10 Jun 1861 Jahr - Battle of Rich Mountain (West Virginia)

Beschreibung:

Confederate Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett was reassigned to western Virginia, to organize Porterfield's troops who were defeated at Philipi.
Garnett set up two camps, "one along the portion of the Parkersburg-Staunton Turnpike across Rich Mountain and the second at Laurel Hill, about 25 miles north" ("Battle of Rich Mountain", 2009).

McClellan devised a strategy, he ordered Brigadier General Thomas Morris "south along the road from Philippi to Beverly with 4,000 men", while he himself intended to enter from the left, with 7000 men cutting off the Confederates from their base ("Battle of Rich Mountain", 2009). Confederate Colonel John Pegram and his 1300 troops protected the base of the mountain near the gap between camp and Beverly, in a fort.

Union forces led by General Rosecrans knew it would be hard to attack the fort. A local farmer who sided with the Union showed the troops a secret pathway up Rich Mountain, which would be able to help them get to Pegram's troops easier. The climbing took longer than planned, and at 2:30 pm, Rosecrans started battle "with the boom of cannon, firing at a small group of infantry on the top of Rich Mountain" ("Battle of Rich Mountain", 2009). Pegram had sent 350 men to defend the mountaintop.

McClellan advanced to the mountain after hearing artillery fire, only to discover Rosecrans was not attacking the Confederates as planned, leaving little for McClellan to do wait. He could not see who Rosecrans was attacking, and he himself could not attack still as the forts was still well defended.
Later that day, it turned out that Rosecrans had won. Even so, McCLellan still waited, and did not aid Rosecrans when he was unsure of the victory. Pegram's men fled the mountains that night, and Pegram himself surrendered the next day.
Rosecrans condemned McClellan for his inactivity, but because he was already promoted to general-in-chief, not much was done about it.
("Battle of Rich Mountain", 2009)

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