Newell - Lee vs. McClellan : the first campaign

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WORLD WAR II & THE PRESIDENTS

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Copyright 1996 by Clayton R. Newell

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, website, or broadcast.

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First e-book edition 2015: ISBN 978-1-62157-428-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Newell, Clayton R., 1942

Lee vs. McClellan: the first campaign / Clayton R. Newell.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. West Virginia Campaign, 1861. 2. West VirginiaHistoryCivil War, 18611865. 3. Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 18071870. 4. McClellan, George Brinton, 18261885. I. Title.

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For my father:

Reverend Wendell R. Newell A man of peace.

CONTENTS

MAPS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Frontispiece:

A cannon from Brigadier John B. Floyds Confederate brigade emplaced on Cotton Hill prepares to open fire on the Federal supply depot in the town of Gauley Bridge on November 1, 1861. The attack came as a complete surprise to Brigadier General William Rosecrans, who had neglected to occupy the mountain that overlooked the Federal position.

Front Endpapers:

Two six-pounder cannons of Barretts Ohio Battery under the direction of Colonel Frederick W. Lander open the first battle of the campaign in western Virginia by firing on the town of Philippi on June 3, 1861. Their aiming point was the neatly aligned white tents of the Upshur Grays, part of Colonel George Alexander Porterfields Confederate forces holding the town.

Back Endpapers:

Troops of the First Georgia from Brigadier General Robert Garnetts Confederate command on Laurel Hill advance toward the Ninth Indiana and Fourteenth Ohio of Brigadier General Thomas Morriss brigade (foreground) near Belington on July 5, 1861. The skirmish preceded by five days the Federal attack on the Confederate position at nearby Rich Mountain.

E .B. VANDIVER, a long-time student of the Civil War, provided the inspiration for this book. He did the initial work on the military operations conducted in western Virginia in 1861. When I expressed an interest in pursuing a book on the subject, he very generously shared his ideas and research with me. He followed the erratic progress of my research and writing, provided interest and enthusiasm along the way, and twice read the manuscript in draft, correcting errors and offering suggestions. E.B. did his part to make the book better; any flaws that remain are my responsibility.

Many individuals provided support and background information on the Civil War and West Virginia history that helped shape the book. Bobbi Rogers created the maps. Susan Crites helped me understand how residents of West Virginia view the Civil War. Louise Arnold-Friend at the U.S. Army Military History Institute cheerfully guided me through the extensive holdings there. The staff at the Ruth Scarborough Library at Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was most helpful as they patiently retrieved book after book from the West Virginia Collection. The historian at Fort Myer, Virginia, Kim Holien also provided timely information. My thanks to Daniel W. Strauss, Anne Marie Price at the Virginia Historical Society, Corrie Hudgins at the Museum of the Confederacy, Debra Basham at the West Virginia Division of Culture, and the Military History Institute for their help with photographs.

This book would not have been possible without the faith of my agent, Jane Dystel who accepted the idea before seeing anything in writing. At Regnery Publishing I had the help of Richard Vigilante who provided encouragement, Charlotte Hays who smoothed out the rough edges of the manuscript, and Christopher Briggs who guided it skillfully throught the production maze.