MCCLELLAN IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.

531

He collected a considerable force at that place, and had outlying detachments at Bealington, Buckhannon, Romney, and Philippi. Ex-Governor Henry A. Wise, with a brigadier's commission, had been organizing a brigade in the Great Kanawha Valley, beyond the Greenbrier Mountains, for the purpose of holding in subjection the loyal inhabitants of the fertile regions of that river. He was now ordered to cross the intervening mountains around the head-waters of the Gauley River, and co-operate with Garnett; and every measure within the means of the "Confederates" was used for the purpose of checking the advance of McClellan's forces, and preventing their junction with those of Patterson in the Shenandoah Valley.

a May 23, 1961.

General McClellan took command of his troops in person, at Grafton, on the 23d of June, and on that day he issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Western Virginia, similar in tenor to the one sent forth from Cincinnati a month earlier. He severely condemned the guerrilla warfare in which the insurgents were engaged, and threatened the offenders with punishment, "according to the severest rules of military law." He also told the disloyal people of that section that all who should be found acting in hostility to the Government, either by bearing arms or in giving aid and comfort to its enemies, should be arrested. To his soldiers he issued an address two days afterward, reminding them that they were in the country of friends, and not of enemies, and conjuring them to behave accordingly. He denounced the insurgents as outlaws, who, without cause, had rebelled, and seized public property, and "outraged the persons of Northern men merely because they came from the North, and Southern men merely because they loved the Union;" and he exhorted his soldiers to pursue a different course. He concluded by saying:- "I now fear but one thing that you will not find foemen worthy of your steel."

The entire force of Ohio, Indiana, and Virginia troops, now under the command of McClellan, numbered full twenty thousand men, and he resolved to advance. He sent a detachment, under General J. D. Cox, into the Kanawha Valley, to meet Wise and keep him in check, while his main body, about ten thousand strong, led by himself, advanced from Clarksburg, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, twenty-two miles west of Grafton, in the direction of Buckhannon, to attack Garnett at Laurel Hill, near Beverly. At the same time a detachment of about four thousand men,' under General Morris, moved from Grafton toward Beverly, by way of Philippi; and another body, commanded by General Hill, was sent to West Union, eastward of Philippi, toward St. George, in Tucker County, to prevent the escape of the insurgents by that way over the Alleghany Mountains, to join Johnston at Winchester.

Morris was instructed not to attack Garnett, but to thoroughly reconnoiter the country, make such feints as would deceive the insurgents with the belief that they might expect the main attack from that officer, and to keep them employed until McClellan should gain their rear. Morris carried out the plan faithfully. He advanced to Bealington, within a mile of Garnett's camp, which was on a wooded slope on the eastern side of the Laurel

1 This force was composed of the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Indiana, the Sixth and Fourteenth Ohio, the First Virginia, and Burnett's Artillery, of Cleveland, Ohio.

532

ADVANCE ON THE INSURGENTS.

2

Hill range of mountains, between Leedsville and Beverly, where he had about eight thousand men strongly intrenched.' These were chiefly East Virginians, Georgians, Tennesseans, and some Carolinians. In front of these intrenchments continual and heavy skirmishing was carried on daily, chiefly by the Seventh and Ninth Indiana Regiments, commanded respectively by Colonels E. Dumont and Robert H. Milroy. The troops were so eager for conflict that Morris found it difficult to restrain them. The scouting parties

T. A. MORRIS.

were so earnest, vigilant, and bold, that when McClellan approached Beverly, each position of the insurgents and their works in all that region was perfectly known. A thousand deeds of daring, worthy of record, were performed during those few days. Those of the Ninth Indiana were so notable that the insurgents gave them the name of "Swamp Devils."

McClellan reached Buckhannon on the 7th of July, and advanced to Roaring Run, on the road to Beverly. He ascertained that a large force of insurgents, about fifteen hundred strong, under Colonel John Pegram, was occupying a heavily intrenched position in the rear of Garnett, in Rich Mountain Gap, of the Laurel Hill Range, about four miles from Beverly, where his forces commanded the important road over the mountains to Staunton, and the chief highway to Southern Virginia. Pegram boasted that his position could not be turned, because of the precipitous hills on his flanks; but he was mistaken. McClellan sent the Eighth, Tenth, and Thirteenth Indiana Regiments, and the Sixteenth Ohio Regiment, with Burdsall's troop of cavalry, all in light marching order, under the command of Colonel (afterward General) W. S. Rosecrans, to do what Pegram thought impossible. They were accompanied by Colonel Lander, who was with Dumont at Philippi, and were piloted by a young man named Hart, son of the owner of the mountain farm on which Pegram was encamped. They started at three o'clock in the morning," made a wide détour through the mountains in a heavy rain-storm, along most perilous ways, pathless, slippery, and rough, a distance of about eight miles, and at noon were on the summit of a ridge of Rich Mountain, high above Pegram's Just as they reached the Staunton road, near assailed by musket and cannon shot, bullets,

a July 11,

1861.

camp, and a mile from it. Hart's, they were furiously grape, canister, and shells.

1 Garnett's position was a very strong one by nature, and was made stronger by art. On a mountain slope, masked by woods, and commanding one of the most important passes in all that region, he had a line of intrenchments a mile in extent, stretching on each side of the main road that runs up from Philippi to Beverly. Within these were other works for final defense, if assailed. Outside of all was a strong abatis, formed of felled trees; also numerous rifle-pits, the earth thrown up so as to make a breastwork for each man. These works extended up the slopes on each side of the narrow valley; and on the summits of two elevations were two redoubts made of logs and earth, with embrasures for six cannon, and also loop-holes for musketry. See map on page 536. 2 General McClellan's Dispatch to Adjutant-General Townsend, July 18, 1961. 3 See page 495.

BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.

533

Rosecrans supposed his movements were unknown to the insurgents. He was mistaken. A courier sent after him by McClellan had been captured by Pegram's scouts, and the march of Rosecrans was revealed.' Pegram immediately sent about nine hundred men, with two cannon, up the mountain road in his rear, to meet him. They hastily cast up works of logs and earth near Hart's, and masked their cannon, and from these came the unexpected volley.

Rosecrans had no cannon, but he had men eager for conflict. He formed the three Indiana regiments in battle order, held the Ohio regiment as a reserve, and sent forward his skirmishers. They engaged in desperate fighting while the main body lay concealed in the grass, the shot of the insurgents passing over them. Finally, Pegram's men came out from their works and charged across the road. The Indianians sprang to their feet, and at a given order they fired, fixed their bayonets, and with a wild shout charged upon the foe. A sharp conflict ensued, when the latter gave way and fled in wild confusion down the declivities of the mountain to Pegram's main camp. Re-enforcements sent from Garnett's reserves at Beverly, then on their way, hearing of the disaster to their friends, fell back. Rosecrans recalled his men in pursuit of the fugitives, and prepared for another

encounter.

This engagement, known as the BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN, commenced at about two o'clock in the afternoon, and occupied less than an hour and a half. The Union troops in action numbered about eighteen hundred, and those of the insurgents about nine hundred. The loss of the former was eighteen killed, and about forty wounded. The latter lost about one hundred and forty killed, and a large number wounded and made prisoners. Their entire loss was more than four hundred, including several officers. For his gallantry on this occasion, Rosecrans was commissioned a brigadiergeneral.

The position of Rosecrans was now perilous. Pegram was immediately before him with an overwhelming force, and he was separated from the main army by the rough mountain over which he had passed with the greatest difficulty. Fortunately for him, McClellan, who, at his camp at Roaring Run, had heard the cannonading, advanced that evening to a position directly in front of Pegram's main camp, and prepared to assail it in the morning with twelve cannon. Pegram did not wait for the assault, but stole off during the night, and tried to make his way with the remnant of his troops to Garnett's camp. This movement exposed Garnett's rear, and he, too, under cover of the night, abandoned his camp and all in it-cannon, tents, and many wagons-and in light marching order pushed on toward Beverly, hoping to pass it before McClellan could reach it, and so escape over the mountains by Huttonsville, toward Staunton. He was too late. McClellan had moved rapidly on Beverly, and fugitives from Pegram's camp informed him that his advance was already there. Garnett turned back, and taking the road toward St. George, through a gap near Leedsville, he plunged into the wild mountain regions of the Cheat Range, taking with him only one cannon. His reserves at Beverly fled over the mountains, by

1 Statement of young Hart.

534

PURSUIT OF THE INSURGENTS.

way of Huttonsville, as far as Monterey, in Highland County, and the re-enforcements that had been sent to Pegram, as we have observed, scattered over the Laurel Hill Range. Rosecrans entered Pegram's abandoned camp the next morning; while the latter, with about six hundred followers, weary, worn, and dispirited, were vainly seeking a way of escape. They had been without food for nearly two days. Seeing no hope of relief, Pegram offered to surrender to McClellan; and on Sunday morning, the 14th," he and his followers were escorted into the camp of the chief at Beverly by some Chicago cavalry.

a July, 1861.

When it was discovered that Garnett had fled, McClellan ordered a hot pursuit. He sent a detachment from his own column, under Captain H. W. Benham, his Chief Engineer, to join that of General Morris, and the united. forces started eagerly after the fugitives, who had about twelve hours the start of them. The recent rains had made the roads very muddy, and swelled the mountain streams. The fugitives, in their anxiety to escape, left knapsacks, provisions, camp furniture, and every thing that might impede their flight, along the way, and these were continual clews to their route, which frequently deviated from the main road along rough mountain paths. Broken and abandoned wagons were found in many places, and in narrow gorges the insurgents had felled trees and cast down rocks to obstruct the pursuit.

Both parties rested on the night of the 12th, and resumed the race in the morning. The pursuers gradually gained on the fugitives; and at about noon, while a driving rain-storm was drenching them, the advance of the former, composed of the Seventh and Ninth Indiana, Fourteenth Ohio, and a section of Burnett's Ohio Battery, came in sight of the flying insurgents at Kahler's Ford of a branch of the Cheat River. They were evidently preparing to make a stand there. The pursuing infantry dashed into the stream, which was waist deep, and halted under shelter of the bank until the artillery came up. A single cannon-shot set the insurgents in motion, for they were only the rear-guard of Garnett's force, the main body of which was some distance in advance. The exciting chase was renewed, and its interest was hightened by a sort of running fight for about four miles to another ford of the same stream, known as Carrick's, where the banks were high and steep, and the land a rolling bottom about a mile in width between the mountains.

After crossing the stream Garnett made a stand. The Fourteenth Ohio (Colonel Steedman) of the advance was close upon him, and rushed down to the Ford in pursuit, when it was met by a volley of musketry and cannonshot from a single heavy gun, under Colonel Taliaferro, of the Twenty-third Virginia Regiment. The Ohio troops stood their ground bravely. The Seventh and Ninth Indiana and Burnett's battery hastened to their aid; and Captain Benham, who was in command of the advance, ordered Colonel Dumont and a detachment of his regiment to cross the deep and rapid stream above the ford, and gain the rear of the foe. The opposite shore was too precipitous for them to scale, and they were ordered to wade down in the bed of the stream hidden by the bank, and, under cover of fire of cannon and musketry, charge the insurgents in front. The order was quickly executed, and while the Indianians were struggling up the bank among the

BATTLE OF CARRICK'S FORD.

535 laurel bushes, the insurgents broke and fled. They had fought bravely against great odds, and yielded only when their ammunition was almost exhausted. Garnett tried to rally them to make another stand, and while trying to do so he was shot dead.' A youthful Georgian, who was among the few around the General at that moment, fell dead at his side. The insurgents fled to the mountains, and were pursued only about two miles. The

main body of Morris's force soon came up, and the victors slept near the Ford that night. They had lost two killed and ten wounded, two of them mortally. The insurgents lost thirty men killed, a much larger number wounded, and many who were made prisoners. They also lost their cannon, many wagons, and forty loads of provisions. The body of their fallen General fell into the hands of the victors, and was tenderly cared for and sent to his friends. This is known as the BATTLE OF CARRICK'S FORD.

Whilst the stirring events which we have just considered were transpiring, General McClellan, at Beverly, sent cheering dispatches to his Government; and, when he heard of the dispersion of Garnett's forces at Carrick's Ford, he expressed his belief that General Hill, then at Rowlesburg, on the Cheat River, where the Baltimore and Ohio Railway crosses that stream, would certainly intercept the fugitives at West Union or St. George. He

I Major Gordon, who accompanied the Ninth Indiana, had joined the Seventh in the water. He jumped upon a stump to cheer on his comrades, when Garnett directed several of his men (Tompkins's Richmond Sharp. shooters) to fire on him. They did so, but without effect. He discovered Garnett, and directed Sergeant Burlingame, of the Seventh, to shoot him. The General almost instantly fell.-See Stevenson's Indiana's Roll of Honor, page 58.

2 This view of Carrick's Ford is from a drawing by Edwin Forbes, an artist who accompanied the expe dition. The name of the Ford was derived from that of the person who owned the land there.

3 Stevenson (page 59) cites the following description of Garnett, who was a graduate of West Point, of the class of 1841:-"In form he was about five feet eight inches, rather slenderly built, with a fine, high, arching forehead, and regular and handsome features, almost classic in their regularity, and mingled delicacy and strength of beauty. His hair, almost coal black, as were his eyes, he wore long on the neck, in the prevailing fashion of the Virginia aristocracy. His dress was of fine broad-cloth throughout, and richly ornamented. The buttons bore the coat of arms of the State of Virginia, and the star on his shoulder-strap was richly studded with brilliants."