United States Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Real Time

Day 53 of the United States Civil War, June 3rd 1861

(Virginia) Western Virginia campaign - Battle of Philippi

At Philippi, a covered bridge spanned the Tygart Valley River at an important segment of the vital Beverly to Fairmont Turnpike. United States forces under United States Army, Colonel Ebenezer Dumont and Colonel Benjamin Franklin Kelley arrived at Philippi before dawn with about 3,000 men. They encountered about 800 to 1,500 untrained Confederate troops under Confederate States Army, Colonel George A Porterfield. Porterfield had been sent to Grafton to organize new recruits for the Confederate state forces. His mission was to hold northwestern Virginia for Virginia and the Confederacy. Porterfield also was ordered to hold and protect the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad or, if it could not be held, to destroy its bridges to impede the movement of United States forces. Porterfield found that sympathies at Grafton were largely pro-United States and the rival Grafton Guards under Captain George R Latham had been organised by United States supporters at Grafton. Porterfield moved to nearby Fetterman and began to gather a company from the area called the Letcher Guard or Letcher’s Guard, and added companies from other parts of the region. Porterfield’s men briefly held Grafton while the Grafton Guards went to Wheeling to be mustered into the United States Army on May 25th 1861.

A few days later, Porterfield learned that larger United States forces were moving toward Grafton and he withdrew to Philippi about 30 miles south of Grafton. Porterfield’s command then became the advance guard of Colonel Robert Selden Garnett’s command at Beverley, which was advancing towards Grafton. After an overnight march in rainy weather, the two United States Army columns of Colonel Ebenezer Dumont and Colonel Benjamin Franklin Kelley arrived at Philippi before dawn. United States Army, Colonel Thomas Armstrong Morris had planned a predawn assault that would be signaled by a pistol shot. The inexperienced Confederate troops had failed to establish picket lines or to provide perimeter security, choosing instead to avoid the cold morning rain inside their tents. A Confederate sympathiser, Mrs Thomas Humphreys, spotted the approaching United States troops and sent her young son on horseback to warn the Confederates. While Mrs Humphreys watched, United States pickets captured the boy and she fired her pistol at the United States soldiers. Although she missed, her shots prompted the attack to begin prematurely. The United States forces opened fire with their artillery and awakened the sleeping Confederates. After firing a few shots at the advancing United States troops, the Confederates broke lines and began running frantically to the south, some still in their bedclothes. Dumont’s troops entered the town from the bridge but Kelley’s column arrived from the north on the wrong road and was unable to block the Confederate escape. Kelley was shot and wounded while chasing some of the retreating Confederates, but Colonel Frederick West Lander personally chased down and captured the soldier who shot Kelley. There were two significant Confederate casualties. Both were treated with battlefield amputations, believed to be the first such operations of the war. One was a Virginia Military Institute cadet, Fauntleroy Daingerfield. The other Confederate was James E Hanger, an 18-year-old college student. The remaining Confederate troops retreated to Huttonsville, about 45 miles to the south.

Illinois

Stephen Arnold Douglas, a Democratic Party candidate for United States President in 1860, died of typhoid fever and exhaustion at the age of 48.

Kentucky

A convention of delegates from the Border States met at Frankfort to discuss matters relating to secession.

Atlantic Ocean

The privateer SAVANNAH under the command of Captain Thomas H Baker was the first acknowledged Confederate privateer to leave Charleston Harbour. The SAVANNAH captured the American brig JOSHEP with a cargo of sugar. The SAVANNAH was then captured in turn by the brig USS PERRY under the command of United states Navy, Lieutenant Enoch G Parrott.