Battle of Rich Mountain

Thursday, July 11, 1861

A surprise flanking march by Union Brig. Gen. William Rosecrans turns Confederates out of their stronghold at Rich Mountain, setting them up for defeat in northwestern Virginia.

Narrative

The Battle of Rich Mountain was fought on Thursday, July 11, 1861 between Union forces commanded by Brig. Gen. William Rosecrans and Confederate forces commanded by Lt. Col. John Pegram in Randolph County, West Virginia during the American Civil War. The battle was a Union victory, routing Confederate forces in western Virginia and resulting in approximately 340 total casualties, mostly Confederate.

Soon after Virginia seceded from the Unites States in May 1861 and joined the Confederacy, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, as commander of the Department of the Ohio, invaded western Virginia under the pretext of protecting unionists there. These western counties would later vote to secede from Virginia and form the state of West Virginia.

Following an ignominious Confederate defeat at the Battle of Philippi in early June, Confederate Brig. Gen. Robert S. Garnett fortified two key mountain passes: one through Laurel Mountain leading to Leadsville and the other through Rich Mountain to Beverly. The smaller force, consisting of 1,300 men and four cannon at Camp Garnett in Rich Mountain, was commanded by Lt. Col. John Pegram.

McClellan brought 5,000 men and eight cannon within two miles of Camp Garnett, where he permitted Brig. Gen. William S. Rosecrans and approximately 2,000 men to conduct a flanking attack, guided by a 22-year-old local unionist named David Hart. On the afternoon of July 11th, Rosecrans’ men surprised, assailed, and eventually overwhelmed the Confederate rearguard on Hart’s family farm.

Pegram realized he was nearly surrounded, so he ordered a quick retreat under cover of darkness. Pegram and Garnett were separated, and Pegram and his men surrendered. Three hundred Confederates were killed or wounded at Rich Mountain. In contrast, Union forces sustained 46 casualties at Rich Mountain and up to 53 at Corrick’s Ford. McClellan was widely praised for his victory and was given command of the Military Division of the Potomac on July 26, 1861.

Opposing Forces

Confederate

Lt. Col. John Pegram, Commanding

Unit	Commander(s)	Strength	Killed	Wounded	Captured/MIA
20th Virginia Inf. Regiment	Lt. Col. John Pegram		30	11	0
25th Virginia Inf. Regiment	Lt. Col. Jonathan M. Heck	719	5	11	2
44th Virginia Inf. Regiment	Col. William C. Scott	800	0	0	0
Churchville Cavalry	Capt. Franklin F. Sterrett		2	1	0
Lee Battery	Capt. Pierce B. Anderson		3	7*	16*
			40	31**	18

Union

Brig. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, Commanding

Unit	Commander(s)	Strength	Killed	Wounded	Captured/MIA
17th Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. John M. Connel
19th Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. Samuel Beatty	525
8th Indiana Inf. Regiment	Col. William P. Benton	242	4	16
10th Indiana Inf. Regiment	Col. Mahlon D. Manson	425	4	6	1
13th Indiana Inf. Regiment	Col. Jeremiah C. Sullivan	650	9
Burdsall’s Ind. Company Ohio Cavalry	Capt. Henry W. Burdsall	75	1	0	0
4th U.S. Artillery, Battery G	Cpt. Albion P. Howe
4th U.S. Artillery, Battery I	Cpt. Oscar A. Mack

Col. Robert L. McCook, Commanding

Unit	Commander(s)	Strength	Killed	Wounded	Captured/MIA
9th Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. Robert L. McCook		1	1	0
4th Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. Lorin Andrews
1st Michigan Artillery, Battery A	Lt. George Van Pelt

Brig. Gen. Newton Schleich, Commanding

Unit	Commander(s)	Strength	Killed	Wounded	Captured/MIA
3rd Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. Isaac H. Morrow
6th Ohio Inf. Regiment	Col. William K. Bosley
14th Indiana Inf. Regiment	Col. Nathan Kimball
15th Indiana Inf. Regiment	Col. George D. Wagner

Casualties

Confederate

(Click to expand)

Name	Unit	Killed	Mortally Wounded	Wounded	Captured / Missing
Sgt. William H. Allen	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Cpl. Robert H. Bagby	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D	K
Pvt. John W. Bayne	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Lt. JGS Boyd	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Charles Constantinie	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. A	K
Sgt. William J. Cox	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. G	K
Pvt. T.L. Gathery	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. William A. Gillispie	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Robert W. Harding	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. George W. Hazlewood	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Cpl. C.H. Hickock	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Edward C. Inge	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Thomas H. McFadden	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. J.E. Murphey	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Adam Niester	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Samuel H. Pendleton	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. K	K
Capt. William M. Skipwith	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D	K
Pvt. W.T. Smith	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. David Stinson	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Pvt. Jordan Taylor	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Cpl. Richard D. White	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. James W. Williamson	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Given S. Word	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E	K
Cpl. Douglass B. Woodson	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Samuel T. Arvin	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B		MW
Pvt. S.Y. Bowers	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. C		MW
Pvt. James A. Dupriest	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B		MW
Pvt. Martier L. Pierce	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D		MW
Pvt. James H. Richardson	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D		MW
Pvt. George W. Snead	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B		MW
Pvt. James H. Buckner	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B			W
Pvt. John Dennis	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Lt. John S. Dorset	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D			W
Pvt. Alvin L. Farley	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. D			W
Pvt. Robert A. Garnett	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Pvt.  Samuel T. Irvin	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. B			W
Capt. Carter H. Irving	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Pvt. David McLaughlin	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. G			W
Pvt. Thomas P. Moss	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Pvt. John A. Poe	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Pvt. Alexander Taylor	20th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Pvt. Henry C. Jackson	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A	K
Pvt. Oscar Sherwood	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A	K
Pvt. Abraham Snider	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Samuel Strickler	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Robert West	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B	K
Pvt. Hugh Adams	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B			W
Capt. David P. Curry	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B			W
Sgt. James E. Bryan	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. B			W
Pvt. William J. Carroll	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. D			W
Pvt. George W. Dawson	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Pvt. James D. Dawson	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A				C
Lt. Miles Harold	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. E			W
Capt. John C. Higginbotham	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Lt. Adam G. McGuffin	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. G			W
Pvt. Jeremiah Paugh	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Pvt. Benjamin F. Suddarth	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Pvt. George Thompson	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. A			W
Pvt. Charles B. Fowler	25th Virginia Infantry, Co. E				C
Pvt. James B. Wilson	Churchville Cavalry	K
Sgt. John B. Wyant	Churchville Cavalry		MW
Pvt. William L. Mossingcap	Churchville Cavalry			W
Pvt. Isaiah Rider	Lee Battery	K
Sgt. Wythe R. Turner	Lee Battery	K
Pvt. William W. Stewart	Lee Battery		MW
Pvt. Benjamin H. Davidson	Lee Battery			W	C
Pvt. Louis Going	Lee Battery			W
Pvt. Edward H. Kersey	Lee Battery			W
Pvt. John Madden	Lee Battery			W	C
Pvt. John J. Mays	Lee Battery			W	C
Pvt. John A. Taylor	Lee Battery			W
Lt. Charles W. Stratham	Lee Battery			W	C
Pvt. James Brooks	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. James M. Brooks	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Thomas S. Brooks	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. William H. Broyles	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Amos Curren	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Warren Curren	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. James B. Creasey	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Joseph Lambden	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. William J. Lipscomb	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Reese W. Walker	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. Lewellyn J. Wooldridge	Lee Battery				C
Pvt. William A. Worley	Lee Battery				C
Capt. Julius A. DeLagnel	N/A			W

Union

(Click to expand)

Name	Unit	Killed	Mortally Wounded	Wounded	Captured / Missing
Pvt. George Buettner	9th Ohio, Co. K			X
Pvt. Gustave Stoecker	9th Ohio, Co. I	X
1Sg. David A. Wolcott	Burdsall’s Ind. Company Ohio Cavalry		X
1SG William H. Keller	8th Indiana, Co. A			X
Cpl. Francis M. Stobaugh	8th Indiana, Co. A			X
Sgt. Frank Hall	8th Indiana, Co. B			X
Pvt. Samuel Devaughn	8th Indiana, Co. B			X
Pvt. Frederick Coppersmith	8th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. Asbury L. Kirwood	8th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. Collier M. Reid	8th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. John H. Walker	8th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. Joseph Beck	8th Indiana, Co. E	X
Pvt. Benjamin Curtis	8th Indiana, Co. E			X
Sgt. George Shane	8th Indiana, Co. F			X
Pvt. Henry L. Powell	8th Indiana, Co. F			X
Pvt. Philander Wiseheart	8th Indiana, Co. F	X
Sgt. Marion M. Stephenson	8th Indiana, Co. G		X
Pvt. James Buchanan	8th Indiana, Co. G			X
Pvt. Andrew Stutsman	8th Indiana, Co. G			X
Pvt. William Lamb	8th Indiana, Co. H			X
Pvt. Lemuel Cusick	8th Indiana, Co. K			X
Pvt. James H. Emmit	8th Indiana, Co. K	X
Pvt. Jacob Sailors	8th Indiana, Co. K			X
Cpt. Christian Miller	10th Indiana, Co. A			X
Sgt. James A. Taggart	10th Indiana, Co. A	X
Pvt. Frank M. Bryant	10th Indiana, Co. A			X
Pvt. John Cunningham	10th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. James W. Gwin	10th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. Henry Rank	10th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. John L. Thomas	10th Indiana, Co. D				X
Pvt. Aaron Truwiger	10th Indiana, Co. D			X
Pvt. Rembt. R. Elenga	10th Indiana, Co. E	X
Pvt. Samuel Yocum	10th Indiana, Co. E	X
Pvt. James H. McGill	10th Indiana, Co. H		X
Pvt. Joseph Blesser	13th Indiana, Co. A	X
Cpl. John Powell	13th Indiana, Co. B	X
Cpl. John F. Warner	13th Indiana, Co. B	X
Pvt. Joseph Cook	13th Indiana, Co. C	X
Pvt. William Riffle	13th Indiana, Co. E	X
Pvt. John Fordyce	13th Indiana, Co. G		X
Pvt. James F. Thompson	13th Indiana, Co. G		X
Pvt. Patrick Welch	13th Indiana, Co. G	X
Pvt. Allen J. Thompson	13th Indiana, Co. H	X
		14	5	23	1

Timeline

• June 15, 1861: Confederate Brig. Gen. Robert Seldon Garnett arrives in Huttonsville, Randolph County to take command of Confederate forces there.

• June 16, 1861: Garnett assigns Col. Jonathan M. Heck to guard the Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike at Rich Mountain, while he fortifies Laurel Hill.

• July 2, 1861: Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan occupies Buckhannon in Upshur County, approx. 23 miles from the Confederate encampment at Rich Mountain.

• July 7, 1861: Union forces arrive in front of Rich Mountain and Laurel Hill.

Battlefield

Efforts to preserve the Rich Mountain battlefield for posterity have remained mostly in private hands. The West Virginia Department of Culture and History erected a metal sign in 1976, and in 1981, a private organization placed a stone marker at the site of the Hart house.

The site of Camp Garnett and the Rich Mountain battlefield are currently owned and protected by the Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation, which together with the Civil War Trust has preserved 57 acres. There is additional signage with more detailed information about the battle.

Location

GPS Coordinates — 38.86624, -79.9345

Primary Sources

Reports and Letters

• Jun. 23 Proclamation to the People of Western Virginia
• Jul. 10 Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan
• Jul. 12 Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan (1st)
• Jul. 12 Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan (2nd)
• Jul. 13 Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan
• Jul. 13 Letter from General McClellan to John Pegram, C. S. Army
• Jul. 14 Report of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan (3rd)
• July 14th Report of Lt. Col. John Pegram, C. S. Army
• August 10th Report of Captain Pierce B. Anderson, Lee Battery, C. S. Army
• 1861 Report of Maj. Nathaniel Tyler, Twentieth Virginia Infantry
• 1861 Report of Lt. Col. Jonathan McGee Heck, Twenty-fifth Virginia Infantry
• Jan 18, 1862 Report of Mr. Jedediah Hotchkiss, Topographical Engineer
• April 16, 1862 Report of Col. William C. Scott, Forty-fourth Virginia Infantry

Secondary Sources

Boeche, Thomas L. “McClellan’s First Campaign” in America’s Civil War (January 1998): 30-36.

Haselberger, Fritz. Yanks from the South! The First Land Campaign of the Civil War. Baltimore: Past Glories, 1987.

Lesser, W. Hunter. Battle at Corricks Ford: Confederate Disaster and Loss of a Leader. Parsons: McClain Printing Company, 1993.

Lesser, W. Hunter. Rebels at the Gate: Lee and McClellan on the Front Line of a Nation Divided. Naperville: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2004.

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Updated: 8 March 2025
Created: 12 February 2021