Battle of Droop Mountain
It is fall of 1863.
The Federal armies in Tennessee are being pressed into submission. To relieve pressure in eastern Tennessee, Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, commanding the Department of West Virginia, orders Brigadier General William W. Averell and Brigadier General Alfred N. Duffié to move on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Dublin Station, Virginia. Averell would move south, from Beverly, West Virginia, while Duffié would move south and east from Charleston, West Virginia, converging at Lewisburg, West Virginia. From there, the forces were to move south, destroying the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad bridge over the New River at Dublin Station, thus cutting the ties between east Tennessee and eastern Virginia. Standing in Averell’s way as he moved down the Greenbrier Valley was William L. “Mudwall” Jackson near Mill Point, and General John Echols, at Lewisburg.
Jackson performed a delaying action on November 4th, slowing Averell down with the hope that Echols would have enough time to reinforce. Jackson fell back to the summit of Droop Mountain, a 3,000-foot eminence, straddled by the Lewisburg Pike, and likened by Averell to South Mountain in Maryland, but “stronger from natural difficulties and breast-works”. Jackson dug-in and awaited reinforcements. On the morning of November 6th, 1863, Averell attacked the entrenched Confederates on Droop Mountain with his mixed force of artillery, cavalry, and both mounted and foot infantry. While feinting on the Confederate right, Averell sent Colonel Augustus Moor with the 28th Ohio infantry and the 10th West Virginia infantry to turn the Confederate left. Echols arrived on scene with infantry and artillery support, of which the infantry were dispatched to the Confederate left to assist in the defense. The West Virginian mounted infantry units pressed in the center, while Federal artillery and cavalry moved up the turnpike towards the Confederate right. Averell committed along the entire front, and the Confederate line collapsed. Echols retreated down the turnpike, towards Lewisburg.
While Droop Mountain was a tactical Federal victory, the results of the battle proved to be a strategic defeat for Averell. Even though the Confederate forces were temporarily broken, Echols managed to slip through the pincer of Averell and Duffié at Lewisburg. Averell and Duffié converged in Lewisburg shortly after Echols passed through, but were low on rations and encumbered with blockaded roads, prisoners, wounded, captured supplies, and exhausted men. Averell abandoned the advance upon the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and began his return to Beverly and New Creek, West Virginia. The Confederate forces were bent, but not broken, and returned to the area within two weeks.
The Federal armies in Tennessee are being pressed into submission. To relieve pressure in eastern Tennessee, Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, commanding the Department of West Virginia, orders Brigadier General William W. Averell and Brigadier General Alfred N. Duffié to move on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at Dublin Station, Virginia. Averell would move south, from Beverly, West Virginia, while Duffié would move south and east from Charleston, West Virginia, converging at Lewisburg, West Virginia. From there, the forces were to move south, destroying the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad bridge over the New River at Dublin Station, thus cutting the ties between east Tennessee and eastern Virginia. Standing in Averell’s way as he moved down the Greenbrier Valley was William L. “Mudwall” Jackson near Mill Point, and General John Echols, at Lewisburg.
Jackson performed a delaying action on November 4th, slowing Averell down with the hope that Echols would have enough time to reinforce. Jackson fell back to the summit of Droop Mountain, a 3,000-foot eminence, straddled by the Lewisburg Pike, and likened by Averell to South Mountain in Maryland, but “stronger from natural difficulties and breast-works”. Jackson dug-in and awaited reinforcements. On the morning of November 6th, 1863, Averell attacked the entrenched Confederates on Droop Mountain with his mixed force of artillery, cavalry, and both mounted and foot infantry. While feinting on the Confederate right, Averell sent Colonel Augustus Moor with the 28th Ohio infantry and the 10th West Virginia infantry to turn the Confederate left. Echols arrived on scene with infantry and artillery support, of which the infantry were dispatched to the Confederate left to assist in the defense. The West Virginian mounted infantry units pressed in the center, while Federal artillery and cavalry moved up the turnpike towards the Confederate right. Averell committed along the entire front, and the Confederate line collapsed. Echols retreated down the turnpike, towards Lewisburg.
While Droop Mountain was a tactical Federal victory, the results of the battle proved to be a strategic defeat for Averell. Even though the Confederate forces were temporarily broken, Echols managed to slip through the pincer of Averell and Duffié at Lewisburg. Averell and Duffié converged in Lewisburg shortly after Echols passed through, but were low on rations and encumbered with blockaded roads, prisoners, wounded, captured supplies, and exhausted men. Averell abandoned the advance upon the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and began his return to Beverly and New Creek, West Virginia. The Confederate forces were bent, but not broken, and returned to the area within two weeks.
For further reading please check out:
Last Sleep: The Battle of Droop Mountain by Terry Lowry
Buy it on Amazon
or
Battle of Droop Mountain by Roy Bird Cook - West Virginia Review - October 1928