Battle of Cove Mountain

Union Army plan to attack railroad and Confederate assets

During March 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant became commander of all Union armed forces.[1] Grant's strategy was to attack the strongest Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, from multiple fronts. One target was the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, which helped connect the Confederate capital of Richmond with Tennessee.[2] The railroad was used to carry supplies and troops, and served important lead and salt mines.[3] Brigadier General George Crook was assigned the task of attacking the railroad.[4] His force was three brigades of infantry and dismounted cavalry, plus two batteries, that totaled to 6,155 men. Four hundred more men were added shortly thereafter. Crook sent a smaller force, commanded by Brigadier General William W. Averell, to attack a salt mine and railroad line further west from Crook.[4] A Union Army commanded by Major General Franz Sigel in the Shenandoah Valley would move south to Staunton, Virginia, where it would threaten the Virginia Central Railroad—and all three commands would meet at Staunton.[5]

Averell's target salt mine was located in Saltville, Virginia. During 1864, this salt mine produced an estimated two thirds of the salt used by the Confederacy.[6][Note 1] Saltville is located along the border of Washington and Smyth counties in southeastern Virginia, and is served by a spur line from the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. Further east along the rail line, Wytheville, the regional Confederate Army headquarters at the Dublin Depot near New Bern, and a huge railroad bridge across the New River were Union targets.[7] Wytheville had a strategic significance because of a nearby lead mine that was the source for much of the lead used by the Confederacy to produce bullets for its army.[8]

Averell took a route with rough terrain, while Morgan took the shortest route.

Averell departed from near the Logan County courthouse on May 5, 1864. His men had rations for four days, while the horses had considerably less. They moved south to Oceana in Wyoming County on May 6, and arrived at Abb's Valley in Virginia's Tazewell County on May 7. Here, they skirmished with enemy scouts and captured one company from the 8th Virginia Cavalry. On the next day, they moved to Jeffersonville (a.k.a. Tazewell Courthouse) in Tazewell County—skirmishing with Confederate troops from Kentucky on the way.[9] From deserters and prisoners, Averell learned that the Confederate Army was aware of his Saltville objective and the size of his force. He also learned that 4,500 Confederate troops led by John Hunt Morgan and William "Grumble" Jones were waiting for him at Saltville. Given that information, Averell decided to attack the railroad further east at Wytheville, occupying Morgan and Jones so they could not intercept Crook.[25] As Averell moved east, Morgan began following him.[26]

At the junction of the Jeffersonville, Crab Orchard, and Wytheville roads, Averell continued moving east in the mountains toward Crab Orchard—a rugged road and a longer route to Wytheville.[26] If Morgan had followed Averell, the terrain could have been used to Averell's advantage to hold off Morgan while a detachment attacked Wytheville. However, Morgan was aware of the dangerous terrain, and took the southeast direct route to Wytheville (through Burke's Garden). He arrived at Wytheville ahead of his command, and ordered Confederate troops already there to move north and guard the gap passing through Cove Mountain—the gap necessary for Averell to pass through to get to Wytheville.[Note 4] The people of Wytheville were relieved to see Morgan, as they remembered the destruction of the town in 1863 in the Wytheville Raid. The town had an old 6-pounder cannon and some powder, but no ammunition. A blacksmith cut up horseshoes and other pieces of iron that could be used as canister.[21]

Wytheville – Crockett's Cove area

Approximate position of troops (not to scale)

When Averell arrived at the small mountain gap near Crockett's Cove, it was already occupied by the Confederate detachment sent from Wytheville by Morgan—and Morgan's men were moving there. Morgan's force was said to be about 4,000, although that could be an exaggeration.[28] [Note 5] Schoonmaker's 14th Pennsylvania and 1st West Virginia cavalries opened the battle by driving back the advanced guard of the Confederate force that occupied the gap. When the Union cavalry got too close to the gap, dismounted Confederate cavalry on both sides of the gap drove them back.[21] The 2nd West Virginia Cavalry waited nearby with sabers drawn, intending to take the gap in what their Colonel Powell regarded as a suicidal charge.[31] While the regiment was waiting, a member of the regiment's Company H climbed up a tree and observed the Confederate position being reinforced. This was reported to Duffié, and the charge was cancelled. Although not known by Averell at the time, reinforcements (including Morgan's brigades) were positioning on both sides of the gap, and a cannon masked by brush was positioned in the road. To lure the Confederates out into the cove, Averell's command fell back and formed a line of battle. A large Confederate force came out of the gap, and more fighting began.[31]

Morgan's command had reached Wytheville around 3:00 pm.[20] Colonel Giltner's First Brigade and Lieutenant Colonel R.A. Alston's Second Brigade, with Giltner in overall command, were deployed in the woods of the mountain in an effort to circle around to Averell's right flank.[32] After getting into position on Morgan's left side of the pass, the two brigades were dismounted, formed in line of battle, and attacked with a shout. Morgan commanded Jones' Brigade in person, in front of Averell's left, and made use of the Wytheville cannon. A third Confederate force attacked Averell's left flank.[32] A soldier from the 1st West Virginia Cavalry, which faced Morgan's First and Second Brigades, said the Confederate battle cry was "We are Morgan's men and will give you hell".[33]

Averell's forehead was grazed by a bullet early in the fighting—a slight wound that bled profusely.[31] He was forced to temporarily relinquish command, and with Duffié nowhere to be found, field command fell to Colonel Powell.[34] Powell divided the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry into platoons, and gradually moved it back with the precision of what Averell called a "dress parade that continued without disorder under heavy fire".[31][35] Averell later credited the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry with saving the left of the division.[36] Although the 2nd West Virginia was nearly surrounded three or four times during the four hours of fighting, the only break in the Union line was made by the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry.[37][31] The 34th Ohio Mounted Infantry quickly filled the gap, and the 14th Pennsylvania reformed and resumed their position.[31] Averell's force was pushed back a considerable distance, and fighting ended at dusk. Averell's report listed losses of 114 officers and men.[38] Most estimates of Confederate losses range from 40 to 60 men.[Note 6] One Union soldier, who said Averell's force was almost surrounded, believed that the Confederates had more casualties than Averell's men because the Confederates did all the charging while the Union soldiers were on defense.[33]

Averell moved to the railroad before heading north while eluding Confederate forces

A private in the Union cavalry believed that if the fighting had not stopped, half of the force would have been captured.[33] Morgan believed that he could have captured Averell's entire force if he had two more hours of daylight.[25] Averell used an elaborate deception to save his command. First, he told a staff officer that if they could hold Morgan's men until dark, Crook's force would arrive. This was said in front of a local woman from the pro-Confederate community. Second, he had an officer notify him that Crook arrived. Third, he ordered his men to give three cheers for General Crook.[33] It is unknown if the deception or darkness caused the fighting to stop, but Morgan's men returned to the gap.[29] Averell had his men build one fire for every two men—about one thousand fires—to make it appear that Crook had arrived.[33]

Averell's withdrawal was during the night. The severely wounded were left behind at Crockett's Cove Presbyterian Church.[40] The men had to ascend and descend a mountain that did not have a good road, leading their horses while on foot.[41] By dawn, the command was at the bottom of the mountain with 30 miles (48 km) of difficult terrain between them and the cove.[42] Here, they rested for half a day before continuing to the Dublin Rail Depot.[29] They reached the Dublin Depot on the evening of May 11, and spent the night in soaking rain.[43] By then Crook had destroyed the large railroad bridge over the New River, and the river itself was rising rapidly because of recent rains. The river grew to about one third of a mile (0.54 km) wide and rising, with a rapid current and rocky riverbed. They forded the New River about three miles (4.8 km) west of Christiansburg, and several men and horses drowned.[29] After the command arrived at Christiansburg, the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry was sent back to guard the ford, and witnessed the forces of Morgan and Jones unable to cross the still–rising river.[29] At Christiansburg, the command found a small Confederate force that they drove away with drawn sabers.[44] They also captured two 3-inch guns.[38]

From Christiansburg, Averell was able to communicate with Crook, and was ordered to destroy rail line eastward. The rail depot and four miles (6.4 km) of line were destroyed.[45] Averell's after-action report said that ammunition was nearly exhausted, so a return to the safety of West Virginia was then started.[38] Some of the ammunition was rendered useless from the river and rain.[46] Omitted from his report was that by a ruse on the telegraph, he learned that Confederate troops were coming from the east by rail—and he thought it was in his best interest to join Crook's column that was in Blacksburg, although Crook did not wait for Averell.[45]

On the return trip, troops under the command of Brigadier General John D. Imboden, Colonel William E. "Mudwall" Jackson, and Colonel William H. French pursued the Union cavalry.[47] They were unable to catch Averell at Blacksburg, so they tried again further north. On the morning of May 13, Jackson tried to intercept Averell at Salt Pond Mountain and Gap Mountain.[48] Rain made the terrain slippery, and mountain streams became dangerous. Imboden's report said that at Gap Mountain, Jackson "intercepted Averell's command, and scattered it in the mountains. Owing to the darkness and the swollen streams no further pursuit was made with the infantry...." A soldier from the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry wrote that they were fired upon by Confederate artillery near Gap Mountain, so two companies of skirmishers occupied the enemy while the column crossed the mountain dismounted on a narrow and dangerous path. The mountain was steep enough that the men used one hand to lead their horses by the bit and their other hand held the tail of the horse in front of them. The command continued north using "narrow and unfrequented paths and roads".[46] On May 15, Averell met Crook near Union, West Virginia.[46]

Mountains north of Wytheville in 2016

The Battle of Cove Mountain is declared "indecisive" by the National Park Service.[49] Averell praised his command, saying it "attacked and held a superior force of the enemy near Wytheville on the 10th instant, thereby enabling another column to accomplish its purpose without the opposition of overwhelming numbers". The New York Times wrote that the "cavalry raid of that dashing and gallant officer, Gen. Averill [sic]...was undoubtedly one of the most hazardous and brilliant of the war. It was, too, successful." This contrasts with a Confederate newspaper in Richmond, which called the battle "a very important victory" for the Confederacy. A report by Colonel McCausland that "Averell had been defeated by Morgan near Wytheville".[24] Another source says "Morgan caught Averell at Crockett's Cove near Wytheville and drubbed him severely".[8]

Numerous changes happened to the leaders of the battle during the remaining portion of the year. Before and after the battle, Duffié and Averell did not get along. Duffié moved to another division as the replacement for General Julius Stahel, who was wounded on June 5 at the Battle of Piedmont.[50] Duffié was captured in October, and Major General Philip Sheridan requested his dismissal from the service.[51] Schoonmaker was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions on September 19 in the Third Battle of Winchester.[52] Powell became a brigade commander and on September 23 replaced Averell as division commander.[53] On the Confederate side, Jones was killed in Virginia on June 5 in the Battle of Piedmont.[54] Graham was captured at the Battle of Moorefield in August.[55] Morgan was killed in a surprise attack in eastern Tennessee on September 4.[56]

Grant's plan to put pressure on Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was only partially successful. Crook had a major victory at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain, and completed an objective of destroying the large New River bridge of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. However, Averell was unable to damage the salt mines or lead mines, and Sigel was defeated on May 15 at the Battle of New Market. Thus, the three forces did not meet at Staunton.[50] Although there are various interpretations of the outcome of the Battle of Cove Mountain, one strategic result cannot be disputed—the Wythe County lead mines continued to supply ammunition for the Confederate Army for another seven months.[30] During December, Major General George Stoneman conducted a raid eastward from Tennessee that severely damaged Virginia and Tennessee Railroad infrastructure in western Virginia. The Wytheville County lead mines were damaged on December 17, and the Saltville saltworks severely damaged after the Second Battle of Saltville on December 20.[8][6]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Cove Mountain.

• Crockett's Cove Presbyterian Church
• Virginia Center for Civil War Studies – Wytheville
• Wythe County Historical Society