Summary:
Union General Benjamin F. Kelley reports to Army Headquarter's Chief of Staff
George W. Cullum concerning General William Averell's December, 1863, raid in
West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. During the raid, Union forces
threatened Staunton in order to prevent Confederates from focusing all their
strength on Averell.
Brig. Gen. G. W. CULLUM,
Chief of Staff, Hdqrs. Army,
Washington, D. C.
Cumberland, Md.,
February 18, 1864.
GENERAL:
I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations in this department during the month of December, 1863, which resulted in the cutting of the enemy's communications, and the destruction of his depots at Salem, on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad:
In pursuance of the intimated wishes of the General-in-Chief, on the 5th of December, I ordered Brigadier-General Averell, commanding First Separate Brigade, to move with all his available force, via Petersburg, Franklin, and Monterey, to the line of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, at Bonsack's Station, in Botetourt County, or Salem, in Roanoke County, and there destroy the railroad to as great an extent and as thoroughly as practicable. To assist in this movement, Colonel Thoburn, First West Virginia Infantry, commanding brigade, was ordered to report to General Averell with two regiments of infantry and a section of artillery, to be left at some selected point on the route, for the purpose of guarding the forage trains and supporting the return of the expedition. The object of the expedition accomplished, General Averell was ordered to return to any station on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between New Creek and Harper's Ferry that might be found most convenient.
To withdraw the enemy's attention from the movements of the main column, and to prevent his penetrating its real design, it was thought advisable to make double feints on either flank, menacing Staunton and New River Bridge, respectively.
On the 1st of December, Brigadier-General Scammon, commanding Third Division, was ordered to advance from Kanawha, via Lewisburg and Union, threatening the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at New River.
On the 8th of December, Brigadier-General Sullivan, commanding First Division, received orders to send all his cavalry force, with two regiments of infantry and a battery, up the Valley of the Shenandoah, to occupy Harrisonburg, and from thence to threaten Staunton with the cavalry, remaining until the 22d of the month.
In addition, Colonel Moor, Twenty-eighth Ohio Infantry, with two regiments of infantry, was ordered on the 7th of December to report to General Averell, and to move forward from Beverly to Droop Mountain, for the purpose of seconding the expected attack on Lewisburg by the forces under General Scammon.
In conformity to orders, Brigadier-General Averell, whose detailed report is herewith submitted, moved from New Creek, on the morning of the 8th of December, with four regiments and a battalion of mounted troops and Ewing's battery. On the 10th, he was joined by Colonel Thoburn at Petersburg, Hardy County, and the united command marched southward until near Monterey, in Highland County. The greater portion of the train was here left in charge of Colonel Thoburn, who, with his force, took the road to McDowell.
On the 12th, General Averell, with his column, took a secluded road down Back Creek, and during the second day's march fell upon and dispersed the rear guard of the rebel (Jackson's) force, which was retreating before the advance of Colonel Moor, toward Droop Mountain. Four wagons loaded with ammunition and commissary stores were captured and destroyed on this occasion. Upon his arrival at Callaghan's, General Averell was informed of the occupation of Lewisburg by General Scammon's forces, and the consequent retreat of Echols toward Union. After making a false advance toward Covington General Averell moved from Callaghan's by an obscure road up Dunlap's Creek to the Sweet Springs. At this place he learned that General Echols was encamped 4 miles north of Union, and that General Scammon had retired from Lewisburg.
The capture of a rebel quartermaster in this vicinity assured General Averell that his movements were as yet unsuspected. From the Sweet Springs he marched eastward toward New Castle, halted to feed and rest 12 miles from that place. Having sent a squadron to make a false advance on the Fincastle road, he passed through New Castle during the night, and entered Salem with his advanced guard about 10 o'clock on the morning of the 16th. With such admirable skill and secrecy had this march been conducted, that the appearance of our troops was a complete surprise to the inhabitants of Salem, and General Averell found there large depots of military stores without any guard whatever.
Shortly after his occupation of the place, he was advised of the approach of a train of cars loaded with troops of the enemy. As the main body of his force was not yet within supporting distance, and his advance guard consisted of only 350 men and a section of artillery, he thought it imprudent to permit the nearer approach of this train, and accordingly opened on it with his artillery, and drove it back. When the main force arrived he sent parties 4 miles to the eastward and 12 miles to the westward, who destroyed five important bridges, and damaged the railroad track between those points as extensively as their limited time permitted. Meanwhile, he burned the depot buildings in the town, destroying an immense quantity of commissary, quartermaster, and ordnance stores accumulated for the use of General Longstreet's army.
Having thus successfully accomplished his mission, at 4 p. m. on the same day General Averell started northward, returning by the same route that he had advanced. As his column had marched the last 80 miles of their journey in thirty hours, both men and animals were much exhausted, and in consequence he encamped for the night 7 miles from Salem. A severe rain-storm commenced the same evening which continued during the ensuing day and night, rendering Craig's Creek (which the column was obliged to cross frequently on the march of the 17th) a dangerous and almost impracticable torrent. By extraordinary exertions, however, the artillery and wagons were saved, and on the evening of the 18th the command reached New Castle, with damaged ammunition and otherwise in bad condition.
Here General Averell received information that Fitzhugh Lee, with his brigade of cavalry, was at Fincastle, and that Samuel Jones was in force on the Sweet Springs road. At 9 p. m. he made a feint advance toward Fincastle, and then with his column took the Sweet Springs road. In this direction he presently met the enemy's pickets, and drove them 12 miles to the junction of the Sweet Springs and Fincastle turnpike. Here a halt was ordered, camp fires built and left burning, while the column moved northeastward by an unfrequented road leading directly toward Covington.
At a point 8 miles from Covington our troops encountered the enemy about 300 strong, routed him, and pursued so closely that he was prevented from destroying the bridges over Jackson's River, although combustibles had been prepared for that purpose. The possession of these bridges (one 5 miles distant from, and the other immediately at, the town of Covington) was essential to the safety of General Averell's command, as Jackson's River was greatly swollen and covered with floating ice. In this vicinity a dispatch from Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones to Major-General Early was captured, which betrayed the plans, positions, and forces of the enemy, and indicated to General Averell the mode of counteracting them, an advantage which was promptly and successfully used.
After the main body of our forces had crossed the first bridge, the baggage train was assailed by Colonel Jackson, who captured their ambulances, some sick, and about 100 men. The brigade was then burned by our troops, thus cutting off the regiment which formed the rear guard. The baggage train, which was very small, was destroyed under orders, to prevent its failing into the enemy's hands, and the regiment rejoined the command by swimming the river, losing only 4 or 5 men drowned.
The following day the command concentrated at Callaghan's, and from thence crossed the Alleghany Ridge, striking Antony's Creek between White Sulphur Springs and Huntersville, and on the 21st, by a very obscure route, reached and crossed the Greenbrier River opposite Hillsborough, encamping that night at the northern base of Droop Mountain. On the 24th, General Averell with his command reached Beverly, after a march of 400 miles, altogether one of the most difficult and hazardous that has been yet accomplished by any troops.
Brigadier-General Scammon, who was ordered to press the enemy from the west for the purpose of diverting his attention from the movements of General Averell, advanced from the Kanawha and occupied Lewisburg on the 12th, driving out Echols, and capturing a few prisoners. He then fell back to Meadow Bluff with his main body, leaving General Duffie with his cavalry and a section of artillery at Lewisburg. Disturbed by the operations of guerrillas in his rear and rumors of re-enforcements to the enemy in front, he retired with his whole force to the Kanawha earlier than was contemplated in his orders.
In accordance with the general plan, Colonel Moor with his infantry advanced from Beverly to Droop Mountain, and forwarded a messenger to communicate with General Scammon at Lewisburg. This messenger having been captured by guerrillas, he ordered Lieutenant Adams with 20 cavalry to force his way through. On reaching Lewisburg this officer found the town nearly deserted and could hear nothing definite of General Scammon. He returned to Colonel Moor on the 14th, reported that he had been fired on by the enemy in the outskirts of Lewisburg as he left. Failing to communicate with General Scammon, and perceiving that parties of the enemy were blocking up the road in his rear, he retired, carrying with him our wounded left in the vicinity of Droop Mountain after the battle of November 6, and reached Beverly on the 17th, skirmishing on the march with guerrillas, and capturing 8 prisoners.
Colonel Thoburn, after separating from General Averell on the 12th, near Monterey, moved to the left, and threatened Staunton by way of McDowell. Having successfully assisted in attracting the enemy's attention to that point, he returned without molestation to his original position at Petersburg, bringing with him General Averell's wagon train, and carrying out his instructions in the most satisfactory manner.
The column sent by Brigadier-General Sullivan up the Valley of the Shenandoah first encountered the enemy at Strasburg, and drove him back, after sharp skirmishing, in which we took some 30 prisoners. Occupying Harrisonburg according to instructions, Colonel Wells, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, commanding, threatened Staunton, completely deceiving the enemy, holding Imboden with 1,200 men on guard, and for several days diverting the forces of Generals Fitzhugh Lee and Early from the movements of Averell.
The enemy attempted to cut off this detachment by sending Colonel Rosser with a brigade of cavalry to fall upon its rear by way of Front Royal. A counter movement was made by General Meade, by sending General Gregg with a cavalry brigade to Luray. Owing to the swollen condition of the Shenandoah River the movement made by Rosser failed, while General Gregg entered Luray, destroyed some rebel property, and retired without meeting the enemy in force.
The command of Colonel Wells retired to its original position at Charlestown and Harper's Ferry, arriving on the same day that General Averell reached Beverly (24th), having killed, wounded, and captured a number of the enemy, and having materially assisted in the successful accomplishment of the general plan.
The results of this combined movement have been highly satisfactory and important, inflicting a loss on the enemy of not less than 400 men, an immense amount of provisions, material, and machinery, and the cutting off for a number of weeks of his most important line of communication.
The behavior of the troops has been most commendable, and the conduct of the different movements (with some exceptions) all that could have been desired. The brigade of General Averell, to which was assigned the most difficult and hazardous duty, has, in its successful accomplishment of that duty, won unfading laurels, while its admirable good conduct toward the peaceful inhabitants of the country, and its heroic endurance of fatigue and privation, add luster to the glory of its success.
B. F. KELLEY,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 29, Serial No. 48, Pages 920-923, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
