Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates {{#invoke:Infobox military conflict|main}}
The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain occurred in Pulaski County, Virginia, on May 9, 1864, during the American Civil War. The fight has also been called the Battle of Cloyd's Farm. A Union Army division led by Brigadier General George Crook defeated a Confederate Army consisting of three regiments, one battalion, and Confederate Home Guard. The Confederate force was led by Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins and Colonel John McCausland. Although the intense fighting portion of this battle may have lasted for only one hour, it was southwestern Virginia's largest fight of the Civil War.
The battle was a Confederate attempt to prevent an attack on the [[Virginia and Tennessee Railroad|VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad]]. That railroad was important to the Confederacy for moving troops and supplies. The fighting occurred about Template:Convert north of the Virginia & Tennessee's Dublin Depot. Additional Confederate forces arrived at a nearby railroad depot after the major portion of the fighting was completed, and they enabled the Confederate fighters to escape.
On the next day, skirmishing erupted at a VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad bridge located about Template:Convert east of the Dublin Depot. This fighting was essentially an artillery duel, and its few casualties are included in totals for both sides. Confederate forces eventually fled further east, and the railroad bridge was burned by Crook's force. Although Union forces burned the railroad depot, burned a major railroad bridge, and destroyed portions of the railroad track, the damage was repaired in about one month.
BackgroundEdit
During March 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant became commander of all Union armed forces.<ref name="ABTUSGrant">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Grant's strategy in Virginia was to attack the strongest Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, from multiple fronts.<ref name="Whisonant80">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Union's Army of the Potomac would target Lee's army directly, while another Union force would attack Lee and the city of Richmond from the east.<ref name="ODonnell123">Template:Harvnb</ref> In western Virginia, the railroads that supplied Lee's army were Union targets, including the [[Virginia and Tennessee Railroad|VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad]] and the Virginia Central Railroad.<ref name="Cozzens4">Template:Harvnb</ref> Each of those two railroads also had more mileage within Virginia than any other railroad.<ref name="JohnstonII310">Template:Harvnb</ref> Attacking the railroads would cause Lee to send troops west to protect vital railroad infrastructure, resulting in fewer soldiers available to protect the Confederate capitol in Richmond.<ref name="Cozzens4"/>
Grant's planEdit
Template:Quote box Grant ordered Major General Franz Sigel to advance south in the Shenandoah Valley to Staunton, Virginia.<ref name="Whisonant162">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Virginia Central Railroad ran through Staunton and connected with Richmond.<ref name="Whisonant155">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">The Virginia Central Railroad was Template:Convert long and connected Richmond, Virginia, with the upper Shenandoah Valley. The railroad had been used by Lee and Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to move troops in the 1862 Valley and Peninsula Campaigns. It was also used to move agricultural products and raw materials from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond.<ref name="Whisonant156-157">Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> Sigel began his part of the plan on AprilTemplate:Nbsp29, and he departed from Martinsburg, West Virginia.<ref name="ABTNewMkt">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Grant ordered Brigadier General George Crook to attack the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad, including its bridge over the New River. From there, Crook would form a junction with Sigel at Staunton and advance to Lynchburg.<ref name="Duncan44">Template:Harvnb</ref> Crook began making preparations in Charleston, West Virginia. By the end of April his troops were assembled further south in Fayetteville, and they began moving toward their destination on MayTemplate:Nbsp3.<ref name="Duncan43-44">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Crook took an infantry division and began moving toward the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad's Dublin Depot. He sent a smaller 2,500-man cavalry force, commanded by Brigadier General William W. Averell, to attack further west from Crook's destination.<ref name="Whisonant1997p33">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Some historians, including Patrick K. O'Donnell and Richard R. Duncan, call Crook and Averell's May 1864 attacks on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad "the Dublin Raid".<ref name="DublinRaid">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> Averell's goal was to disable a salt works located in a town called Saltville.<ref name="Whisonant1997p33"/> After 1863, this salt works produced an estimated two thirds of the salt used by the Confederacy.<ref name="Whisonant1997p30">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Salt, an essential part of the diet for humans and livestock, was also used for packing and preserving meat during the American Civil War.<ref name="Whisonant1997p29">Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> A potential target for Averell was the Austin lead mine located south of Wytheville in Wythe County. The lead mine produced about one-third to one fourth of the lead consumed by the Confederacy.<ref name="Duncan79">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Virginia and Tennessee RailroadEdit
The VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad was Template:Convert long and connected Lynchburg, Virginia, to Bristol at the Virginia–Tennessee border.<ref name="JohnstonII310312">Template:Harvnb</ref> Additional railroads could be used from Lynchburg to move east to Richmond, and railroads connecting to Bristol could be used to move west to Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Corinth.<ref name="VTconnect">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> The Virginia & Tennessee carried Confederate soldiers and raw materials both east and west.<ref name="Whisonant1997p30"/><ref group="Note">An example of Confederate troops using the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad for transportation is the 1863 transport of a portion of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's First Corps from Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to Tennessee where it reinforced the Confederate Army in the Battle of Chickamauga.<ref name="Whisonant1997p30"/></ref> The railroad was also an important transporter of food from southwest Virginia to soldiers and civilians in the east.<ref name="Whisonant157">Template:Harvnb</ref> President Abraham Lincoln called the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad the "gut of the Confederacy".<ref name="BoydJr71">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In western Virginia, a branch line of the Virginia & Tennessee ran north from Glade Spring to a salt works in Saltville, Virginia.<ref name="Duncan79"/> Further east along the line were lead mines located south of Wytheville.<ref name="Whisonant1997p29-30">Template:Harvnb</ref> Further east from Wytheville was the regional Confederate Army headquarters at the Dublin Depot just north of Newbern, Virginia.<ref name="Scottbreckinridge719">Template:Harvnb</ref> Dublin was also the home of an instruction camp for Confederate recruits, and it was the commissary and quartermaster center for southwestern Virginia.<ref name="Cozzens5">Template:Harvnb</ref> East of the headquarters was a large railroad bridge across the New River.<ref name="Whisonant1997p32">Template:Harvnb</ref> The bridge was Template:Convert long, and it was constructed with timber on stone pylons.<ref name="ODonnell122125">Template:Harvnb</ref> Grant regarded the railroad as "one of the most important lines connecting the Confederate armies".<ref name="Duncan44"/> Several attacks on the railroad in 1863 had only limited success.<ref name="WVAverell">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref group="Note">An attack on the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad and lead mines near Wytheville, Virginia, known as the Wytheville Raid, was made during July 1863 and caused only minor damage to the railroad.<ref name="WythvilleRaid">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> Brigadier General Averell led attempts to damage the railroad in November and December 1863. These actions became known as the Battle of Droop Mountain and the Salem Raid.<ref name="WVAverell"/></ref> When Grant met with Crook in March, he emphasized that he wanted the railroad's infrastructure destroyed in multiple places.<ref name="Duncan44"/>
Opposing forcesEdit
Union forceEdit
Crook's force was the 2nd Infantry Division of the Department of West Virginia.<ref name="ScottCrook9">Template:Harvnb</ref> It was also known as the Kanawha Division.<ref name="Cozzens2">Template:Harvnb</ref> The division consisted of three brigades of mostly infantry, plus two batteries, that totaled 6,155 soldiers.<ref name="ScottCrook10">Template:Harvnb</ref> Crook was experienced and his soldiers were confident in his abilities.<ref name="CrookQuals">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}; Template:Harvnb</ref> A 400-man detachment of cavalry was added to his 1st Brigade while they were preceding to their target destination, which increased the size of the force to 6,555.<ref name="ScottCrook10"/>
- 1st Brigade - This brigade was commanded by Crook's best commander and a future president of the United States, Rutherford B. Hayes.<ref name="RBHayes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}; Template:Harvnb</ref> The brigade's 23rd Ohio Infantry included another future president, William McKinley.<ref name="McKin23OH">Template:Harvnb; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another regiment in the 1stTemplate:NbspBrigade, the 36th Ohio Infantry, had fought under Crook's command in 1862 in the Battle of Lewisburg.<ref name="OH36">Template:Harvnb; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 400-man cavalry detachment added to the brigade was essentially mounted infantry, and it was not armed with sabers.<ref name="Reader242-243">Template:Harvnb</ref>
- 2nd Brigade - Commanded by Colonel Carr B. White and consisted of four infantry regiments.<ref name="ScottCrook10"/> White was responsible for creating Blazer's Scouts, an "elite group of commandos".<ref name="ODonnell56">Template:Harvnb</ref>
- 3rd Brigade - Commanded by Colonel Horatio G. Sickel and consisted of four regiments.<ref name="ScottCrook10"/>
- Artillery - Captain James R. McMullin was the Chief of Artillery for two batteries.<ref name="ScottMcMullinp38">Template:Harvnb</ref> The combined firepower of the two batteries was 12 artillery pieces.<ref name="Whisonant1997p33"/>
Confederate forceEdit
Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins was temporarily in command of the Confederate Department of Western Virginia.<ref name="Duncan48">Template:Harvnb</ref> Jenkins had very few soldiers readily available, and nearly all Confederate participants in the battle either arrived at the Dublin Depot by railroad or were delayed from departing from Dublin on the railroad.<ref name="Duncan5355">Template:Harvnb</ref> Approximately 2,350 soldiers were under Jenkins' command for the battle, and he had ten artillery pieces.<ref name="Duncan56">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Dr. Richard C. Whisonant uses a count of 2,400 fighters available for Jenkins.<ref name="Whisonant1997p33"/></ref> All three regiments at Cloyd's Mountain, and Colonel John McCausland, had gained experience in 1862 when they fought in the Kanawha Valley Campaign. One of the regiments had also fought against George Crook in the Battle of Lewisburg.<ref name="Lowry">Template:Harvnb</ref>
- 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment - This regiment was commanded by Colonel William H. Browne.<ref name="ScottBrowne52">Template:Harvnb</ref>
- Fourth Brigade - This brigade was commanded by Colonel John McCausland. It consisted of the 36th and 60th Virginia Infantry Regiments, the 45th Battalion Virginia Infantry (a.k.a. Beckley's Battalion), and Bryan's artillery battery.<ref name="FourthBrigade">Template:Harvnb; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Ringgold Battery - This artillery battery was commanded by Captain Crispin Dickenson. It had four artillery pieces: three 12-pounder Napoleons and one 3-inch rifled gun.<ref name="ScottDickenson60">Template:Harvnb</ref>
- Home Guard - Captain White G. Ryan commanded the Montgomery Home Guards.<ref name="Jones56-57">Template:Harvnb</ref> Other volunteers included James Cloyd, owner of Cloyd's Farm; and Reverend William P. Hickman of the Dublin Presbyterian Church.<ref name="Cozzens19">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Prelude to BattleEdit
Crook beginsEdit
In addition to sending Averell's cavalry to Saltville, Crook had additional plans to confuse the Confederate Army. He sent the 5th West Virginia Infantry, led by Blazer's Scouts, east on the Kanawha Turnpike toward Lewisburg. The infantry band played during the march, and at night huge bonfires burned.<ref name="ODonnell122">Template:Harvnb</ref> This deception worked, causing Confederate leadership to believe that an entire division was moving toward Lewisburg.<ref name="ODonnell123"/>
Crook's main force began moving on May 2 and marched south toward Raleigh Court House (Beckley).<ref name="Duncan45">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">At the time of the American Civil War, some of the small county seats (especially in Virginia) were identified with the county name followed by "Court House". For example, Beckley, Virginia (later Beckley, West Virginia) is identified in some maps as "Beckley", but in others as "Raleigh C.H." or Raleigh Court House. Beckley is the county seat of Raleigh County. Some of these smaller communities consisted of not much more than a courthouse during the 1860s.<ref name="Court-House">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref> The major difficulty in the march was cold and wet weather plus trees that had been chopped down to obstruct the roads. Crook took steps to conceal his movement. A small cavalry force led the expedition, and videttes rode on the main force's right and left to prevent bushwhacker/snipers from harassing the troops. Trees were burned as the troops moved over the mountains to provide a smokescreen that concealed the size and movement of Crook's force.<ref name="Duncan45-46">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">One source says Crook's infantry moved through Wyoming Court House.<ref name="Duncan45"/> However, a map from the same source does not show movement in Wyoming County, and Crook does not mention Wyoming Court House in his report.<ref name="NoWyoming">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> The 5th West Virginia Cavalry camped at Wyoming Court House on May 5 before it joined Crook a few days later at a camp less than Template:Convert from Dublin.<ref name="Reader241">Template:Harvnb</ref></ref>
Breckinridge reactsEdit
Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge was commander of the Department of Western Virginia and headquartered in Dublin on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad.<ref name="BreckinridgeDublin">Template:Harvnb; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He had been appointed to this position earlier in the year. A former vice president of the United States in the James Buchanan administration, he was experienced and skilled in military affairs. His department was responsible for all of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and south of Staunton, the southern portion of West Virginia, and eastern Tennessee.<ref name="Duncan34-35">Template:Harvnb</ref> He did not have enough troops to protect his vast and mountainous territory.<ref name="Duncan35-36">Template:Harvnb</ref> His priorities were to protect the Saltville salt mines, the Austinville lead mines, and the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad.<ref name="Duncan38">Template:Harvnb</ref>
On May 1, Lee informed Breckinridge that it appeared that Union troops commanded by Averell were planning to attack Staunton (Virginia Central Railroad) or the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad. Lee mistakenly thought that Staunton was the main target, and movements further west were deceptions.<ref name="Duncan41">Template:Harvnb</ref> Brigadier General John H. Morgan and his brigade were relieved from duty in eastern Tennessee and ordered to report to Breckinridge.<ref name="ScottWithers707">Template:Harvnb</ref> Breckinridge shifted the few troops he had in response to reports that Saltville and the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad were the Union targets.<ref name="Duncan42">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Davis and Lee change Breckinridge's prioritiesEdit
In correspondence dated May 4, Breckinridge was told by Confederate president Jefferson Davis to communicate with General Lee and protect Staunton against Sigel's army advancing south in the valley.<ref name="Cozzens8">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Beginning in the 1840s in the United States, electric telegraph infrastructure was often placed along railroad lines.<ref name="HagleyTnT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the American Civil War, the telegraph allowed unprecedented communication among military leaders.<ref name="ODonnell124">Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> Breckinridge began moving most of his troops to Staunton via the Virginia Central Railroad's western terminal at Jackson River Depot.<ref name="Scottbreckinridge719"/><ref group="Note">Although the Virginia Central Railroad had begun construction of a railroad line further west, its line was completed only as far west as its Jackson's River Station.<ref name="COVC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Breckinridge had two railroad options to get to Staunton: 1) the Virginia Central railroad could be used from its western-most depot, the Jackson River Depot in Alleghany County, to move east to Staunton; and 2) the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad could be boarded (Dublin Depot near New Bern, Wytheville, or Christiansburg) to move east to Lynchburg, where one could connect to another railroad that connected with the Virginia Central Railroad to the north at Charlottesville east of Staunton.<ref name="VArailroads">Template:Cite map</ref></ref> An exception was the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in Saltville, Virginia. The movement of troops toward Staunton left the territory west of the New River and east of Saltville with little protection.<ref name="Scottbreckinridge718-719">Template:Harvnb</ref> Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins was left behind with the small command of scattered troops.<ref name="Cozzens8"/>
Crook moves closerEdit
McCausland's brigade left Princeton on May 5 to begin its move to Staunton. When Crook's Union infantry arrived at Princeton on May 6, he encountered a small cavalry company that fled after token resistance—instead of an entire brigade.<ref name="Duncan47">Template:Harvnb</ref> After capturing the town, Crook's force camped overnight, and departed on the next day at 4:00Template:Nbspam. Crook had two choices for his route to the railroad. He believed that the most direct route might be guarded, so he took an indirect route on a rougher road through the mountains and Rocky Gap.<ref name="Duncan47-48">Template:Harvnb</ref>
The Union capture of Princeton worried Confederate leadership because the town was considered an important point for guarding major roads west of the New River that lead to the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad, including the salt works and lead mines.<ref name="Duncan48"/> Jenkins grew more concerned—he had only 200 fighters. He requested that Breckinridge allow McCausland's brigade to remain with Jenkins for a day or two longer.<ref name="ScottJenkins721">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Although communications from Breckinridge indicate that McCausland was to proceed to Staunton via the Jackson River Depot of the Virginia Central Railroad, McCausland moved to Dublin where his troops would use the VirginiaTemplate:Nbsp&Template:NbspTennessee Railroad to begin their trip to Staunton.<ref name="McCauslandRail">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> On the evening of May 6, McCausland stopped his soldiers from boarding the train in Dublin. He removed his artillery from the train and made camp at Dublin.<ref name="Cozzens17">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Troops are positionedEdit
Confederate positionsEdit
On May 7, Jenkins moved his headquarters from the Narrows to Dublin Depot. He decided he would intercept Crook on the Dublin–Pearisburg Turnpike at Cloyd's Farm.<ref name="Duncan52-53">Template:Harvnb</ref> This site is at the base of the south side of Cloyd's Mountain. To get to Jenkins' fighters, Union soldiers would have to descend the south side of the mountain and cross an open area with a creek known as Back Creek.<ref name="Duncan53">Template:Harvnb</ref> There had been some debate on placing artillery on top of the mountain and blocking the road, but others worried about losing cannons from a flanking maneuver.<ref name="Duncan55">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In addition to having McCausland's brigade, Jenkins pulled the Ringgold Artillery Battery from the train in Dublin. This battery was sent on MayTemplate:Nbsp7 to a series of bluffs south of Cloyd's Mountain where they could cover the Dublin–Pearisburg Turnpike.<ref name="Cozzens18">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">Cozzens incorrectly calls the turnpike the "Dublin-Petersburg" Turnpike, while Duncan and Boyd Jr etTemplate:Nbspal. (in a map) call it the "Dublin-Pearisburg Turnpike".<ref name="Turnpike">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref></ref> McCausland deployed his brigade at Cloyd's Farm early on MayTemplate:Nbsp8, and began construction of fortifications early in the morning on MayTemplate:Nbsp9.<ref name="Fortifications">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> Home guard such as the Montgomery Home Guards and volunteers from Christiansburg and Dublin were also deployed.<ref name="Jones56-57"/>
Early in the morning on May 8, the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment left Saltville to reinforce Jenkins. They reached the base of Cloyd's Mountain at 9:00Template:Nbspam on May 9.<ref name="ScottBrowne52"/> Inspecting McCausland's deployment, Jenkins made some changes in the positioning of the units.<ref name="Duncan55-56">Template:Harvnb</ref> The front line consisted of the 60th Virginia Infantry on the left, one artillery piece, Home Guard in the middle, and the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment on the right. Further back on the far left was Bryan's Artillery Battery supported by the 36th Virginia Infantry. On the far right behind the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment was the 45th Virginia Infantry Battalion (a.k.a. Beckley's Battalion), and it protected the Confederate right flank along a wooded area.<ref name="Duncan54-56">Template:Harvnb</ref> A cavalry detachment of about 750 riders from Brigadier General John H. Morgan's command was supposed to leave Saltville on MayTemplate:Nbsp8 by train. Equipment problems caused the train to not leave until close to midnight on MayTemplate:Nbsp8, and many soldiers had to be left behind at Glade Spring. The detachment was commanded by Colonel D. Howard Smith, and only 400 soldiers made the entire trip. On the morning of MayTemplate:Nbsp9 they were still enTemplate:Nbsproute.<ref name="ScottSmith66">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Union positionsEdit
Crook's troops camped on Wolf Creek during the night of May 7. On the next day, they marched Template:Convert along the creek until they reached Shannon's Bridge and camped for the evening. The bridge was located at the junction of the Giles Court House (Pearisburg), Princeton, and Dublin roads. It was about Template:Convert from Dublin Depot. At that time they were joined by a detachment of 400 cavalry fighters led by Colonel John H. Oley. Crook believed that Confederate troops would be waiting for them at the summit of the mountain on the road to Dublin, and more Confederate soldiers would be waiting on the south side.<ref name="Duncan4850">Template:Harvnb</ref> Crook's force began moving toward the mountain at sunrise on May 9, and skirmishers were driven away from the summit.<ref name="CrookMoveCloyd">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> All Union forces had reached the summit by 9:00Template:Nbspam, and they were greeted by Confederate artillery fire.<ref name="Duncan56-57">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In the woods near the bottom of the mountain, Crook sent Sickel's 3rd Brigade to Jenkins' left (Crook's right) where they formed a battle line close to the road.<ref name="Duncan58">Template:Harvnb</ref> Sickel's report said his command was placed at 11:00Template:Nbspam.<ref name="ScottSickel25">Template:Harvnb</ref> White's 2nd Brigade was covertly placed on Jenkins' right under the cover of a wooded-area. Hayes' 1st Brigade, with Crook, formed in between the 3rd and 2nd Brigades.<ref name="Duncan58"/> The cavalry attached to the 1st Brigade remained back "a mile or two" (1.6 to 3.2 km) protecting the rear and guarding the wagon train.<ref name="Reader242">Template:Harvnb</ref> Crook's artillery began returning artillery fire not only at the Confederate artillery, but also at the Confederate fortifications.<ref name="Duncan58"/> About 100 soldiers from the cavalry in the rear guard moved forward and dismounted to protect two of the artillery pieces.<ref name="Reader242"/>
BattleEdit
Confederate rightEdit
Crook ordered Colonel White, commander of the 2nd Brigade, to find Jenkins' right and strike hard.<ref name="Duncan58"/> The three Union brigades were supposed to simultaneously attack on the left, right, and center. White was expected to wait for a signal cannon, but he could not distinguish the signal cannon from the artillery duel already in progress—so he attacked prematurely.<ref name="Cozzens29">Template:Harvnb</ref> White used the 14th West Virginia Infantry and the 12th Ohio Infantry to attack Jenkins' right.<ref name="Duncan59">Template:Harvnb</ref> Both regiments were repelled after 20 to 30 minutes of fighting.<ref name="Cozzens30-31">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Union soldiers made the mistake of halting in the open to return fire to an enemy behind fortifications.<ref name="Cozzens30">Template:Harvnb</ref> According to the report of Colonel Daniel D. Johnson, commander of the 14th West Virginia, the Confederate infantry fighters were so well protected by a breastworks composed of logs and fence rails that fire from the guns could be seen—but no soldiers.<ref name="ScottJohnson22">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Observing the Union retreat, Jenkins ordered Beckley's command, with support from two companies of the 45th Virginia Infantry, to counterattack. He also ordered two artillery pieces moved from his left side of the battlefield to the right. Because of the woods and brush, Jenkins did not know that the 9th West Virginia and 91st Ohio Infantries were waiting behind a ridge to the rear of the two attacking regiments.<ref name="Duncan59"/> Beckley's soldiers were surprised with a volley from the two Union regiments.<ref name="Cozzens32">Template:Harvnb</ref> Fearing that his unit would be surrounded, Beckley ordered a retreat to his original position.<ref name="ScottBeckley54">Template:Harvnb</ref> After the two Union regiments involved in the initial attack were safely in the rear, the other two Union regiments charged.<ref name="Duncan59"/> By this time, Beckley's soldiers began panicking, which caused them to retreat in confusion.<ref name="ScottBeckley54-55">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Union charge was blunted by the arrival of the two Confederate artillery pieces.<ref name="Duncan59"/>
Confederate left and centerEdit
Sickel's brigade began moving after the 2nd Brigade attack, but before the 1st Brigade was finished positioning.<ref name="Cozzens34">Template:Harvnb</ref> According to Sickel's report, his 3rd Brigade "was ordered to advance upon the enemy's works" at about 12:00Template:Nbspam.<ref name="ScottSickel25"/> Sickel's fighters charged across a meadow against an enemy (60th Virginia Infantry) protected by fortifications. Bryan's Confederate battery (from the distant left) responded with canister, and soon Sickel ordered a retreat.<ref name="Duncan59"/> Sickel's brigade had about 100 casualties in only a few minutes—including the commanding colonel of the 4th Pennsylvania Reserves.<ref name="Cozzens35">Template:Harvnb</ref> For a moment, the Virginians thought they had won the battle—until they saw on their right Union troops about to flank them.<ref name="Duncan59"/>
Hayes' 1st Brigade, consisting of infantry from Ohio, began their advance after the 3rd Brigade. Confederate home guard and the 60th Virginia Infantry, unaware of the situation on their extreme right, left their fortifications to meet Hayes' soldiers. Unlike the other two brigades that paused to fire volleys at an enemy behind fortifications, the 1st Brigade rarely stopped moving. Moving with the brigade near the front was Brigadier General Crook, who was dismounted. After a brief pause, the brigade charged the final Template:Convert up some bluffs where they ran directly into the 60th Virginia. They fought for about 20 minutes.<ref name="Cozzens37-38">Template:Harvnb</ref> The Confederate line broke and fighters began fleeing in confusion.<ref name="Duncan60">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Confederate right flankedEdit
When Hayes made his charge, he had his left wing unite with White's 9th West Virginia. At the same time, the 91st Ohio moved around the Confederate right flank and began firing into the Confederate rear.<ref name="Duncan60"/> Jenkins was wounded in the arm around this time, and he turned over command to Colonel John McCausland. The new Confederate commander immediately moved one artillery piece and the 36th Virginia Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Smith, from the left to the right. The 36th Virginia formed two lines about 200 yards behind the Confederate line on the right. They slowed the Union advance, and McCausland ordered a charge against the 91st Ohio.<ref name="Duncan60"/> After Smith was wounded, many from his command fell back. They were soon joined by Beckley's Battalion.<ref name="Duncan61">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In danger of being surrounded by the Union's 9th West Virginia and 91st Ohio, the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment needed to link with the 60th Virginia.<ref name="Duncan61"/> Leading two companies from the 60th Virginia, Major Jacob N. Taylor was killed in action. Lieutenant Colonel E. H. Harman, who was commanding the left wing of the 45th Virginia Infantry, was mortally wounded shortly after the link up.<ref name="ScottBrowne52"/> Using one piece of artillery, the 45th Virginia was able to escape from being surrounded, although that piece was captured. As the Union troops pursued them, another cannon (a 12-pounder Napoleon) fired grape and canister until no Union soldiers were standing.<ref name="Napoleon">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> At that time, the artillery crew began retreating with everyone else.<ref name="Duncan61"/> On the far left, Bryan's Battery was receiving Union artillery fire from two locations, and it could not help the Confederate infantry because they were mixed with the Union soldiers. With little infantry support, the battery was threatened by the 15th West Virginia Infantry, and it was eventually forced to join the retreat.<ref name="Duncan61"/>
Confederate retreatEdit
McCausland reformed the 36th Virginia (with remnants of other units) for the purpose of delaying the Union pursuit, and he was assisted by one of the artillery pieces from the Ringgold Battery. For the pursuit, Crook brought forward the small number of mounted cavalry that he had.<ref name="Duncan61-62">Template:Harvnb</ref> Colonel John H. Oley commanded the cavalry detachment that consisted of portions of multiple regiments with horses that were not in good condition.<ref name="ScottCrook11">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref group="Note">In his report, Crook said "Had I but 1,000 effective cavalry none of the enemy could have escaped."<ref name="ScottCrook11"/></ref>
Unknown to the Union soldiers, the detachment of Confederate soldiers from Morgan's command arrived at Dublin by rail when the battle was almost over. The commander of the detachment, Colonel D. Howard Smith, immediately moved his force toward Cloyd's farm. Before they had advanced very far, they met Colonel McCausland and retreating Confederate soldiers. McCausland had Smith place his troopers near the road to protect the retreat, and they were initially effective in stopping the Union pursuit. After about one hour, Smith found his force in danger of being flanked, so a slow retreat was started. Smith's force joined McCausland's soldiers that evening around sunset.<ref name="ScottSmith66-67">Template:Harvnb</ref>
The delaying action by the 36th Virginia, and then Morgan's detachment, enabled McCausland to evacuate Dublin and move troops, artillery, and a portion of Dublin's supplies Template:Convert east to the New River railroad bridge.<ref name="Duncan64">Template:Harvnb</ref> Waiting to assist McCausland on the west side of the bridge was the Botetourt Artillery, which did not fight in the battle at Cloyd's farm.<ref name="ScottDouthat58">Template:Harvnb</ref> The west side of the bridge had some defensive works that were not entirely completed, but McCausland believed his fighters could be trapped by the river if they tried to defend from that side. He had his force cross the bridge to the east side, and it took five hours to move six pieces from the Botetourt Artillery across the river by boat.<ref name="CrossBridge">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref>
Crook in DublinEdit
When Crook's soldiers entered the Dublin Depot, they found some telegraph dispatches (possibly planted) that incorrectly indicated Grant had been repulsed and was retreating in eastern Virginia. Communications between Dublin and Lynchburg also caused concern about Sigel's portion of Grant's plan to attack Staunton—and Crook had heard nothing from Sigel. Crook was now about Template:Convert beyond his base and low on food and ammunition. If Grant and Sigel had been repulsed, more Confederate troops would be available to pursue Crook. For that reason, Crook believed it would be prudent to return north to Lewisburg. This would put his command close to his supply base, but still keep him in position to join Sigel at Staunton (as planned) if Sigel had been successful.<ref name="Duncan65">Template:Harvnb</ref>
In Dublin, Crook's soldiers found warehouses with food, military equipment, and tobacco. They camped in Dublin that night, and began destroying anything of military value in the morning. Buildings burned included the depot and adjacent property, warehouses, a nearby hotel, and one or two private residences. They also destroyed part of the railroad line. About Template:Convert of railroad track and ties were removed from the line. The track was made useless by heating it with burning railroad ties and twisting it.<ref name="Duncan66">Template:Harvnb</ref>
New River bridgeEdit
Approaching the railroad bridge on May 10, Crook's fighters drove off skirmishers. At 9:30Template:Nbspam Crook's artillery began firing at the Confederates on the other side of the river, and Confederate artillery returned fire. The exchange of artillery fire lasted for about three hours. The Union artillery had an advantage of being mounted on a higher elevation. Two guns from Union Captain David W. Glassie's 1st Kentucky Battery were able to hit the railway roundhouse at the railroad's Central Depot, which was about Template:Convert away. Captain James R. McMullen's 1st Ohio Battery put two Confederate guns out of commission.<ref name="Duncan67">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Believing that a Union infantry force had crossed the river at another location in an attempted flanking maneuver, McCausland withdrew toward Christiansburg. The Union soldiers pushed two burning railroad cars onto the bridge, causing the bridge to burn down. It took two hours to burn, and all that remained were the bridge's pylons.<ref name="Duncan67-68">Template:Harvnb</ref> Although McCausland believed he would be pursued further east, Crook chose not to do so. Crook had already accomplished his goal of destroying Dublin Depot, the bridge, and some track. Instead, he decided to move back to West Virginia.<ref name="BoydJr77">Template:Harvnb</ref>
AftermathEdit
Averell's cavalry was unable to attack the salt works or lead mines, and was repelled in the Battle of Cove Mountain on May 10. He arrived in Dublin on May 11 after Crook had left for the New River Bridge. Both Crook and Averell planned to move back to the security of West Virginia.<ref name="Whisonant1997p36">Template:Harvnb</ref> Averell left Dublin on May 12 and proceeded toward Christiansburg, where he destroyed more railroad infrastructure and military supplies. He then moved back toward West Virginia.<ref name="Whisonant1997p37">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Crook took a different route to West Virginia, but the two Union forces joined at Union, West Virginia, on May 15. Their journey ended on May 19 when they reached a Union camp at Meadow Bluff, West Virginia.<ref name="Whisonant1997p37"/> Both Crook and Averell had been unsuccessfully pursued by Colonel William H. French's 17th Virginia Cavalry and Colonel William L. "Mudwall" Jackson's 19th Virginia Cavalry.<ref name="PursuitOfUnion">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref>
Result and casualtiesEdit
Discounting early skirmishing and the pursuit, estimates of the duration of the main portion of the battle range from slightly less than one hour to 90 minutes.<ref name="BattleLength">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> The battle was a victory for Crook and the Union army. Confederate Colonel McCausland described the result by simply saying "We were defeated".<ref name="ScottMcCausland44">Template:Harvnb</ref> Despite driving the Confederate Army off the battlefield, capturing Dublin Depot, and burning an important railroad bridge, Crook did not achieve total victory because the Confederate Army was able to get away.<ref name="Duncan63">Template:Harvnb</ref> Crook did not have explosives necessary to destroy the foundation of the New River bridge. It was rebuilt, using fire-resistant green timber, in less than five weeks.<ref name="Whisonant1997p39">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Union casualties listed in Crook's report, which include the skirmishes on MayTemplate:Nbsp8 and 10 (New River Bridge) in addition to the battle on MayTemplate:Nbsp9, total to 688. The total includes 108 killed, 508 wounded, and 72 captured or missing. Colonel White's 2nd Brigade had 391 of the casualties, which included 186 for the 9th West Virginia.<ref name="ScottCrook13-14">Template:Harvnb</ref> The total casualties of 688 amounted to roughly 10 percent of the Union force.<ref name="Cozzens50">Template:Harvnb</ref> The 5th and 7th West Virginia cavalry detachments had no casualties listed despite a regimental history describing "riderless horses" and McCausland reporting them "repulsed with considerable loss".<ref name="CavCas">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref>
Brigadier General Jenkins did not recover from the wound to his arm. He was captured and treated at the Cloyd house, but an improper treatment of a ligature caused him to bleed to death on May 21.<ref name="Cozzens50"/> Confederate casualties totaled 538 in McCausland's report. He called the fight "the battle of Cloyd's Farm", and his casualties included the battle on May 9 and subsequent operations. The total consists of 76 killed, 262 wounded, 77 captured, and 123 missing. The 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment and 60th Virginia Infantry accounted for 174 and 158 of the total casualties, respectively. Also included in the total was one casualty for the Botetourt Artillery—which fought on May 10 at the railroad bridge, but not on May 9.<ref name="ScottMcCausland49">Template:Harvnb</ref> The 17th Virginia Cavalry, which was not present for the fighting on May 9 or May 10, had two casualties listed. It was involved in the pursuit of Crook's and Averell's forces.<ref name="17VACas">Template:Harvnb; Template:Harvnb</ref> Although Confederate casualties were lower than those of the Union, they accounted for nearly one quarter of their strength.<ref name="Cozzens50"/>
Results for Grant's planEdit
Grant and the Army of the Potomac fought Lee's Army of Northern Virginia on MayTemplate:Nbsp5 through MayTemplate:Nbsp7 in the Battle of the Wilderness. The battle was inconclusive, but Grant continued toward the Confederate capital city of Richmond instead of retreating like his predecessors.<ref name="ABTWilderness">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite Averell's lack of success with the mines, he diverted Confederate troops away from Crook.<ref name="Duncan72">Template:Harvnb</ref> Breckinridge defeated Major General Franz Sigel on May 15 in the Battle of New Market, and this caused Sigel to retreat north.<ref name="SigelDefeat">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}; Template:Harvnb</ref> Six days later, Sigel was replaced by Major General David Hunter.<ref name="GallagherSheehan-Dean266">Template:Harvnb</ref>
NotesEdit
FootnotesEdit
CitationsEdit
ReferencesEdit
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External linksEdit
- Shenandoah Valley Campaign March-November 1864 - Center of Military History, U.S. Army
- Recent photos of battlefield - flickr
- Battle of New River Bridge - Virginia Tech
- V&T RR During the Civil War - Encyclopedia Virginia
Template:Rutherford B. HayesTemplate:American Civil War campaigns in the Eastern TheaterTemplate:Authority control