Battle of Philippi

Battle of Philippi Philippi Races Began: June 3, 1861 Ended: Same day Location: Barbour County, Virginia (now West Virginia) Theater: Eastern Theater Campaign: Operations in Western Virginia Outcome: Union victory Combatants Indiana Brigade Department of the Ohio Virginia state forces Commanders Thomas A. Morris Brigadier General, USA George A. Porterfield Colonel, CSA Strength 3,000 800 Casualties 4 26

Col. Thomas A. Morris, temporarily in command of Union forces in western Virginia, mounted a two-prong advance under E. Dumont and B.F. Kelley against a small Confederate occupation force at Philippi under Porterfield. Kelley marched on back roads from near Grafton on June 2 to reach the rear of the town, while Dumont moved south from Webster. Both columns arrived at Philippi before dawn on the 3rd. The resulting surprise attack routed the Confederate troops, forcing them to retreat to Huttonsville. Although a small affair, this was considered the first major land action in the Eastern Theater. (NPS summary)