Battle of Rich Mountain: The Victory That Created an Army
The Battle of Rich Mountain (11 July 1861), fought in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) was the second Union victory attributed to Major General George B. McClellan in the beginning of the American Civil War. The first was the Battle of Philippi (Philippi Races) on 3 June 1861.
The Battle of Philippi was actually won by Brigadier General Thomas A. Morris (though this was mainly due to his good luck in facing new and inexperienced Confederate troops) and Rich Mountain was actually won by Brigadier General William Rosecrans. McClellan, however, claimed credit for both, elevating him to the status of a national hero in the North, and leading to Abraham Lincoln placing him in command of the Army of the Potomac and then all of the Union armies; an honor he would consistently prove that he did not deserve.
Even so, had McClellan not been promoted to that post, he could never have taken the undisciplined, demoralized, and defeated volunteer force – shattered after the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) on 21 July 1861 – and transformed it into the highly disciplined professional Army of the Potomac. The Battle of Rich Mountain, then, was the victory that created an army.
Lead-up to Battle
The Battle of Philippi (Philippi Races) fought in what was then Virginia (now West Virginia) was the first organized land battle of the Civil War and a Union victory. The Battle of Big Bethel (10 June 1861), also fought in Virginia, was a decisive Confederate victory. By early June 1861, both sides believed the war would be over soon, and they would be the winners.
The Northern press pointed to Philippi as a clear indication that Confederates would run from battle and the Southern press noted the incompetence of Union leadership in their defeat at Big Bethel. It was only a matter of time, a very short time – it was thought – before the other side realized their mistake and hostilities ended.
Still, both sides understood, that time had not yet come. The Confederates at Philippi had fled south on 3 June to Huttonsville where, on 14 June, Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett arrived to take command. He regarded the defense of two mountain passes – Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain – of paramount importance and marched his force of a little over 5,000 men there on 15 June. Garnett set up his headquarters at Laurel Hill with the bulk of his troops and placed around 1,300 on Rich Mountain under the command of Lt. Colonel John Pegram.
McClellan had organized and launched the Philippi attack from his headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio but, after the victory, arrived in Virginia to take personal command of the Union forces. He had been tasked with driving the secessionists from the region of Northwestern Virginia and, after the victory at Philippi, turned his attention to the Confederate forces on Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain.
Morris marched from Philippi to meet the Confederates under Garnett at Laurel Hill and skirmishes began on 7 July. McClellan, meanwhile, had moved to intercept Pegram’s forces at nearby Rich Mountain, arriving on 9 July, and Rosecrans arrived on the 10th to reinforce him.
McClellan’s original plan was for a two-pronged attack: there would be a feint against Garnett at Laurel Hill and a direct engagement with Pegram at Rich Mountain, while another part of his force performed a flanking movement around the enemy to seize the nearby town of Beverly and cut off any escape through there.
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⇒ Battle of Rich Mountain: The Victory That Created an Army
