August 26 and 27, 1863 - Battle of White Sulphur Springs; White scouting across White's Ford


August 26 and 27, 1863


Battle of White Sulphur Springs (AKA the Battle of White Sulphur, the Battle of Rocky Gap, the Battle of Dry Creek, or Howard's Creek)


Greenbrier County, West Virginia


Brigadier General Benjamin Franklin Kelley > Brigadier General William W. Averell: 2nd, 3rd, and 8th West Virginia mounted infantry regiments, also included the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, Gibson's Cavalry Battalion (consisting of six companies), and the six guns of Ewing's Battery
vs.
Confederate Major General Sam Jones > Brigadier General John Echols commanded a brigade > Colonel George S. Patton: 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment, the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion, the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment, and Chapman's Artillery


* WV was divided: "Many of the fighters on both sides were West Virginians, and some were from the counties close to the site of the battle."


* Patton's Confederate force stopped Averell's Union brigade near White Sulphur Springs—about 10 miles east of Lewisburg, their supposed target. You might have heard he was going to burn the law library at Lewisburg, but in face that "law library at Lewisburg was purchased for the western part of the State, and of course rightfully belongs to the new State of West Virginia. Our judges need it very much." The Confederates stole it for Richmond after this threat passed. 


* I guess it is exciting that "Company G from 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion (a.k.a. Edgar's Battalion) came from White Sulphur Springs , and was known as the White Sulphur Rifles." Reenactors have posted a memorial to them here- and why not. There's also a tribute to the mysterious Capt. Paul von Koenig raised by his survivors. 


https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=76721
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=21752


Dry Creek Battle

A two-day encounter, Aug. 26-27, 1863, between Gen. Sam Jones' Confederates and Gen. W. W. Averell's Federals. Action is also known as Howard's Creek, White Sulphur Springs and Rocky Gap. Losses: 350.

 
Erected 1963 by West Virginia Historic Commission.





https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=76728

The Battle of White Sulphur

Was fought on this site August 26th and 27th 1863. The Confederates, some of Major General Sam Jones' forces were commanded by Colonel George S. Patton and the Federal by Brigadier General William W. Averell. About 4000 troops were engaged. General Averell withdrew on the 27th towards the east.

*

While visiting historic/scenic White Sulphur Springs, I would be remiss if I didn't visit this old resort, The Greenbrier, that had an emergency bunker built for Congress during the Cold War. General Lee was out this way also...the marker indicates a "shrine" to him, but I think it's just either a bust of his head in the hotel or a plaque near the bungalow he used to stay in. To continue....the Springs were actually in Lee's family. His wife came here on more than on occasion to deal with her arthritis. And on one such visit, Lee's favorite daughter, Annie, accompanied her mother but ironically got typhoid fever and died here.




https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=19361

White Sulphur

Large Federal fish hatcheries are located here. A mile east on Howard's Creek the armies of North and South fought in 1863. At "Oakhurst" three miles north the first golf club in America was organized in 1884.


Twelve Presidents, from "Old Hickory" Jackson to Woodrow Wilson, have been among the noted guests at the mineral springs where for nearly two centuries world society has made rendezvous. Shrine to General Robert E. Lee.


Sources / Suggested Reading:



https://wvgw.net/greenbrier/military/wssbattle.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_White_Sulphur_Springs

https://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=2064


*    *    *


Meanwhile, closer to DC, elsewhere in VA...


Aug. 27, 1863


White scouting across White's Ford


North of Leesburg, VA

"[Confederate Maj. Elijah V.] White crosses here again while scouting Federal pickets along the Potomac River"






https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1680

"An old ferry and ford across the Potomac River often used during the war between the states by Confederate forces under Generals Robert E. Lee, Jubal Early, J.E.B. Stuart and others during campaigns and raids in Maryland."



And that was the whitest entry yet.


Sources include:

Allen C. Guelzo's Robert E. Lee: A Life. Knopf, 2021


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