Battle of Cheat Mountain

Battle of Cheat Mountain
(Battle of Cheat Summit Fort)
Part of the American Civil War

Earthworks at Fort Milroy, pictured in 2006
DateSeptember 12–15, 1861
Location38°37′17″N 79°52′50″W / 38.62139°N 79.88056°W / 38.62139; -79.88056
Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States United States (Union) Confederate States of America Confederate States (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Joseph J. Reynolds
Nathan Kimball
George R. Latham
Robert E. Lee
Samuel Read Anderson
Albert Rust
Henry R. Jackson
Strength
5,000[1] 3,000[1]
Casualties and losses
10 killed, 14 wounded, 64 captures (88 total)[2]

~90[3]
(exact amount unknown)[2]

100 killed, 20 captured (Reynolds and Kimball)

The Battle of Cheat Mountain, also known as the Battle of Cheat Summit Fort, took place from September 12 to 15, 1861, in Pocahontas County and Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of the Civil War in which Robert E. Lee led troops into combat. During the battle, Lee attempted to surround the Union garrison atop Cheat Mountain, but the attack was never launched, due to false information from prisoners and poor communications among the various Confederate commands.

  1. ^ a b "Cheat Mountain". American Battlefield Trust.
  2. ^ a b Lesser, p. 203.
  3. ^ "ABPP: Cheat Mountain".