User:Red Harvest/sulphur

The Battle of White Sulphur Springs, also known as the Battle of Dry Creek or the Battle of Rocky Gap, was the decisive engagement of W.W. Averell's August 1863 West Virginia Raid against the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. Confederate forces successfully turned back the Federals during an engagement which spanned two days.

Background and opposing forces
On August 14, 1863 Brig. General B.F. Kelley commanding the Dept. of West Virginia issued orders to Brig. Gen. William W. Averell for an expedition to Huntersville and Lewisburg. The primary object of the expedition was to recover the volumes of the law library of the Virginia Court of Appeals in Lewisburg and relocate them to Beverly. The Confederate salt peter and gunpowder works would be targeted as well as the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

The Union force consisted of the 4th Separate Brigade of the 8th Army Corps under Brig. Gen. W.W. Averell: 2nd (West) Virginia Mounted Infantry, 8th (West) Virginia Mounted Infantry, Gibson's battalion, Ewing's battery (6 pieces), 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 3rd (West) Virginia Mounted Infantry.

The Confederate force under Col. George S. Patton was composed of: 37th Virginia Cavalry Battalion (detachment), 22nd Virginia Infantry, 23rd Virginian Infantry Battalion, 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion, 45th Virginia Infantry, Chapman's battery (4 pieces)

Battle
Patton's brigade reached the crossroads in time to form a defensive line. His artillery was deployed at the crest of a hill to command the road. The engagement began at 9 o'clock in the morning.

Averell decided not to withdraw during the night in the hope that he would be reinforced by Scammon or that the enemy would withdraw. However, by 10 am the next morning it was apparent that the Confederates were holding fast and he had no chance of reinforcement. With most of his ammunition exhausted (particularly artillery) Averell began to withdraw his force at 10:30 am. His rear guard felled trees along the way as they retreated. The raiders returned to Beverly on August 31.

Aftermath
The casualties were heavy on both sides for such small forces. Averell claimed