Civil War Philippi, West Virginia

philippi scene of first land battle of american civil war, on june 3, 1861. battle promptly lampooned philippi races because of hurried retreat confederate troops encamped in town. (the battle reenacted every june during town s blue , gray reunion. )

at daylight on june 3, 2 columns of union forces under command of col. benjamin franklin kelley , col. ebenezer dumont, perhaps 3,000 men, arrived grafton , attacked 800 poorly armed confederate recruits under command of col. george a. porterfield. union troops had marched night through heavy rain storm arrive before daylight. surprise attack — heights of battle hill northwest — awakened sleeping confederates. after firing few shots @ advancing union troops, southerners broke lines , began running frantically south, still in bed clothes.

the union victory in relatively bloodless battle propelled young major general george b. mcclellan national spotlight, , given command of union armies. battle inspired more vocal protests in western part of virginia against secession. few days later in wheeling, wheeling convention nullified virginia ordinance of secession , named francis h. pierpont governor. these events resulted in separate statehood of west virginia.

bird s eye view of philippi, west virginia, 1897