Confused First Flight - January ‘98 America’s Civil War Feature

The attack schedule was carefully followed. Morris decided to split his force into two columns of 1,500 men each. Kelley, with six companies of the 1st Virginians; Milroy, with nine companies of the 9th Indiana; and Irvine, with six companies of the 16th Ohio, moved by way of Thornton. Late on the evening of June 2, Dumont, with five companies of the 7th Indiana, moved out by train and was joined at Webster by Steedman, with five companies of the 14th Ohio and two light artillery smoothbore 6-pounder cannons, and by Crittenden, with six companies of the 6th Indiana Infantry. Colonel F.W. Lander, McClellan’s aide-de-camp, accompanied them, the officers being mounted on horseback at Webster. Before they arrived at Webster a rain began, light at first but increasing to a steady downpour that lasted throughout the night.

Although two pro-Southern young ladies rode their horses to Philippi the previous afternoon to warn Porterfield that the Yankees were planning an attack, the Confederate commander failed to withdraw or even post an adequate guard. Now, after loading a few wagons with what supplies they could carry, Porterfield assembled his officers on the night of June 2 and announced that if they were attacked they would retreat toward Beverly, 40 miles south, where–eternal optimist that he was–he expected to find reinforcements.

Believing that an army would be hard pressed to march in the heavy rain that was then falling, Porterfield let his officers sleep the night away. In fact, the entire Confederate camp retired for a good night’s sleep–in their quarters in the courthouse, in private homes, in vacant buildings and, in the case of the Upshur cavalry, in their proud new tents. Unknown to Porterfield, the guards he had placed left their posts without permission or replacement and came back into town seeking shelter from the rain. Thus, Philippi was entirely unguarded, with Union forces already on the way.

Dumont’s forces traveled a macadamized road and, in spite of the rain, arrived at Talbott’s Hill, overlooking the sleeping town, shortly before 4 o’clock. Kelley had a longer march; the rain had turned the roads to mud and he was late. The plan had been that the 6-pounders would be placed on top of the hill but that all fire would be withheld until Milroy occupied his position on the pike and Kelley was ready to enter the main part of town. The signal to open fire was to be a pistol shot. Lander himself supervised the placing of the cannons and waited in the rain for the signal. But something went wrong.

Living near the top of the hill was Mrs. Thomas Humphreys, a Confederate sympathizer. Awakened by the passing soldiers, she saddled a horse and attempted to send her son into town to spread the alarm. After soldiers prevented this, she ran into the house, returned with a pistol and fired at the soldiers. Out of sight on top of the hill, the cannoneers, mistaking Mrs. Humphreys’ shot for the signal to open fire, let loose a broadside on the town. The Battle of Philippi had begun. Kelley and Milroy, still at a distance, were too late to reach their stations in time.

In Philippi itself, all was confusion. The Confederates had no artillery, and after firing only a few resistance shots they fled southward on the road to Beverly. When Milroy arrived, he found he had crossed Talbott’s Hill too far north and his position was already occupied by the last remnants of the retreating Rebel army.

Kelley and his forces entered town as planned near the covered bridge, which had already been taken by Dumont’s men. Kelley then turned south and followed the path of the retreating Confederates. On the outskirts of town he saw a soldier trying to make his escape and fired at him. The soldier returned the fire and shot Kelley in the chest. The soldier was captured by Lander and surrendered as a prisoner of war. Kelley, at first believed to be mortally wounded, was taken to a nearby tavern that had served as Porterfield’s headquarters, then to a home in the town. He recovered to serve the Union with variable distinction for the remainder of the war.