throughout most of the Civil WarEach time soldiers from either side marched on Buckhannon, supplies were confiscated or destroyed, citizens were imprisoned, and the property was seized and/or damaged. Throughout the war, many became bitter against friends and brothers. The fighting was often a bit more vicious than necessary and people were often imprisoned for minimal or nonexistent charges. As the legislators were forming the new state of West Virginia, the Upshur militia was betrayed by a former member, J.C. Eagle, and raiders who were known to the people of the area. The captured men were mistreated, imprisoned under dreadful conditions, and of the 70 who were captured, 43 would die in confederate prisons. In this war, more soldiers died from illness (measles, dysentery, etc.) and complications from injuries than from bullets in battle.

Tensions were high in the spring of 1861 in Western Virginia as George B. McClennan was led Union forces into the Western part of the state to secure transportation routes and the Railroad. Virginia adopted the Ordinance of Secession in April and on May 1st; volunteer forces were called out in Virginia. This call included Upshur County where, like much of the country, was divided in loyalty to the United States and the Confederate States of America. Most of the residents of Buckhannon supported the Union while many in surrounding towns supported the secessionists. In June and July 1861, Buckhannon became an important staging area for the Union Army both as it prepared for the important Battle of Philippi that took place on June 3, 1861, in Barbour County, and in its attempt to cut off the Confederate Army’s retreat following its defeat at Philippi. At any given time that summer, several thousand Union troops were camped in and around Buckhannon. The Upshur Grays were mobilizing and would soon see action in the first land battle of the Civil War at Philippi. the Upshur Grays also saw action at the Battle of Rich Mountain.

Civil War in Buckhannon Spring 1861

On May 22, 1861 there was a scuffle that resulted in the death of Thornsberry Bailey Brown a member of the Grafton Guards. This was the first reported death of a Union soldier by a Confederate soldier. On May 25th the confederate soldiers under orders from Col. George Porterfield burned two tressels on the B&amp;O Railroad, setting into action an invasion into Western Virginia by Ohio and Indiana troops.  Troops from Wheeling, under the command of Col Benjamin Kelley were ordered by Major Gen George McClellen through Brig Gen Thomas Morris to protect the supply line. They headed towards Grafton, repaired the tressels, and forced the outnumbered confederate soldiers on to Philippi.  The confederate soldiers continued to raid Grafton throughout the civil war in an effort to disrupt the supply lines. Each year, Grafton hosts “The Spirit of Grafton Festival” to honor and remember those who served during the Civil War.

Grafton (Taylor County) 39.341667, -80.019722 Chartered in 1856, Grafton was a significant transportation center because of the B&amp;O Railroad connections and proximity to the Northwestern Turnpike.General Lee vowed to protect the railroad and sent Major Francis Boykin and Col George Porterfield to Grafton to recruit soldiers. At this time, the community was mostly inhabited by immigrants who came in to work on the railroad and many sided with the Union so recruiting efforts were minimal.

Advance Upon Grafton May 1861

Now a private university, the A-B Campus sits on a hill that used to be part of the Talbot Farm. Visitors are welcome to tour the campus and the New Main. From the front of the New Main, you will see the site of the first land battle in Philippi. The first cannon shots that triggered the “races” came from this location as Union Colonel Landers led his troops down the hill towards the Covered Bridge at Philippi.

Alderson-Broaddus College

The 1861 western Virginia campaign occurred when that region was still part of Virginia, but was already thinking about breaking away due to their closer ties with Pennsylvania and Ohio. Within the western portion of the state lay mineral deposits useful for the production of arms and ammunition and transportation networks between Virginia and the mid-west. To secure these for the Union, George B. McClellan invaded western Virginia as commander of the Department of the Ohio against the Confederate forces there.Philippi was not of great military importance, but the juncture of the Parkersburg-Grafton Railroad and the Baltimore &amp; Ohio lay 25 miles north at Grafton, connecting the eastern states and the mid-west. Robert E. Lee, then in command of all military forces in Virginia, ordered Colonel George Porterfield to recruit a Confederate force in the western counties to hold the rail lines at Grafton. Porterfield was largely unsuccessful due to the Union loyalties and resentment against the Richmond government. He did raise three ill-equipped companies and he occupied Grafton on May 25, 1861. To help defend his position, Porterfield ordered Colonel William Wiley to burn several bridges on the Grafton-Wheeling line to slow enemy movements.With Porterfield's destruction of railways, McClellan decided to move troops and supplies into western Virginia to occupy the area and protect Unionist civilians. Troops, including the first regiment recruited in (West) Virginia [the 1st Virginia Infantry (Union)], moved south from Wheeling on May 27th.When Porterfield learned of the Union troop movements, he withdrew further south to Philippi. The Union force arrived at Grafton to find the Confederates gone. Indiana Brigadier General Thomas Morris orchestrated a plan to use a two-pronged assault to trap Porterfield at Philippi. Two columns would move south from Grafton on each side of the Tygart Valley River. The Union plan was for both columns to arrive at Philippi at 4:00am on June 3. One column would engage the Confederates at dawn while the other the other column cut off the Confederate retreat on the Beverly-Fairmont Road.On the night of June 2-3, 1861, the two Union columns marched through the rain to converge on Philippi. Colonel Benjamin Kelley of the 1st Virginia Infantry (Union) led a column of approximately 1,600 men including the 9th Indiana Infantry and six companies of the 16th Ohio Infantry. Kelley’s force boarded a train at Grafton, suggesting that they were moving towards Harpers Ferry, but just past Thornton the troops got off the train and marched south. Kelley’s column had 22 miles to march to reach Philippi. The second column of approximately 1,400 men was commanded by Colonel Ebenezer Dumont and consisted of the 7th Indiana Infantry, five companies of the 14th Ohio Infantry, six companies of the 6th Indiana Infantry, and two artillery guns of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery. Dumont had the shorter route with a 12-mile march to Philippi.While both columns traveled by train before disembarking and marching south on foot to mask their destination, two Fairmont women took notice of the troop movements and rode south to warn Porterfield at Philippi. When they shared the news, citizens in Philippi panicked and many fled the city, but Porterfield wanted to wait until dawn believing that the Union army would not be able to march in the storm. He ordered his men to be ready to move and sent his cavalry out as scouts on the road to prevent any surprise attacks. However, the officer in charge of the sentinels did not perform his duty and around midnight the guard and cavalry sought dry refuge from the storm.The two Union columns pushed through the thunderstorm, although the rain did delay their progress. Dumont’s column was running late but he pushed the pace of his men to make up the time, assisted by Colonel Frederick W. Lander. Lander managed to get the two artillery guns in place above Philippi just in time before the fog lifted, with Dumont and the infantry close behind. In position, Lander waited to hear the signal shot from the other Union column. The second column under Kelley fared worse on their march. Their local guide tried to lead them astray down the wrong road. Kelley sensed that the path was wrong and sent the 9th Indiana Infantry down the other road. Kelley’s force was supposed to be in position south of Philippi to block the Confederate retreat, but his column was well behind schedule.As Dumont’s column marched south on the road, local resident Mrs. Thomas Humphreys put her 10-year-old son on their horse to ride and warn Porterfield at Philippi. The Union troops easily caught the child and pulled him off the horse, which caused Mrs. Humphreys to assault the men with rocks and insults until they released her son. She attempted to get him back on the horse, but the soldiers pulled him off again. At this, the woman pulled out a pistol and fired a shot.Lander and the 1st Ohio Light Artillery heard Mrs. Humphreys’ pistol shot and took that as the signal to fire on Philippi. As the two guns opened fire, Dumont’s infantry rushed forward towards the town, crossing over the covered bridge. At that point, Dumont’s column could finally see Kelley’s force approaching on the other side of the river, neither section was in place to block the Confederate path of retreat. In the excitement, Colonel Lander galloped down the hill and across the bridge to join the Union assault, meeting Colonel Kelley’s column who swept in from the other direction.The artillery fire woke the sleeping Confederates who had no warning because their cavalry and sentinels were not in place. Men rushed to get out of their beds, dressed, and ready for combat. For most, the confusion and surprise assault led to a hasty retreat out of the town. The Union columns flooded into Philippi and Colonels Lander and Kelley rode through town chasing the fleeing Confederates, although their progress was checked when Kelley was shot in the chest (he would recover). Porterfield had 775 men in the face of the Union’s 3000 and the Confederates quickly retreated towards Beverly. The twenty-minute engagement was nicknamed "the Philippi Races."The Union men did not chase the retreating Confederates, instead claiming Philippi. The result of the engagement was five Union wounded and two Confederate wounded, plus several Confederate prisoners captured. The Union victory at Philippi is considered the first land battle of the Civil War, although it is overshadowed by the later First Battle of Manassas.Philippi was also the site of the first amputation of the Civil War. 18-year-old James E. Hanger of the Churchville Cavalry was in the hayloft of the Garrett Johnson barn when the engagement began. A Union artillery solid shot came through the barn and shattered his left leg. He was found and taken to the Philippi Methodist Episcopal Church where his leg was amputated seven inches below the hip by Dr. James Robinson, 16th Ohio Infantry. While recovering Harper made himself an artificial leg out of barrel staves and he later made wooden limbs for Confederate amputees.The entire summer 1861 campaign consisted of eight small engagements that secured western Virginia for the Union and prevented the Confederates from occupying the area for the rest of the war. The Battle of Philippi secured control of the Baltimore &amp; Ohio Railroad for the Union, a crucial east-west transportation route. This military occupation by Union forces assisted in the political process to split the western counties from Virginia and create a new state in 1863. Eliminating the growing Confederate threat at Grafton/Philippi allowed delegates to attend the Second Wheeling Convention and establish the Restored Government of Virginia. The success of the campaign also placed McClellan in the view of army superiors and after the July defeat at Manassas, McClellan rose to command the Army of the Potomac. On the other hand, Colonel Porterfield was relieved of command after the disaster at Philippi and replaced with Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett.

The Battle of Philippi was little more than a skirmish between Union and Confederate partisans, but its occurrence on June 3, 1861 has led to its historic distinction as the "first land battle" of the American Civil War. At the time, Philippi held some measure of strategic importance to both Union and Confederate supporters due to its location on the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad. Just before dawn on the day of June 3, 1861, Union and Confederate forces clashed in Philippi. Outnumbered, Confederate forces began a quick and steadfast retreat from the area; so quickly was their retreat that it became known as the "Philippi Races."

Battle of Philippi Historic Marker

In 1850, Lemuel Chenoweth – a poor carpenter with no professional training – arrived in Richmond, Virginia with his tiny model of a bridge. He joined throngs of other hopeful architects, prepared to bid for the contract of a new bridge crossing Tygart’s Valley River at Philippi. However, Chenoweth quickly realized his model bridge lacked the flair and panache of the more established and professionally trained architects present. As part of a risky ploy, he rested each end of his model on a chair and then stood on it to demonstrate its strength. He challenged his competitors to do the same with their models, but knowing their structures would fail, none rose to the occasion. Chenoweth was subsequently awarded the contract. This tale is often repeated about Chenoweth, and regardless of its veracity, his impact on West Virginia through the Philippi Covered Bridge is undeniable.Construction on the Philippi Covered Bridge began in 1852. Emmett J. O’Brien constructed the stone abutments on each end with a central pier to support the weight of the bridge. Chenoweth constructed the superstructure of the bridge with help from his brother, Eli. Chenoweth utilized wood almost exclusively for the superstructure. Though some metal components are present to join major pieces of the bridge, none of them take any part in load bearing or stability. The sides of the bridge were boarded with simple vertical planks, and though there is no mention of the roofing, it is likely it was a wood shake roof as these were standard on covered bridges in the nineteenth century. The total cost of the bridge was $12,180.68 – approximately $400,000 adjusted for inflation.The Philippi Covered Bridge measures twenty-six feet wide by three hundred eleven feet long. It utilizes Burr arch trusses, a design patented by Theodore Burr in 1817. The design incorporates multiple kingpost trusses where vertical posts are connected by diagonal beams which point towards the center. In addition to the kingpost trusses, the Burr arch also uses an arch spanning the space between piers. Because the Burr arch truss combines two standard bridge-building techniques, it allows for the stability of both. The Philippi Covered Bridge saw action in the Civil War when Union troops under the command of General George B. McClellan were sent to protect the B&amp;O railroad. On June 3, 1861, Union and Confederate troops clashed at the Philippi bridge resulting in the retreat of Confederate forces. This skirmish is often considered the first land battle of the Civil War. In 1863, the bridge was again embroiled in the war when Confederate General William Jones intended to burn the bridge. However, local southern sympathizer Joshua Corder convinced Jones to spare the bridge. In 1864 the Philippi Covered Bridge was again a target for Confederate destruction. However, plans to burn the bridge were discovered by Philippi citizens and the mission was aborted. The first major modifications to the Philippi Covered Bridge occurred in 1934. An influx in vehicle traffic necessitated the addition of two concrete piers between the existing three. The wooden floor was torn up and replaced with a concrete one supported by steel girders. Several other modifications were made to the structure to facilitate truck traffic. An external walkway was also added to better accommodate pedestrian traffic. In 1989, disaster struck the Philippi Covered Bridge when a car spark inadvertently ignited spilled gasoline near the bridge. Approximately sixty percent of the bridge was destroyed by the fire. In the face of tragedy, the local community and legislators banded together to find funding to restore the bridge. Meticulous research was conducted, and the bridge was rehabilitated to its 1861 condition – though with the addition of a sprinkler system. This restoration project was so dedicated to preserving authenticity that it even included sourcing original material types rather than using modern equivalents. The Philippi Covered Bridge is arguably West Virginia’s most important extant covered bridge. It is both the oldest and longest covered bridge in West Virginia. It is an important architectural monument, especially due to the local impact of Lemuel Chenoweth. The bridge is one of only six two-lane covered bridges left in the United States, and the only covered bridge that serves a United States Federal Highway (U.S. Route 250). As the site of the first Civil War land battle, the Philippi Covered Bridge also has historical ties. Finally, the bridge maintains integrity of structure and purpose as it continues to serve Philippi’s community today.

Constructed in 1852 by Emmett J. O’Brien and Lemuel and Eli Chenoweth, the Philippi Covered Bridge is West Virginia’s oldest and longest extant covered bridge. The almost exclusively wooden structure utilizes the Burr arch truss design for support. The bridge was the site of the site of the Battle of Philippi, often cited as the first land battle of the Civil War. Narrowly escaping destruction several times over the course of the war, the Philippi Covered Bridge was modified and strengthened in 1934. Tragedy struck the bridge in 1989 when a large portion of it burned. However, the bridge was authentically restored to its original design. One of only two covered bridges in Barbour County, the Philippi Covered Bridge is also the only covered bridge in the United States to serve a Federal Highway. 

Philippi Covered Bridge 

In the late 1800s, Barbour County and Taylor County leaders worked together and raised funds to build a railroad that would run from Philippi to Grafton, West Virginia. the two counties were able to contribute about $60,000 each as residents purchased shares in the railroad. Regular passenger service began on January 21, 1884, and the current depot was constructed in 1911. The depot was abandoned in 1956 as passenger service ended. In 1979, the Barbour County Historical Society raised over $100,000 to restore the station. After their successful fundraiser, the current museum opened on June 3, 1985.

This local history museum is located inside the former Philippi railroad station that was constructed in 1911 and connected this community to the Baltimore an Ohio rail line. The Barbour County Historical Museum includes a variety of exhibits from the colonial period to the present. These exhibits include Civil War era weapons, various railroad artifacts, and exhibits of clothing from the antebellum period as well as a large display of flags. The Hamrick Mummies are a highlight of the museum and were once one of the leading attractions of the traveling P.T. Barnum Circus. The Museum has many objects from the county’s abundant coal history.

Barbour County Historical Museum

Control of the railroads in the area was imperative, both the Confederate and Unions fought for it. Whoever controlled the railroads, controlled the shipping lines. On June 3, 1861 the Battle of Philippi occurred and was dawned as the first land battle of the Civil War. The Confederate troops retreated so swiftly from that battle that it became known as the “Philippi Races”Following the Battle of Philippi on June 3, 1861, General Garnett retreated south to Laurel Mountain. The retreat was caused by a surprise artillery strike from the Union, and later became known as the "Philippi Races." General Garnett was able to make camp with his roughly 3,500-4,500 men, with the goal of stopping the advancement of Union troops. General Garnett was able to take command in Western Virginia, seizing control of vital turnpikes in Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill. Under orders from General McClellan, General Thomas A. Morris began to march his 5,000 troops from Philippi to Belington. The battle started on July 7th 1861, and ended with another Confederate retreat. (1)General Robert S. Garnett survived the Battle of Laurel Hill, but died of a gunshot wound at Corrick’s Ford on July 13th 1861. While retreating, the Confederate troops were attempting to cross the Cheat River and General Garnett was shot while commanding the rear guard. He was the first general to die in the Civil War. The remaining Confederate soldiers fled and abandoned large quantities of equipment. (2) Generals McClellan and Morris both survived the war.The Laurel Hill battlefield is located near Belington, West Virginia, southeast of Philippi, WV and north of the Rich Mountain Battlefield. The terrain in the Appalachian Mountains is difficult to traverse. The mountain path at Laurel Hill and the path at Rich Mountain were crucial for supply lines. Union control of Laurel Hill helped with the creation of the state of West Virginia by helping facilitate safe travel for the state's founding fathers. (1)The actions of Laurel Hill helped to seal General McClellan's rise to fame as the "Young Napoleon." It also helped to seal the Western Virginia for the Union. Whoever had control of this area, controlled the important transportation routes. Union forces stayed in control for much of the rest of the Civil War and the Battle of Laurel Hill was one of the first land battles of the Civil War.A commemorative marker for the battle has been placed on Laurel Mountain road. Annual Civil War reenactments take place at Laurel Hill battlefield to commemorate the event.

Along with the battles of Philippi, Rich Mountain, and Corrick’s Ford, the Battle of Laurel Hill (also known as the Battle of Belington or Laurel Mountain) was one of the first battles of the Civil War.  The Confederate forces at Laurel Hill were commanded by General Robert S. Garnett, while the Union army was commanded by General Thomas A. Morris and General George B. McClellan.  Starting on July 7th 1861, the battle lasted for five days, and ended with a Union victory. 

Civil War Battle of Laurel Hill

The battle at Corricks Ford took place on July 13th, 1861 along the Cheat River as part of the western Virginia campaign. By later standards, the battle was a minor skirmish, with less than 700 total estimated casaulties. The battle was the end of a series of battles between the forces of Union General George B. McClellan and Confederate General Robert S. Garnett. McClellan had defeated part of Garnett's army on July 11, 1861 during the Battle of Rich Mountain. On hearing of the defeat, Garnett fell back toward Virginia with approximately 4,500 men around midnight that night. Garnett began to march towards Beverly, but had recieved false information implying that McClellan's men occupied the town. The Confederates then backtracked, and abandoned their efforts to secure the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, and trekked over Cheat Mountain towards the Cheat River Valley. General Thomas A. Morris then pursued the Confederates with the 14th Indiana Infantry on July 13th, 1861, and took over Garnett's forces that were located along the Cheat River. Garnett took it upon himself to guard the rear of the forces with means to delay the Union attacks as the Confederates were retreating. Garnett was shot off of his horse and became the first General to die in battle. Due to the Confederate's retreat and Garnett's death, the Union had sole control over the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and ultimately western Virginia. Although there is a heartwarming story to General Garnett's death. The General's dead body somehow ended up in a bed of wildflowers. A Union soldier, who had attended West Point with Garnett, found the general's body and sent it back to his family in what was then western Virginia despite being on opposing forces. This act shows how true it was that families, loved ones, and friends were all forced to split during the Civil War. Today, monuments to the battle still stand in and around Parsons. According to the American Battlefield Trust, a boulder by the battlefield features a commemorative plaque. Another plaque was built near the Tucker County Courthouse in 1938.

The Corricks Ford Battlefield is located along the Cheat River and is from the first campaign of the Civil War. The battlefield is now partially preserved thanks to efforts by local preservationists and the City of Parsons. During the battle of Corricks Ford, Confederate General Garnett became the first general of the Civil War to die in battle. 

Corricks Ford Battlefield 

The battle was set when McClellan moved his forces from Clarksburg to meet John Pegram's Confederate troops, reaching Rich Mountain on July 9th. Meanwhile, Thomas Morris's union brigade marched from the town of Philipi to confront Garnett's Confederate brigade on Laurel Hill leaving two key roads blocked, which hampered McClellan's attempts to travel east. while Rosecrans led his newly reinforced Brigade down a rather dangerous mountain path in order to seize the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike on July 10th.This battle finally began on July 11th, with McClellan's forces fighting against both Pegrams and Garnett's while he made the risky move of sending Rosecran's soldiers on the mountain path in hopes of attacking the rebel soldiers at their flank, marching in the pouring rain, Rosecran was finally successful in attacking the Confederate's wing. This caused the southern forces to begin falling back, and McClellan began shelling their forces, though the expected assault by McClellan's forces never came to fruition. Rather short, the battle only lasted two hours, but it was still a large victory for the Union. The fighting split Confederate forces in two, with half succeeding in retreating to the town of Beverly. But some were not so lucky.  With his own retreating path blocked off, Pegram and his remaining force of over 500 soldiers had no other choice than to surrender to northern troops on July 13th, while Garnett perished while fighting at Corrick's Ford on the same day. Casualties of the battle differ from source to source. With some saying both sides lost around 70 soldiers, others say that Confederate losses were up to 300, while the Union only lost 46 troops. On July 11, 1861,  General George B. McClellan's successful surprise attack on Rich Mountain and his army's ability to control the turnpike led to the withdrawal of Confederate troops from the area. Union troops dug trenches around Butcher Hill (Mt. Isner) and built numerous fortifications around the town. Troops also utilized homes and public buildings throughout the town, especially during the winter months of occupation. The Lemuel Chenoweth House was one of many used to house officers and care for the sick and wounded. This home is located next to the Beverly covered bridge and is open for tours. Despite the Southern sympathies of many residents throughout the area, Beverly and the surrounding area would be controlled by the Union for most of the war. However, Confederate raiders were able to persist throughout the area, making the Civil War in this section of West Virginia a local affair that divided residents during and after West Virginia secured statehood on June 20, 1863.

The Battle of Rich Mountain occurred near the town of Beverly in Randolph County, West Virginia on July 11, 1861. This battle was between Major General George B. McClellan and Brigadier General William Rosecrans' troops of the union and Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett and Lieutenant Colonel John Pegram's troops of the Confederacy. The battle was part of the western Virginia theatre of the Civil War and was instrumental in McClellan later being put in command of the Army of the Potomac. The Beverly Heritage Center dedicates a section of their museum to the Battle of Rich Mountain.

The Battle of Rich Mountain

The small town of Beverly, nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, was the gathering point for Confederate troops early in the Civil War. The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike connected to the B&amp;O Railroad, which made Beverly a strategic crossroads between the North and South. As a result, both armies were anxious to control the territory. In 1861, Union General George B. McClellan led a surprise attack at the Battle of Rich Mountain. Although he demonstrated what would become a common tendency to fail to push his advantages into a stunning defeat of the Confederacy, his forces were able to secure control of the region. The Union controlled Beverly throughout the remainder of the war. The four buildings that make up the museum are connected by a gallery with an enterance in the back of the building that makes the heritage center handicap accessible. The Beverly Bank opened at this location in 1900, but was not able to survive the banking crisis of the early 1930s and closed without reopening. The neoclassical building and with its signature arched windows and doorway survives to the present thanks to the efforts of local citizens and preservationists.The 1854 Bushrod Crawford building is a frame residence built shortly before the Civil War, and has significance as Union General McClellan’s headquarters after he won the Battle of Rich Mountain. The Hill Store building was built connecting the Courthouse and the Crawford building around 1907, and represents commercial development in the Beverly in the early 1900s. Last, but not least is the Randolph County Courthouse in the center of the complex. This building cost approximately $1200 to build, including $35 for hinges and other ironwork paid to Solomon Collett when he completed the building in 1815.1Two of the earliest settlement families in the Beverly area were the Robert Files and David Tygart families. They arrived in 1753, but soon conflicts originating from the the French and Indian War forced these families to flee the area. Settlers of European descent returned in 1772, when Caption Benjamin Wilson led a group of nine families to the area. James Westfall was one of the nine original patriarchs, and in 1790, his twenty-acre plat was divided into one-half acre town lots. Planning for what would become the town of Beverly included the construction of a jail, courthouse, business district, and schoolhouse. Construction of the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike began in 1840. By 1847, Beverly was a town that sat at a major crossroad. It was also destined to be a strategic point during the Civil War due to its connecting point to the North and South. Beverly became a gathering and staging point for Confederate troops at the start of hostilities. General Robert E. Lee ordered 1,000 muskets to be sent to Beverly to support the pro-Confederate volunteers being recruited in that area. The shipment never made it to Beverly, however, as the Union Army captured Confederate supplies when they routed Confederate partisans in the Battle of Phillipi on June 3, 1861. On July 11, 1861,  General George B. McClellan's successful surprise attack on Rich Mountain and his army's ability to control the turnpike led to the withdrawal of Confederate troops from the area. Union troops dug trenches around Butcher Hill (Mt. Isner) and built numerous fortifications around the town. Troops also utilized homes and public buildings throughout the town, especially during the winter months of occupation. The Lemuel Chenoweth House was one of many used to house officers and care for the sick and wounded. This home is located next to the Beverly covered bridge and is open for tours. Despite the Southern sympathies of many residents throughout the area, Beverly and the surrounding area would be controlled by the Union for most of the war. However, Confederate raiders were able to persist throughout the area, making the Civil War in this section of West Virginia a local affair that divided residents during and after West Virginia secured statehood on June 20, 1863.  The museum offers exhibits the history of Beverly, West Virginia is preserved by the Historic Beverly Preservation Group, Beverly ONTRAC Community Development Program, Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation, Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance, and the Randolph County Historical Society. Bi-annually the Historic Beverly Preservation organization hosts Beverly Heritage Days, which features home tours, food, music, and a living history of the town. More information can be obtained at the Rich Mountain Visitors Center on Court Street or at the Blackman-Bosworth Store/Museum located on Main Street.

Beverly Heritage Center preserves and operates a museum complex composed of four neighboring historic buildings: Beverly Bank, Randolph County Courthouse, Hill Building, and the Bushrod Crawford building. The idea to create this historic complex by connecting these four buildings by adding walkways and creating museum exhibits began in the 1990s, when local citizens and historic preservationists considered a variety of plans to revitalize the historic town and promote heritage tourism. Thanks to grants and donations, construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2012. Visitors to the complex are now able to tour each of these four buildings and view exhibits related to the area's Native inhabitants, the arrival of pioneer settlers, the Battle of Rich Mountain, the creation and importance of the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnmpike, the Civil War battles of central West Virginia, and daily life in this small community throughout the late 19th and 20th century. 


Beverly Heritage Center

Laura Jackson was born on March 27, 1826, in Clarksburg, Virginia (West Virginia) to Jonathan and Julia Beckwith Neale Jackson. The Jacksons had four children, but lost one to disease. Jonathan Jackson died of typhoid fever a day before Laura’s birth. Laura Jackson was alone to care for their surviving children, Thomas (Later known as "Stonewall”), Laura, and Warren. Laura Jackson married Blake Woodson. The new family struggled financially and Laura and Thomas were sent to live with uncles on the late Johnathan’s side of the family in Jackson Mill (West Virginia). Warren was sent to live with some of Julia’s family members. Julia Jackson passed away during childbirth in 1831 and Warren passed away in 1841 after suffering from tuberculosis. This left Laura and Thomas the only living members of the original Jackson family. Laura and Thomas formed a bond as they endured an insecure and sad childhood. Thomas left home in 1842 to enroll in the United States Military Academy at West Point, but the two remained close for some years and wrote to one another often. In 1844, Laura Jackson married Jonathan Arnold and they bought this home in 1845 for $1500. The couple had four kids and opened their home as a private school for several area families. The children were instructed by a governess that stayed in the home. Once the Civil War broke out their home became more than a school for the children. Several of the people living in the town of Beverly were sympathetic to the southerners, including Jonathan Arnold, who was originally a Whig. Therefore, when the Union took control of the town after the Battle of Rich Mountain just five miles away on July 11, 1861, several people moved away. Despite her husband’s new political leaning, Laura stayed a Unionist and provided medical attention to the wounded Union troops inside her own home. Union soldiers stayed in Beverly during most of the war and Laura continued to help heal Union troops wounded in any conflicts that occurred close to the town throughout the war. Union troops talked fondly of her and praised her for her loyalty to the Union.Prior to the Civil War, Stonewall visited the Arnolds in their home on several occasions. However, when the war broke out Laura and Stonewall’s close relationship ended when she remained a Unionist and he became a general for the Confederate Army. The two never settled their differences before Stonewall’s death in 1863 at the Battle of Chancellorsville. It is not clear if Laura had any regrets about the deterioration of the close relationship she had with Stonewall and his death because she never spoke of it. She never stopped being a Unionist and did not speak to any Jackson relatives.The differences in political opinions between Laura and her husband became too much for the marriage and in 1870, Jonathan divorced Laura. Laura left Beverly and went to live in Buckhannon, WV; her ex husband continued to live in the home they had shared until he passed away in 1883. Laura was remembered and honored for her wartime efforts in the years after the war. In 1897, she was named an honorary member of the assembled Society of the Army of West Virginia. In 1905, she went to a gathering of the 5th West Virginia Cavalry, who resided in Beverly after the Battle of Rich Mountain. The veterans gave her the title of Mother of the Regiment, due to the medical attention she gave to their wounded comrades. On September 4, 1911, Laura passed away at her daughter-in-law’s house and was laid to rest in Heavner Cemetery in Buckhannon, WV. Today, the house Laura shared with Jonathan is part of Historic Beverly. In 1883, A.D. Barlow purchased two lots from Jonathan Arnold’s relatives, adding a store above the south wing of the house. A fire burned this part of the home in the 1940s and Barlow’s daughter disposed of the south wing. His daughter also added a porch, made changes to the windows, and blocked a door that was on the second story of the home. Four rooms that were a part of the home when the Arnolds lived in it are still there today.

The Jonathan Arnold House was the home of Laura Jackson Arnold, sister of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. A strong Unionist, Laura opened her home to Union troops during the Civil War. Laura helped heal the wounded while also providing shelter and food. Prominent figures, like Union General George McClellan, passed through the home during the Civil War. Laura and her brother Thomas had once been very close, but due to their differing views on the question of secession, their relationship became antagonistic and the two never resolved their differences before Thomas's death in 1863. Because of her assistance to federal forces, Laura was praised by Union troops during the war and remembered with great respect and admiration by Union veterans after the war.

The Jonathan and Laura Jackson Arnold House 

“We are in a lovely little valley on a fine clear trout stream, with high mountains on all sides and large trees over us. A perfect camp, perfectly protected by entrenchments…Several regiments are in sight, and the enemy under Lee so near that our outposts have fights with his daily.” – Major Rutherford B. HayesGeneral George McClellan ordered the Elkwater Camp and the Cheat Summit Fort to be built in 1861. Elkwater Camp fell under the command of General Joseph Reynolds and Cheat Summit Fort under the command of General R. Milroy, The purpose of these fortifications was to secure the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and protect the Baltimore &amp; Ohio Railroad from additional Confederate attacks. Major Rutherford B. Hayes, future President of the United States said it best, the Elkwater site was 'perfectly protected.'General Robert E. Lee arrived at Valley Mountain with his new Confederate troops to combat the growing Union Army presence in central Randolph County. General William Loring, after Union defeat at Rich Mountain, set bases in preparation to seize the Turnpike and Railroad controlled by the Union. Controlling the Railroad would limit additional Union troops from northern or western states.General Lee devised a three-pronged approach against Union Federal sites at Elkwater, Cheat Pass, and Cheat Mountain. The offensive failed due weather, terrain, the inability to communicate between the Confederate Brigades, and a strong defense in the Union lines. After several days of battle, the Confederate troops were forced back to their bases. Lee terminated the attack and withdrew from Valley Head on September 17th 1861.The Union Army and Confederates had varying experiences in this part of present day West Virginia. How could Major Rutherford B. Hayes describe the land as ‘perfect’ yet the Confederate Army suffer? This is likely due to the elevation of the terrain. Valley Head was occupied by the Union Army, at an elevation of approximately 2300 ft had milder weather. Confederate controlled Valley Mountain at approximately 3200 ft, would have provided harsher, hypothermic weather earlier and more frequently . General Lee’s plan to climb to defeat Fort Milroy at an elevation of 4085 ft as part of the Cheat Mountain Campaign (Cheat Summit) was unsuccessful. General Lee’s strategy with the Cheat Mountain Campaign failed for a myriad of reasons and would end Lee’s quest for Confederate control of West(ern) Virginia. Lee was ordered back to Richmond soon after, however Union and Confederate battles and skirmishes would continue in the area.

Camp Elkwater, in Valley Head, near Huttonsville, WV was constructed after the Union won the Battle of Rich Mountain in July of 1861. Under General Joseph Reynolds's leadership, the troops built the camp and fortifications. In conjunction with Cheat Summit Fort,  Camp Elkwater provided a much-needed defense of the Tygart Valley. 

Camp Elkwater

After the first western Virginia campaign of May-June 1861 the Confederate forces had been driven out of the Tygart and Kanawha Valleys, claiming the western region for the Union. As the summer of 1861 progressed the Confederates wanted to retake the Kanawha Valley and then push north towards Wheeling to regain control of the region. Confederate Virginia was very concerned with maintaining control over the western portion of the state as Unionists were already moving forward with establishing a loyal government. The Reorganized Government at Wheeling had already been recognized as the legitimate government of Virginia by the Lincoln administration and this government was working to secure new Unionist senators in Congress and raise Union regiments to fight in the war. By summer of 1861 the Confederates were facing the loss of western Virginia both militarily and politically.Union General George McClellan had commanded the successful summer 1861 campaign, but he had been called to Washington after the Union defeat at First Manassas to reorganize the Army of the Potomac. Command of the operations in western Virginia passed to Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans. For the Confederates, Major General Robert E. Lee was given his first field command and arrived in western Virginia on August 1st. The Union had a defensive line that extended from Gauley Bridge to Cheat Mountain and then north to the Potomac to protect important transportation routes and secure the western portion of the state from Confederate control. When Lee assumed command there were several Confederate forces operating around the Kanawha Valley. The first was a Confederate force under Brigadier General W. W. Loring facing a Federal force under General Joseph J. Reynolds around Cheat Mountain. Further south in the Greenbrier region there were two Confederate forces under Brigadier General John B. Floyd and Brigadier General Henry A. Wise maneuvering around Union Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox’s force near Gauley Bridge.The Gauley River was an important protective feature to the Union line, especially the line of communication linking Cox at Gauley Bridge to Rosecrans who was stationed at Clarksburg. The Gauley was largely uncrossable except for a few places due to steep cliffs and rapids. Carnifex Ferry was one of those crucial crossings over the Gauley. Located at the confluence of the Gauley and Meadow River where there was a wider section of smooth water, Carnifex Ferry was a main connector from the Lewisburg Pike (the James River and Kanawha Turnpike) to the east into the Kanawha Valley. On the western side of the ferry, the road intersections near Kessler’s Cross Lanes connected Gauley Bridge in the south to Summerville and the north and then Carnifex Ferry west to the Elk River. Cross Lanes was crucial to controlling the road network into the Kanawha Valley and western Virginia.Floyd’s campaign plan was to use his and Wise’s forces to oppose Cox’s Union force at Gauley Bridge, push the Union troops out of the Kanawha Valley, move west towards Ohio, and then move up the Ohio River towards Wheeling to disrupt the meetings of the Unionist government. There was a referendum scheduled for October 24, 1861 concerning the western part of the state separating to become a new Unionist state and the Confederates wanted to regain control over western Virginia and disrupt that movement. By mid-August Cox was receiving intelligence that Confederate forces were maneuvering—this would have been the forces of Wise and Floyd gathering near White Sulphur Springs. Rosecrans had a small force stationed at Summersville to patrol and protect the road networks and on August 13th Rosecrans ordered the 7th Ohio (commanded by Colonel E. B. Tyler) to Cross Lanes to guard the intersection there. The regiment held their position for five days until Cox called them to move closer to Gauley Bridge on August 20th. With Floyd and Wise moving closer, Cox was worried they were planning an assault on Gauley Bridge and he moved the 7th Ohio to Twenty Mile Creek to reinforce his position.The 7th Ohio would soon return to Cross Lanes, but in the time that they were gone Floyd crossed the Gauley with his troops. On August 21st, with intel that the Union force had left, he had his troops raise the ferry boats that the Union had previously scuttled and crossed his troops at Carnifex Ferry. Floyd began to entrench on the cliffs in the horseshoe bend of the Gauley. Wise did not join Floyd with his force. Floyd and Wise were both political appointees, both ex-governors of Virginia, and they did not like each other or work well together. Wise did not approve of the position that Floyd was taking up and he refused to cross the Gauley. Instead, Wise took his troops to Hawks Nest to threaten Cox at Gauley Bridge and prevent the Union force from moving on Floyd. Once Cox knew that Floyd had crossed at Carnifex Ferry he ordered the 7th Ohio to return to Cross Lanes and they began their march back on August 24th.After the 7th Ohio crossed Peters Creek on August 24th, they received intelligence that Floyd’s army had fully crossed the Gauley. The regiment went into camp at Peters Creek Ford for the night. Early the next morning nine companies from the 7th Ohio moved towards Cross Lanes, leaving Company F to guard the supply train. Also remaining with Company F was a partisan ranger group commanded by Captain John P. Baggs called the “Snake Hunters.”At the intersection of the Peters Creek and Cross Lanes roads five companies remained at the fork, one traveled up the north branch, and three went down the southern branch towards Cross Lanes. These three companies under Lieutenant Colonel William E. Creighton marched about 7 miles to approach Cross Lanes around 5:00pm. At Cross Lanes, the 7th Ohio discovered about 40 Confederate cavalrymen and Company A under Captain Orrin J. Crane attacked and drove the cavalrymen out of Cross Lanes. After clearing the Confederate cavalry and a few pickets out of the area, Colonel Tyler felt that the intersection was secured and called up the remainder of his companies (except Company F and the “Snake Hunters” who remained with the supply train).Tyler positioned Company A (commanded by Captain Orrin J. Crane) just east of the intersection on Malcom Heights, the long knoll that runs parallel to Meadow Creek). Company C (commanded by Captain Giles Waldo Shurtleff) was nearest to the intersection and used both the Vaughan house and country store as housing. Company K (commanded by Lieutenant Colonel C. F. Nitchelm) was deployed as skirmishers on the road towards Carnifex Ferry, less than a mile away from the Cross Lanes intersection. The remaining companies were positioned on the road towards Peters Creek, between the intersection and the Zoar Baptist Church, with Company B closest to the intersection and then companies, D, E, G, H, and I in that order towards the church. Colonel Tyler used the Zoar Baptist Church as his headquarters. In the case of an attack, companies A, C, and K were to fall back to the intersection to join the other companies in defending the road to Peters Creek. With Floyd only three miles away at “Camp Gauley” there has been debate whether Tyler did adequate reconnaissance or established the necessary defenses on the night of August 25th.While Tyler’s 7th Ohio settled into their positions for the night, Floyd’s Confederate scouts took note of the Union camp and reported back to “Camp Gauley.” Floyd planned an attack on Cross Lanes for the morning and assembled the 22nd Virginia Infantry, 36th Virginia Infantry, 45th Virginia Infantry, 50th Virginia Infantry, and Lieutenant Thomas E. Jackson’s Horse Artillery. On the morning of August 26th the 7th Ohio prepared breakfast and was eating when Floyd’s force attacked. The Confederates came from the left of Company K’s position and they advanced towards Malcom Heights. The surprise attack quickly scattered Company K and the other companies scrambled to fall into line. From his headquarters at the church, Tyler took command of the companies along the road. Lieutenant Colonel William E. Creighton, Major John S. Casement, and Sergeant Major Leicaster King took Companies A and C from the intersection and moved them forward to support Company K. As the two companies moved up the road the Confederates emerged on their left, outflanking the Union men. Major Casement ordered the two companies to the right of the road to two hills to make a better defensive position. This meant having the men climb over a fence and cross over open fields under fire to get to the high ground. While Companies A and C started towards the right, Major Casement rode back to the intersection with Chaplain Frederick Brown to call up reinforcements, but the companies in the road had begun to panic and Casement could not get troops to move forward.Companies A and C made it to the hill along with parts of Company K who had broken and fallen back. Company C was positioned on the left of the hill and made a stand against the approaching Confederates for about 10 minutes. Company A on the right noticed a Confederate unit in their rear. The Confederates had used an obscured wooden path and were approaching the Union regiments by the church from behind the hill. Company A engaged with this unit and managed to capture their colors.While Companies A and C were engaged at the hill, Floyd moved his artillery up and opened fire on the companies in the road. Company D (commanded by Captain John Dyer) followed by Company H advanced towards the intersection to counter the Confederate troops but as soon as they emerged into the cleared field they were hit hard by Confederate fire. The Confederate momentum ultimately pushed companies D, H, and remnants of Company K into retreat to the woods behind the Zoar Baptist Church. Captain Dyer was shot during the retreat of his company. He was carried to the Vaughan house where women from the Vaughan and Malcom families tended to him, but he died from his wound.With his surprise attack on the morning of August 26, Floyd handily demolished the 7th Ohio. Company C, fighting on the high ground ahead of the main line, was quickly in danger of being outflanked and tried to retreat into the woods behind their position. They attempted to get through the woods on route to Gauley Bridge but they were captured by the 22nd Virginia. Colonel Tyler, Lieut. Col. Creighton, and around 50-60 men were able to retreat from the hill by the Zoar Baptist Church with the help of Chaplain Brown who was familiar with the area. This small group rejoined Company F and the “Snake Hunters” at the supply train and made it back to Brig. Gen. Cox at Gauley Bridge to report on the defeat. When Tyler arrived back at Gauley Bridge only his group of 50-60 men had made it back, but others did start to trickle in from other escape routes. That evening Captain Crane and Lieutenant Albert C. Burgess arrived with around 60 men of Company A and then next day several individuals and small groups straggled into the Union camp. Two days after Cross Lanes news reached Tyler that Major Casement and 400 more men of the regiment had made it safely to Charleston. The disaster at Cross Lanes was not a bad as it initially seemed during the retreat. The final casualty count for the 7th Ohio was 2 killed, 29 wounded (some of which would died later of their injuries), and 110 captured (9 of them wounded).Floyd and his Confederates did not pursue the 7th Ohio too far past Cross Lanes, choosing instead to claim the victory and return to “Camp Gauley” where his army continued to entrench. The Vaughan, Hamilton, and Malcolm houses and the Zoar Baptist Church were turned into hospitals for the wounded and the dead were buried near the intersection (the bodies were later removed). The captured 7th Ohio soldiers were brought to “Camp Gauley,” where some were recovered by the Union after the Battle of Carnifex Ferry.After the disaster at Cross Lanes and with Floyd entrenching at Carnifex Ferry, Union General George McClellan (commanding the Army of the Potomac in eastern Virginia) became concerned that all the Union gains from earlier in the summer would be lost. The Confederates had cut the communication lines between Cox and Rosecrans and taken possession of the main transportation route into the Kanawha Valley. He commanded Rosecrans to respond to the Floyd/Wise threat and on August 29 ordered Rosecrans to coordinate with Cox to trap Floyd and remove the Confederate threat. Rosecrans started to gather troops at Sutton on September 2 and moved south towards Summersville on September 7. This set into motion the events that would result in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry on September 10, 1861.

The Battle of Kessler’s Cross Lanes, which is also known as the Battle of Cross Lanes, happened on August 26, 1861 in present day Nicholas County, West Virginia. The Confederate Brigadier General John B. Floyd crossed the Gauley River to attack Erastus Tyler’s Union forces camped at Kessler’s Cross Lanes. The Union forces were surprised and Floyd’s troops won the battle. Visitors to the site of the battle can see an informational historical marker and a Civil War era cemetery.

Battle of Kessler's Cross Lanes 

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield is located in West Virginia near the Summersville Locks and Dam and overlooks the Gauley River Canyon. The battlefield is named for Carnifex Ferry, a small ferry at the confluence of the Meadow and Gauley Rivers. The state park houses the battlefield and also the Henry Patterson House that was caught in the crossfire during the battle; the house is preserved and you can still see the damage caused from the battle. The reenactment of the battle of Carnifex Ferry occurs on odd-numbered years. The Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park offers three overlooks of the Gauley River, picnic tables and shelters, hiking, and playground equipment. Battle of Carnifex Ferry, September 10, 1861After the first western Virginia campaign of May-June 1861 the Confederate forces had been driven out of the Tygart and Kanawha Valleys, claiming the western region for the Union. As the summer of 1861 progressed the Confederates wanted to retake the Kanawha Valley and then push north towards Wheeling to regain control of the region. Confederate Virginia was very concerned with maintaining control over the western portion of the state as Unionists were moving forward with establishing a loyal government. The Reorganized Government at Wheeling had already been recognized as the legitimate government of Virginia by the Lincoln administration and this government was working to secure new Unionist senators in Congress and raise Union regiments to fight in the war. By summer of 1861 the Confederates were facing the loss of western Virginia both militarily and politically.Union General George McClellan had commanded the successful summer 1861 campaign, but he had been called to Washington after the Union defeat at First Manassas to reorganize the Army of the Potomac. Command of the operations in western Virginia passed to Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans. The Union had a defensive line that extended from Gauley Bridge to Cheat Mountain and then north to the Potomac to protect important transportation routes and secure the western portion of the state from Confederate control. For the Confederates, Major General Robert E. Lee was given his first field command and arrived in western Virginia on August 1st. When Lee assumed command there were several Confederate forces operating around the Kanawha Valley. The first was a Confederate force under Brigadier General W. W. Loring facing a Federal force under General Joseph J. Reynolds around Cheat Mountain. Further south in the Greenbrier region there were two Confederate forces under Brigadier General John B. Floyd and Brigadier General Henry A. Wise maneuvering around Union Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox’s force near Gauley Bridge.The Gauley River was an important protective feature to the Union line, especially the line of communication linking Cox at Gauley Bridge to Rosecrans who was stationed at Clarksburg. The Gauley was largely uncrossable except for a few places due to steep cliffs and rapids. Carnifex Ferry was one of those crucial crossings over the Gauley. Located at the confluence of the Gauley and Meadow Rivers where there was a wider section of smooth water, Carnifex Ferry was a main connector from the Lewisburg Pike (the James River and Kanawha Turnpike) to the east into the Kanawha Valley. The ferry was a rope ferry just below the mouth of the Meadow River that operated in a triangular pattern with two flatboats that could carry one wagon at a time. On the western side of the ferry, the road intersections near Kessler’s Cross Lanes connected Gauley Bridge in the south to Summersville and the north and then Carnifex Ferry west to the Elk River. Cross Lanes was crucial to controlling the road network into the Kanawha Valley and western Virginia.Floyd’s campaign plan was to use his and Wise’s forces to oppose Cox’s Union force at Gauley Bridge, push the Union troops out of the Kanawha Valley, move west towards Ohio, and then move up the Ohio River towards Wheeling to disrupt the meetings of the Unionist government. There was a referendum scheduled for October 24, 1861 concerning the western part of the state separating to become a new Unionist state and the Confederates wanted to regain control over western Virginia and disrupt that movement. By mid-August Cox was receiving intelligence that Confederate forces were maneuvering—this would have been the forces of Wise and Floyd gathering near White Sulphur Springs. Rosecrans had a small force stationed at Summersville to patrol and protect the road networks and on August 13th Rosecrans ordered the 7th Ohio to Cross Lanes to guard the intersection there. The regiment held their position for five days until Cox called them to move closer to Gauley Bridge on August 20th. With Floyd and Wise moving closer, Cox was worried they were planning an assault on Gauley Bridge, and he moved the 7th Ohio to Twenty Mile Creek to reinforce to his position.The 7th Ohio soon returned to Cross Lanes, but in the time that they were gone Floyd crossed the Gauley with his troops. On August 21st, with intel that the Union force had left, he had his troops raise the ferry boats that the Union had previously scuttled and crossed his troops at Carnifex Ferry. Floyd began to entrench on the cliffs in the horseshoe bend of the Gauley. Wise did not join Floyd with his force. Floyd and Wise were both political appointees, both ex-governors of Virginia, and they did not like each other or work well together. Wise did not approve of the position that Floyd was taking up and he refused to cross the Gauley. Instead, Wise took his troops to Hawks Nest to threaten Cox at Gauley Bridge and prevent the Union force from moving on Floyd. Once Cox knew that Floyd had crossed at Carnifex Ferry he ordered the 7th Ohio to return to Cross Lanes and they returned to their positions at the intersection on August 25th. On the morning of August 26th, Floyd surprised the 7th Ohio at Cross Lanes and handily demolished the regiment. In doing so, the Confederates cut the communication lines between Cox and Rosecrans and took possession of the main transportation route into the Kanawha Valley.After the disaster at Cross Lanes and with Floyd entrenching at Carnifex Ferry, Union General George McClellan (commanding the Army of the Potomac in eastern Virginia) became concerned that all the Union gains from earlier in the summer would be lost. He commanded Rosecrans to respond to the Floyd/Wise threat and on August 29th ordered Rosecrans to coordinate with Cox to trap Floyd and remove the Confederate threat. Rosecrans started to gather troops at Sutton on September 2nd and he arrived there on September 4th. By September 7th, Rosecrans had organized three provisional brigades as the Army of West Virginia and started the march south towards Carnifex Ferry. Rosecrans’ march continued September 8th and 9th, with a few small skirmishes with Confederate militia and rangers attempting to slow down their progress. Once Lee realized that the Union target was Carnifex Ferry he tried to warn Floyd, but Floyd was confident in his entrenched position. Floyd believed that Rosecrans would attack on the 12th or 13th and called for 1,600 reinforcements from Wise and other nearby units.On the morning of September 10, 1861 Rosecrans’ column left Muddlety between 4:00 and 5:00am and moved towards Summersville. There was a slight halt when the Union army came upon a bridge burned by Confederate cavalry as a delaying tactic, but the Federals reached Summersville by 8:00am. Rosecrans did not have perfect intelligence as to Floyd’s position, although he tried to gain information from residents and captured Confederates on the march south. He believed that Floyd was still at Cross Lanes, where they had routed the 7th Ohio previously, and so the Union column approached the intersection cautiously with scouts and skirmishers sent out on either side of the road. Once they determined that Cross Lanes was clear, the Union column moved up to a position near the road that led to Carnifex Ferry. At this point Rosecrans still did not know the location of the Confederate line, and some of the Union men even thought that Floyd had completely retreated due to the large amount of equipment and supplies abandoned along the route. Rosecrans ordered his column to move forward down the road towards the ferry. Not having good information about the position or strength of the Confederate force, the Union First Brigade was ordered to only engage in reconnaissance.[For a more detailed account of the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, explore the Patterson Trail battlefield tour] The Battle of Carnifex Ferry began around 3:00pm in the afternoon of September 10, 1861 when Floyd’s Confederate line fired on the Union First Brigade as they approached the Henry Patterson farm. The 10th Ohio took the brunt of the fighting in and around the Patterson cornfield for the first period of the battle. The majority of the fighting in this area was done by the 10th Ohio and 12th Ohio.The main areas of fighting were around the Patterson House and on the Confederate right flank. Once the 10th Ohio became engaged with the center of the Confederate line ahead of the Patterson house, the 13th Ohio was sent to explore the ravine to the left, called Pierson Hollow. There the 13th Ohio discovered the Confederate right flank and successfully pushed the 45th Virginia back. Having discovered this weak point in the Confederate position, Rosecrans prepared a flank maneuver from Pierson Hollow to set off before dark, supported by another assault at the center and left of the Confederate position. Slow maneuvering in the heavy woods and darkness foiled this evening attack and Rosecrans decided to withdraw and renew the assault on the morning of September 11th.Having held off the Union attack but knowing that Rosecrans would attack again on the morning of September 11th, Floyd decided to retreat across Carnifex Ferry during the night. Floyd successfully withdrew his troops and crossed the Gauley River, destroying the ferry behind them, without the Union army realizing. At daybreak on September 11th, the Union began its renewed attack but soon realized that the Confederates were gone. Unable to follow the retreating army over the destroyed ferry, Rosecrans remained at the battlefield sorting through the considerable amount of equipment and property left behind by Floyd’s force.Floyd retreated east to Dogwood Gap where he was joined by General Wise who had been marching north to meet him at Carnifex Ferry and rerouted once he learned that Floyd had retreated. The two Confederate forces continued east where Wise positioned his men at Sewell Mountain and Floyd continued 16 miles further to Meadow Bluff.Both Floyd and Rosecrans claimed victory at the Battle of Carnifex Ferry. Floyd was proud of his men for holding out a Union force that outnumbered them three to one. However, Rosecrans held the field at the end of the day and so officially held the victory for the battle. In defeating Floyd and forcing him out of Camp Gauley, Rosecrans restored the communication lines between Cox at Gauley Bridge and Rosecrans’ base to the north. The Union victory also prevented the Confederate strategy of pushing into the Kanawha Valley and advancing north towards Wheeling to disrupt the unionist statehood meetings.While Floyd and Rosecrans were engaged at Carnifex Ferry, Confederate General Robert E. Lee was also maneuvering against Cheat Mountain to the northeast. A Union force commanded by Brigadier General Joseph J. Reynolds stationed at Cheat Mountain protected the mountain passes surrounding Cheat Mountain as well as the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike as part of the larger Union defensive line. Just as Floyd was attempting to cut the communication and transportation lines and regain control of western Virginia, Lee with the force of General William W. Loring was attempting to do the same at Cheat Mountain. Lee with Loring’s force attempted to take Cheat Mountain between September 11th and 15th. Even though the Confederates outnumbered the Union force at Cheat Mountain, bad weather hampered Lee’s plans and he ended up having to abandon the campaign. Lee then joined Floyd’s force near Meadow Bluff and Sewell Mountain after the Cheat Mountain campaign.In the aftermath of Carnifex Ferry Floyd and Wise continued to work poorly with each other and Wise eventually was sent back to Richmond while Floyd continued to work with Robert E. Lee in western Virginia. In late September and early October Lee and Floyd battled Rosecrans and Cox to a stalemate at Big Sewell. In late October General Lee was recalled to the east after failing to secure western Virginia for the Confederates. In November Floyd again tried to attack Cox at Gauley Bridge/Cotton Hill, where the Union army defeated Floyd and removed him as a threat to the Kanawha Valley. Floyd and his Army of the Kanawha was transferred to Kentucky in January 1862 to join the Army of the Tennessee. The failure of the Confederates to retake western Virginia in the fall of 1861 largely secured it for the Union and allowed more sections of the region to participate in the new statehood movement to create West Virginia.Creation of Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State ParkAfter the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, the Patterson family did return to their home and over the years they removed many of the physical traces of the battle on the landscape. Eventually the family left and the property fell into disrepair. Preservation of the battlefield was largely due to local residents, such as Gladys Vaughan of the Vaughan family at Cross Lanes. She and other neighbors organized reunions for the veterans of Carnifex Ferry which were typically held at Cross Lanes. Her efforts led the state of West Virginia to preserve the Carnifex Ferry battlefield as a state park. Senate Bill No. 119 was introduced by State Senator P. N. Wiseman and passed March 14, 1931. The bill created a battlefield commission of three members who surveyed the ground and established the boundary lines of a new state park that would include the most important battle positions within 100 acres. The commission also had a budget to place markers and interpretation on the battlefield for the benefit of the public.The 70th anniversary of the battle was commemorated at Carnifex Ferry on September 10, 1931 with at least one survivor of the battle present. In 1935 additional funding was acquired by the commission and Gladys Vaughan and Patrick Koontz convinced the Patterson family heirs to sell the Patterson farm. 218.8 acres of land was purchased from the Patterson family on October 28, 1935 and the first plans for the new state park were drawn up the same day.Funding of $46,000 in 1950 allowed for further improvements at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, including construction of the superintendent’s house, improvements to the public facilities, and the restoration of the Patterson house. By the 1960s, and the centennial of the Civil War, the Patterson house was turned into a museum and the recreation facilities at the park were fully established.

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park preserves the history of a significant Civil War battle that occurred here while also offering recreational opportunities and breathtaking views of the rim of Gauley River Canyon. The battle of Carifex Ferry took place on September 10, 1861. In this battle, Union troops led by Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans engaged Confederate forces and forced them to evacuate their position on the Henry Patterson Farm that overlooked Carnifex Ferry. The Confederate commander, Brigadier General John B. Floyd, retreated across Carnifex Ferry to the south side of the Gauley River and then eastward to Meadow Bluff near Lewisburg. This Civil War battle represented the failure of a Confederate attempt to regain control of the Kanawha Valley. As a result, the movement for West Virginia statehood proceeded following the battle without a serious military threat from Confederate soldiers who remained in the area.

Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park

Following the Union defeat at Chancellorsville, Union Brigadier General William Woods Averell was transferred to West Virginia and put in charge of the Fourth Separate Brigade in May 1863. While the assignment was most likely intended as a punishment by General Joseph Hooker for the failure at Chancellorsville, as Hooker used Averell as one of the scapegoats, Averell transformed the West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio troops he commanded into a well-drilled outfit. Following the <a href="https://www.theclio.com/web/entry?id=21636" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Battle of White Sulphur Springs</a> on August 26-27, 1863 against Colonel George S. Patton, a grandfather of the World War II general, and his confederate troops, Averell withdrew his troops of 1,300 the following morning and evaded several Confederate ambushes back to Beverly. Averell and his men had failed to capture Lewisburg. Averell learned from this battle and two months later, he and his increased troops, 3,800 cavalry and infantry supported by two artillery batteries, traveled south to cut the railroad from Beverly on November 1st. In addition to his own increased troops, Averell was set to meet up with General Alfred Duffie in Lewisburg on November 7th as his 2,500 Federal troops as they traveled from Charleston.Contact was made between Averell’s troops and Confederate forces on November 4th halfway to Lewisburg at Huntersville. These Confederate troops were the 19th Virginia Cavalry commanded by Colonel William “Bill” Lowther “Mudwall” Jackson, a cousin the late Lieutenant General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Jackson alerted Confederate commander Brigadier John Echols in Lewisburg. Echols quickly prepared to come to Jackson’s aid. Averell began pushing Jackson’s skirmishers back at a leisurely pace so not to outpace Duffie to Lewisburg. Jackson broke contact with Averell on November 5th and retreated to the formidable height of the flat top of Droop Mountain. Averell would need to secure the mountain before moving south. With limited troops, Jackson could not hold out for long. Fortunately for him, that night Echols finally decided to join him and his 1,110 troops set out at 2 a.m. on November 6th. Echols had held back out of concerns that he and his men would be caught in a pincer movement by Averell and Duffie.Averell’s plan was put into motion at dawn on November 6th. Averell’s victory would be a nearly flawless textbook victory, a rarity of Civil War battles. Upon receiving reports from scouts that Jackson and Echols were positioned at the top of Droop Mountain, Averell knew that a frontal attack would bring heavily casualties. Averell split the 28th Ohio and 10th W.Va. onto the southwest Lobelia Roach toward the Confederate left flank. Averell’s’ artillery were to cause a distraction on the main approach and thus convince Echols that the main attack would come from there, the Hillsboro Road. Echols ignored warnings from troops stationed on the flank of the dangers of leaving Lobelia Road. Averell’s lieutenants, who held synchronized watches over the difficult terrain, pulled off a perfectly coordinated attack. Around 2 p.m. Colonel Agustus Moor and his 28th Ohio Infantry crashed into the Confederate’s extreme left. Then the 3rd, 2nd, and 8th W.Va regiments, who had crept up the steep slopes and through the brush, began their attack when Moor’s men began firing. Their combined attack quickly left the Confederate left flank buckling. Echols was forced to pull troops from his center and right to even it up. Averell’s distraction on Hillsboro Road had been a success.           With the movement of Echols’ troops to deal with the left flank, Colonel J.M. Schoonmaker and his Pennsylvanian troops rushed Echols’ now weakened center. Echols was outnumbered during the fierce fighting in the dense brush and Averell’s maneuver deprived the Confederates of Droop Mountain’s natural advantages. After two hours of frenetic struggle, the Confederate line broke and the troops fled. With a rearguard protecting the fleeing Confederates from the pursing Union troops, Echols managed to keep his command from disintegrating over the trek back to Lewisburg. Both sides suffered high casualties with Union losing 119 soldiers to the Confederate’s 275 soldiers. Echols and his men fled Lewisburg the following day. Interestingly, the pincer movement that Echols had feared from the Union troops never materialized as Duffie stopped seven miles from Lewisburg on November 6th. Averell arrived at Lewisburg on November 7th, as planned. The following day, he was incorrectly informed that Confederate troops were beginning to mass against him. Averell moved his troops to White Sulphur Springs and began to march northward to Beverly. Due to scare supplies, prisoners and captured livestock, and perhaps a career consideration, prevented Averell from continuing onto Salem to destroy the Virginia &amp; Tennessee Railroad. While this second attempt was a failure, Averell would lead a successful third attempt the following month.Noted Civil War historian Terry Lowry has disputed the long-held claim that Averell’s victory at Droop swept the last Confederate resistance from the state, pointing out larger conditions in the theater of war that may have prevented the Confederate government from investing more time and effort into reclaiming West Virginia. Nevertheless, Rebel troops did not return to the area in force for the duration of the war. Lowry also disputed the claim that the battle of Droop Mountain was the most significant Civil War battle in West Virginia, claiming that the 1862 capture and siege of Harpers Ferry was. However, Lowry did agree that the Battle of Droop Mountain was one of the more important Civil War battles in West Virginia.On July 4, 1928, the site of the Battle of Droop Mountain was dedicated as West Virginia’s first state park. Many of the battle’s living survivors were present at the dedication, along with about 10,000 spectators. Over 1,000 automobiles were also present. While the 125-acre park was popular, very little construction was done until 1935 when a Civilian Conservation Corps group was camping at the park and constructed several monuments that are still in use today. Recent scholarship and preservation efforts have allowed for a museum to operate in the park and for new markers to be erected. Today the park is also home to several recreational facilities such as playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, and even a lookout tower that provides a wondrous view of the surrounding area. The park is also part of The Civil War Discovery Tail. Reenactments of the battle are held every other year.

Brigadier General William W. Averell and his Federal troops encountered Confederate troops led by Brigadier General John Echols at Droop Mountain on November 6, 1863. The federal army had encountered Echols while on their second attempt to the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad located at Salem, Virginian. Echols and his troops positioned themselves in on the high ground of Droop Mountain, a tactical advantage to the smaller army. However, despite using artillery to block the road, the Confederate troops were overwhelmed by Averell’s men. The Battle of Droop Mountain served as the final significant Civil War battle for the newly formed West Virginia. The site of the battle was declared West Virginia’s first state park on July 4, 1928.

Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park

Throughout the 1800s, the issue of slavery dominated American politics despite the debacle of the Mexican-American War in the 1840s. &nbsp;Many generals who would rise to fame during the American Civil War fought in the Mexican-American War, including Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, George Meade and James Longstreet. &nbsp;<div> </div><div>When Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, seven Southern states seceded to form the Confederate States of America under President Jefferson Davis. &nbsp;On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces led by General P.G.T. Beauregard bombarded the Union-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina. &nbsp;President Lincoln immediately called for Union volunteers to crush the Confederate rebellion. &nbsp;Both sides rushed to form their armies.&nbsp; On April 23, Gen. Robert Edward Lee took command of Confederate forces in Virginia. On July 21, Union forces under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell clashed with Confederate troops led by Gen. Beauregard at the First Battle of Bull Run, just north of Manassas, Virginia. &nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>Confederate forces took advantage of the slow time it took for the Union forces to position themselves to rush reinforcements to the battle by rail, allowing them to achieve victory. &nbsp;Two months later, Lee saw his first action of the war. &nbsp;In May 1861, Union forces led by Major General George McClellan advanced from Ohio into western Virginia. &nbsp;Brig. Gen. Joseph J. Reynolds&nbsp;was put in charge of the 1,800-man garrison of the Cheat Mountain district in what is now West Virginia and set up his headquarters at nearby Fort Milroy. &nbsp;Lee planned a three-pronged attack with his force of 5,000 on the Cheat Mountain garrison. &nbsp;One force would create a diversion while the other two assaulted Fort Milroy and a nearby turnpike the Union garrison was defending. &nbsp;On September 12, 1861, the armies clashed in Lee's first offensive of the American Civil War. </div><div>The approaches made by the Confederates were uncoordinated due to rain, fog, mountainous terrain and dense forest which limited visibility. &nbsp;The Union garrison was familiar with the local terrain. &nbsp;After a mere three days, the Confederates retreated, convinced they were facing an overwhelming Union force (in truth, they only faced a mere 300). &nbsp;On September 17, Lee withdrew to Valley Mountain to regroup. &nbsp;In October, Lee left but was forced to cancel further offensives due to bad weather and low supplies. &nbsp;88 Union soldiers were killed in the battle. &nbsp;The exact number of Confederates killed is unknown but is estimated at about 90 or 100.</div>

The Battle of Cheat Mountain (also known as the Battle of Cheat Summit Fort) was a battle during the American Civil War that took place in Pocahontas and Randolph Counties, Virginia (now West Virginia) between September 12 and September 15, 1861.  The battle involved Union forces under the command of Brigadier General Joseph J. Reynolds facing Confederate troops led by General Robert E. Lee.  Lee devised a three-pronged attack against the Union forces entrenched on Cheat Mountain but the attacks were uncoordinated and compounded by bad weather and the local terrain.  Falsely convinced they were facing an overwhelming Union force, Lee ordered the Confederates to withdraw.  The Battle of Cheat Mountain was General Lee’s first offensive of the war.

Battle of Cheat Mountain

Traveler’s Repose is a two-story, frame building
that&nbsp;stands at the foot of Cheat Mountain at&nbsp;the intersection of Route 28
and the historic Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, Route 250.&nbsp;The historic inn,&nbsp;which is located in Pocahontas County, has reputedly been visited by many famous
individuals throughout history, among the visitors were&nbsp;Abraham Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson, and Ambrose
Bierce. The guest register has been misplaced, but the time frame and
location of the home are appropriate to the suggested guests.&nbsp;The home has been used for
several purposes throughout history.&nbsp; It was initially built in 1845 as&nbsp;a stagecoach stop and inn, and when a&nbsp;mail route came through in 1847 Travelers' Repose
became the post office.&nbsp;It remained a post office for several years.&nbsp;
Things changed on October 3, 1861 when Travelers' Repose was caught in the
middle of a Civil War battle.&nbsp; The surrounding property was used as an
encampment&nbsp;for 1,200 rebel soldiers.&nbsp; The 1861 Battle of Greenbrier River (or Battle of Bartow)&nbsp;was fought on the property with numerous&nbsp;casualties.&nbsp; An unmarked grave
is still on the property and contains the remains of more than 80 Confederate
soldiers who died of wounds and disease in the&nbsp;winter of 1861-62.



The original home was
destroyed by fire during the Civil War and&nbsp;was rebuilt on the original foundation&nbsp;in 1869 by
Peter Dilly Yeager. This new
Travelers' Repose contained 22 rooms and a barn that could accommodate 28
horses. &nbsp;Throughout the years, the&nbsp;home has been known as&nbsp;the Yeager Hotel, the Greenbrier Hotel, and the popular Travelers' Repose, and&nbsp;has been cared for by
several members of the Yeager family.&nbsp;The last Yeager descendant to live and own&nbsp;Travelers' Repose was Jessie Beard Powell (1915-2013),&nbsp;who carried on the tradition of hospitality, graciously accepting passersby who made &nbsp;inquiry about the charming structure’s history. &nbsp;A historic highway&nbsp;marker has been placed nearby. &nbsp;The farm&nbsp;sold at auction in 2014&nbsp;and the fate of Travelers’ Repose is
unknown.&nbsp;

The original 1845 home was a stagecoach stop and inn.  Owned and operated by Andrew Yeager before the Civil War, the inn stood between two warring armies in the  Civil War when the 1861 Battle of Greenbrier Bridge River (or Battle of Bartow) took place nearby. The original home burnt down after the war, but was rebuilt.  

Traveler's Repose

<div>Only a few months after the outbreak of the Civil War, the summer of 1861 seemed auspicious for Union ambitions in northwestern (now West) Virginia. Early Federal victories at Philippi and Rich Mountain had put the region's Confederates squarely on the defensive. Even the not-yet-legendary Robert E. Lee, who commanded briefly there before transferring to Virginia, was unable to dislodge Union forces from Cheat Mountain. Despite Confederate successes at Kesler's Cross Lanes and Carnifex Ferry (which occurred only a few days before the unsuccessful Cheat Mountain assault), the secessionists continued to retreat in the face of their numerically superior Union foe.</div><div> </div><div>By late September, Lee was called to command elsewhere and Confederate forces withdrew to defensive positions at Camp Bartow, a fortified position on the banks of the Greenbrier River athwart the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. The Turnpike was a crucial trade artery through the mountains to the Shenandoah Valley and eastern Virginia beyond, and one of the few roads in the region capable of transporting large amounts of troops and supplies. Early in the war, it was regarded as a viable invasion route to circumvent Confederate defenses around Richmond and surprise secessionist Virginia from the west.</div><div> </div><div>To accomplish this, Union General Joseph J. Reynolds needed to overcome the Confederate defenses at Camp Bartow. Opposing his 5,000-strong force were roughly 1,800 Confederate troops under Brigadier General Henry R. Jackson. Though outnumbered and with many of his troops stricken by sickness, Jackson's position overlooking the banks of the Greenbrier was a strong one that would prove no mean obstacle to Reynolds' advance.</div><div> </div><div>Reynolds ordered a reconnaissance in force down the Turnpike on the cold night of October 2, 1861, and into the morning of October 3. His vanguard encountered Confederate pickets in the predawn darkness, and by 6 a.m. Jackson knew that a sizable Union columnn was marching on Camp Bartow. To buy time for his defenses to organize, he sent forward two companies under Colonel Edward Johnson, who subsequently fought a fierce delaying action along the edge of the Turnpike until the arrival of more Union troops forced them to retire back across the river to Camp Bartow.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>An intense artillery duel followed while Reynolds called a council of war. Reynolds had intended only a reconnaissance in force, and finding the Confederates well dug-in refused to consider a frontal assault. At least two of his officers, Colonels Nathan Kimball and Robert Milroy, urged for flanking attacks. Reynolds acquiesced, and several regiments were dispatched eastward to cross the river against the Confederate right flank.</div><div> </div><div>The Rebels spotted the movement and regiments under Col. Johnson rushed over to head off the Yankee maneuver. They succeeded in occupying strong cover in a mill race on the banks of the Greenbrier before the Union troops could cross. After a brief firefight, Reynolds opted to withdraw Kimball's men before risking further bloodshed against such an impregnable defense.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>It is also possible that Reynolds observed a Confederate regiment some miles away during the battle and mistook it for a larger contingent of reinforcements en-route to Camp Bartow. Certainly, Union estimates of Rebel strength present at the battle were grossly exaggerated, sometimes running as high as 15,000.</div><div> </div><div>Casualties were surprisingly light considering nearly 7,000 men were engaged. Fewer than 50 per side were killed or wounded. The Confederates continued to hold Camp Bartow for nearly two more months before many of the troops were called elsewhere. Camp Bartow was evacuated in late November of 1861, though a force of 1,200 remained at nearby Camp Allegheny under Col. Edward Johnson and partook in the Battle of Allegheny Mountain on December 13.</div><div> </div>

After an abortive assault on Union defenses at Cheat Mountain in September 1861, Confederate forces withdrew across the Greenbrier River and built a fortified camp christened Camp Bartow along the crucial Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. On October 3rd, Union troops attacked, seeking to seize the position and use the Turnpike as an invasion route into eastern Virginia.

Battle of Greenbrier River

In November 1861 Confederate forces under Colonel Edward Johnson of the 12th Georgia Infantry was given orders to garrison the mountain pass overlooking Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. Colonel Edward “Allegheny” Johnson remained in the camp through April 1862 where he and his men endured a harsh and brutal winter. Throughout the winter of 1861-April 1862 more Confederate soldiers died from exposure and disease than in the small battle that would occur here on December 13,&nbsp;1861.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike was an important route, especially for the Confederate army as it allowed them to move men and materiel from Staunton in the Shenandoah Valley to Parkersburg and the Ohio&nbsp;River. This turnpike running through the Appalachian Mountains was important to both the Confederation and Union and control of supply routes like this played a major role in many Civil War battles.





On the morning of December 13, 1861, Union soldiers led by General Milroy moved to attack Confederate soldiers at Camp Allegheny&nbsp;with a two-pronged attack. The two Union detachments were not in contact with one another and one came much after the initial attack which made it possible for the Confederate defenders to maneuver&nbsp;men to meet each flank.&nbsp; The attack was poorly coordinated as the mountainous region was difficult to maneuver and proved impossible for a coordinated attack.&nbsp;Both sides fought with vigor, but ultimately General Milroy retreated to Cheat Mountain owing to Confederate artillery and holding superior ground. Colonel Johnson was given the nickname “Allegheny Johnson” for his victory as his 1200 men had turned back approximately 1,900 Union soldiers. The Union lost about twenty men and an additional one hundred and seven were wounded with ten missing. On the Confederate side, there was an estimated twenty killed, ninety-eight wounded, and twenty-eight missing.Camp Allegheny is also part of the Civil War Discovery Trail program which connects Civil War sites in over thirty states. Camp Allegheny is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes multiple earthworks that were constructed by soldiers as well as a campground and a church site with a cemetery where many of the soldiers who died were laid to rest.&nbsp;

Camp Allegheny was home to a Civil War skirmish on December 13, 1861 that saw men led by Confederate Colonel Edward "Allegheny" Johnson turn back Union forces under Brigadier General Robert Milroy. Camp Allegheny is located in the Monongahela National Forest of the Allegheny Mountains in the eastern part of West Virginia. John Yager’s family owned the property where Camp Allegheny was located and in the first year of the Civil War, the area was controlled by pro-Confederate forces. The Yager’s provided goods that they sold or gave to the soldiers. After the skirmish that occurred here, the upstairs of the Yager house was also used as a hospital. 

Battle of Camp Allegheny, December 13, 1861 

Federal forces time and again tried to use this strategic point as a choke hold against raids on the B&amp;O to the north, and as a jumping-off point for their own raids further south. The Fort as it exists today was constructed from August to December of 1863 by troops under the command of Colonel James A. Mulligan from Chicago, IL. Infantry, cavalry and artillery from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois carried out the labor. Known locally as Fort Hill, Fort Mulligan was to serve as protection for the South Branch Valley from Confederate forces and also as an auxiliary depot to supply numerous Union troops on their expeditions.

The valley of the South Branch of the Potomac River was a Civil War middle ground, situated between the all-important middle Shenandoah Valley and the Upper Potomac region. It offered vital coal resources and access to the B&O Railroad infrastructure centered around Cumberland, Maryland. Federal or Confederate troops occupied this hill and its surrounding area beginning at least as early as August 1861, and were on the ground for at least part of every year of the war.

Fort Mulligan

The Fort Mill Ridge trenches are among the best preserved reminders of the American Civil War in West Virginia. Built initially by Confederate partisans,&nbsp;these trenches were used to protect and guard key routes as well as to defend the B&amp;O Railroad when the Confederacy and the Union controlled the region.&nbsp;The trench is located along a walking trail in Fort Mill Ridge Wildlife Management Area that offers signage and brochures that offer context about the history of the area. Romney is the oldest town in what is now&nbsp;West Virginia, established in 1753. The city is home to Taggart Hall, a small&nbsp;museum that&nbsp;also houses the Romney Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. This small museum includes artifacts&nbsp;from the Civil War.&nbsp;

Located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, the trenches of Fort Mill are considered by many to be the best preserved trenches constructed during the American Civil War. These trenches were built and utilized by Confederate artillery in 1861 and then later used by Union troops in 1863, demonstrating how control over this region and West Virginia was hotly contested in the first three years of the war. This historic site was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2014.  

Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches

Despite West Virginia being officially pro-Union during the Civil War, Hampshire County in West Virginia was largely supportive of the Confederacy. Upon the defeat of the Confederate States of America in 1865, the Confederate Memorial Association decided that they would create a memorial in honor of the fallen Confederate soldiers. Risking the wrath of the Union authorities, the Confederate Memorial Association went to Romney and decorated the Confederate graves despite the fact that West Virginia's state constitution had disenfranchised those veterans. The creation of the memorial itself faced several difficulties. The Confederate Memorial Association had to put on several small fundraising projects on to raise money for the memorial. They hosted events such as fairs and sewing circles to raise money. Once the money had been raised, construction of the monument, which was done in Baltimore, had an obstacle to overcome as well. The Gaddes Brothers Firm, which was commissioned to make the memorial, refused to inscript the phrase "Southern Rights" onto the monument. It was later secretly added before being shipped to Romney in 1866. Inscribed on the monument are the names of 125 soldiers: four captains, seven lieutenants, three sergeants, and 119 privates. The monument had to go through a restoration in 1984 due to weathering over the years. Besides being a reminder for the fallen soldiers, the memorial has had a significant impact on the local area. Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day is, and has been since June 1, 1866, a tradition in which the graves are decorated and honored by the community. Romney claims this is the first Confederate Memorial, but Cheraw, South Carolina disputes this claim because they built their memorial two months before Romney. It should be noted that their memorial lacks the words, "Confederacy", "Confederate", and "Southern.".

The Confederate Memorial is located in Romney, West Virginia and is said to be one of the first Confederate monuments constructed after the Civil War. This memorial was built in large part due to the efforts of the Confederate Memorial Association, which wanted to honor the soldiers from Hampshire County. The memorial has been so significant to the local community that it led to the establishment of Hampshire County Confederate Memorial Day, which is held on June 1st every year.

Confederate Memorial (Romney, WV)

The style of the attack is described as a skirmish or a minor fight in a scattered formation. Later it was discovered that the confederates had been informed that the union soldiers were approaching and they had a chance to organize a retreat.The next day, confederate forces led by Col A.P. Hill took back the bridge.This describes the way most of the civil war influenced this small but strategic town in Hampshire county. It was strategic because of its proximity to the railroad line. Many abandoned private homes were occupied by soldiers and commandeered for military use. There were many homes burned down by other soldiers on their pass through the town.One house that endured is the Davis House on Main Street. It is currently a museum displaying Civil War artifacts.

Chartered in 1762, Romney is the second oldest city in WV. During the civil war, it changed hands a number of times which is reflective of the ebb and flow of the fight itself. On June 13th Col Lewis Wallace and his troops captured the bridge at Romney. Built in 1838, this covered bridge was an important link in east-west travel along the Northwestern Turnpike.

Descent on Romney by Union Troops

&nbsp; &nbsp; The only remaining part of the original three-story brick building that was Folck's Mill is the stone foundation at this location. The mill was built in the early 19th century. First known as Pleasant Mill, it was built by Thomas Beall and later inherited by Jacob Hobitzell the husband of Beall descendent Amy Beall Hobitzell. The couple bought the land in 1819 and after Hobitzell's death, the land was purchased by the Folck family and becoming Folck's Mill. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Wolfe family became the property owners, giving the mill its third name: Wolfe's Mill. Though always a small operation, the grist and saw mill was a commercial center for local farmers.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; While the mill was still under Folck family ownership in 1864, General Benjamin F. Kelley led Union soldiers against Confederates marching towards Cumberland, MD. The Confederate troops had orders to destroy parts of the B&amp;O Railroad and cut off major supply and transportation lines for the Union troops. Before arriving at this site, the Confederate troops led by Brigadier General John McCausland had set fire to the town of, Chambersburg, PA. The troops met near the mill and became known as the Battle of Folck's Mill or the Battle of Cumberland. There were 38 total casualties from the battle. Though neither side is credited with victory, the Confederate troops were turned away from Cumberland and retreated to the Potomac River as a result of the battle. This often leads to the battle being discussed as a Union victory. The stones show signs of damage from shots fired during the battle. There is also some evidence that the mill may have caught fire during the battle.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Today, the site of the mill is owned by the Maryland State Highway Administration and is located just off of I-68. Folck's Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as a Civil War battleground in 2009.&nbsp;

Folck's Mill was a grist and sawmill located outside of Cumberland, MD. The original structure was an early 19th-century brick building and had three stories; now all that remains is the stone foundations. The mill was the site of The Battle of Folck's Mill in 1864. During the battle, Union troops led by General Benjamin Kelley rerouted Confederate troops as they made their way to Cumberland. Though the battle was a draw, the Confederate soldiers retreated to the Potomac following the battle. There are still signs of damage from the battle on the remaining stones. 

Civil War Sites In The AFNHA Region

Upshur County History Center Museum

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information