Washington Georgia Military     Cheat River Report 
Co E 1st Regiment

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Ross Jones RJones7598@aol.com

Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
Harpers Report on Cheat River

Harper's Report on Cheat River

Excerpt from "Harper's Pictorial History of the Civil
War", Fairfax Press, Page 142 on the activities in West
Virginia in which the 1st Georgia Volunteers were a part.

..."On the 14th of June, Governor Letcher, having posted
troops at Hattonsville, issued a proclamation, insisting
that the majority of the state should rule the state, and
calling upon Western Virginians, in the name of past
friendship and historic memories, to co-operate with
secession and join the Southern army. But this
proclamation was as ineffectual as Porterfield's
recruiting had been, although the governor offered to
redress the wrongs which the western part of the state
had so long suffered.

Returning to the military situation, as we find it in the
latter part of June, we have M'Clellan personally at the
head of the Union army in Western Virginia, and General
Garnett commanding the confederate forces. The former had
about 20,000 men, and his communications open and easy;
while the confederate general had an inferior force and,
although posted in a position highly advantageous so far
as fighting was concerned, was yet completely isolated
from any possible basis of military operations. To have
held this position for a single day after the battle of
Philippi, unless it were with a force so overwhelming as
to make defeat impossible, was simply a military blunder.
Yet Garnett held it even when he knew that McClellan was
moving steadily on, and rapidly increasing in the number
of his command. This position of the confederates was
some twenty or thirty miles southwest from Philippi, at
Rich Mountain, a gap in the Laurel Hill Range, where the
Staunton and Weston turnpike crosses it, about four or
five miles from Beverly. The road which runs along its
western slope was the only possible line of communication
between this position and Garnett's base. This road ran
through Beverly, and to hold the latter place was
effectually to intercept the possibility of the enemy's
retreat. Here, at Rich Mountain, Garnett had posted
Colonel Pegram with 8000 men, while he himself, with
about 8000, occupied Laurel Hill, fifteen or sixteen
miles farther westward. The fortified position at this
latter point was very strong. Having ordered General
Morris to occupy Garnett's forces by a direct attack,
M'Clellan himself, with the main body of the army, passed
around by Buckhannon to the rear, that is, to the western
slope of Rich Mountain. Here he divided his force into
two columns, and giving one of these to Colonel
Rosecrans, he sent the latter to the rear of Pegram,
while he remained in front, ready to attack
simultaneously. Rosecrans obtained the rear, sent a
courier back to M'Clellan to give the signal, and went to
work. The messenger missed the way, and passed into the
encampment of the enemy, thus giving them full
information of the movement. Meanwhile M'Clellan awaited
the signal, and the enemy, acquainted with the peril of
his position, made his way toward Laurel Hill. Garnett,
also, had been warned of the danger, and, hastily leaving
his intrenchments, proceeded southward, hoping to reach
Beverly before M'Clellan; but, on his way thither, he met
the fugitives of Pegram's army, and learned that Beverly
was already in the possession of the Union forces. Thus
all retreat to the southward was cut off. The only way of
escape left him was to follow the course of the Cheat
River towards the northeast until he should find some
outlet into the valley of Virginia. Then followed
M'Clellan's, or, rather, Morris's forces, in swift and
unrelenting pursuit, Captain Benham leading the advance.
At a bend of the Cheat River, where it winds about a
bluff of fifty or sixty feet high, the enemy made a
stand, and, planting a cannon on the top of the bluff,
disputed the advance. It was an admirable position; but
Benham led his men directly under the bluff and around to
its left, where they could gain the road, and as they
appeared upon his flank the enemy fled, leaving one of
his guns and a number of killed and wounded. About a
quarter of a mile farther on, where the stream made
another turn, Garnett, with a few skirmishers, attempted
to made another stand, and, while rallying his men,
received a Minie ball which caused his death. This was
called the battle of Carrick's Ford. In the mean time,
Pegram's force, finding escape impossible, had
surrendered to M'Clellan.

The federal success was complete. Only a small portion of
the enemy escaped, and all their material fell into our
hands. The immediate and natural result of this battle
was the evacuation of Harpers Ferry, and the abandonment
by the enemy of all Western Virginia...."