Battle of Rich Mountain Facts

Date and Location

• July 10-11, 1861
• Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia)

Campaign

• Western Virginia Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

• Major General George McClellan
• Brigadier General William Rosecrans

Principal Confederate Commanders

• Brigadier General Richard S. Garnett
• Colonel John Pegram

Union Forces Engaged

• Department of the Ohio

Confederate Forces Engaged

• Army of the Northwest

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 6,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 1,300

Estimated Union Casualties

• 46 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

• 300 (killed, wounded, captured/missing), mostly prisoners

Result

• Union victory

Significance

• The Union victory at the Battle of Rich Mountain contributed to the eventual Confederate withdrawal from western Virginia and the formation of the State of West Virginia.

Timeline of the Battle of Rich Mountain

These are the main events and battles of the Western Virginia Campaign in order.

• June 3, 1861 — Battle of Philippi
• July 6–7, 1861 — Battle of Middle Fork Bridge
• July 11, 1861 — Battle of Rich Mountain
• July 13, 1861 — Battle of Corrick’s Ford
• August 26, 1861 — Battle of Kessler’s Cross Lanes
• September 10, 1861 — Battle of Carnifex Ferry
• September 12–15, 1861 — Battle of Cheat Mountain
• October 3, 1861 — Battle of Greenbrier River
• December 13, 1861 — Battle of Camp Allegheny