Battle of Droop Mountain
Droop Mountain, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA
What happened
A Union brigade under William W. Averell attacked Confederates under John Echols and William L. Jackson. Averell's troops attacked Confederate forces dug in on Droop Mountain. Union soldiers went around the Confederate right side and then attacked the defenses from the front. The Confederates broke and retreated south through Lewisburg.
Why it matters
It was the last major Civil War battle in West Virginia. According to some historians it ended organized Confederate resistance in the state, though others say its effect was small because the Confederate army escaped.
What came next
The Confederates returned to Lewisburg weeks later, and most fighting in the region moved to the Shenandoah Valley.
Did you know?
The battlefield became West Virginia's first state park, dedicated on 4 July 1928.
Timeline
- 6 Nov 1863Battle of Droop Mountain.
- Dec 1863Halleck orders another raid on the railroad.
- 4 Jul 1928Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is dedicated.