Battle of Philippi (1861)

Battle of Philippi
Part of the American Civil War

Daring ride on horseback of Col. Frederick W. Lander, June 3, 1861[1]
DateJune 3, 1861; 163 years ago (1861-06-03)
Location39°09′11″N 80°02′34″W / 39.15316°N 80.04278°W / 39.15316; -80.04278
Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States United States (Union) Confederate States of America Confederate States (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
United States Thomas A. Morris
United States Isaac Duval
Confederate States of America George A. Porterfield
Units involved
1st West Virginia Infantry
2nd West Virginia Infantry (reserve)
6th Indiana Infantry
7th Indiana Infantry
9th Indiana Infantry
14th Ohio Infantry
16th Ohio Infantry
9th Virginia Infantry Battalion
25th Virginia Infantry
31st Virginia Infantry
11th Virginia Cavalry
14th Virginia Cavalry
Strength
3,000 800
Casualties and losses
4 killed or wounded[2] 26 killed or wounded[2]

The Battle of Philippi formed part of the Western Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War and was fought in and around Philippi, Virginia (now West Virginia), on June 3, 1861. A Union Army victory, it was the first organized land action of the war, though generally viewed as a skirmish rather than a battle.

The Northern press, however, celebrated it as an epic triumph and this encouraged Congress to call for the drive on Richmond that ended with the Union defeat at First Bull Run in July. It brought overnight fame to Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan and was notable for the first battlefield amputations. As the first of a series of victories that pushed Confederate forces out of northwest Virginia, it strengthened the Union government in exile that would soon create the new state of West Virginia.

As the largely-untrained Confederates had fled the battlefield with barely any resistance, the Union jokingly referred to the engagement as the Philippi Races.

  1. ^ Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper, vol. 12, no. 293 (1861 June 29), p. 106.
  2. ^ a b "NPS battle summary". Archived from the original on 2014-04-14. Retrieved 2005-07-24.