Droop Mountain
N 38° 06.545 W 080° 16.140
17S E 564085 N 4218170
This historic marker commemorates the Civil War Battle that took place near here.
Waymark Code: WM6RNT
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2009
Views: 16
On November 6, 1863, the federal army of Brigadier General William W. Averell, in his second attempt to disrupt the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad at Salem, Virginia, faced again the Confederate troops of Brigadier General John Echols. Throughout the morning, Echols' smaller confederate army held the high ground and blocked the highway with artillery, but in the afternoon was overwhelmed by the crushing advance of federal infantry on his left flank. Following the collapse of his lines, General Echols retreated south into Virginia with the remnants of his command.
Federal Troops occupied Lewisburg on November 7, 1863, but being burdened with prisoners and captured livestock; General Averell elected to return to his headquarters in Beverly, West Virginia, waiting until early December to lead a third and ultimately successful attack on the vital railroad. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley in the spring of 1864 drew remaining confederate troops out of West Virginia, thus leaving the new state securely under the control of the federal government for the remainder of the war.
This historic marker stand on Route 219 near the entrance to the Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. The text of the marker reads:
DROOP MOUNTAIN
"Here, November 6, 1863, Union troops, commanded by Gen. W. W. Averell, defeated Confederate forces under Gen. John Echols. This has been considered the most extensive engagement in this State and the site was made a State park in 1929.
Marker Title: Droop Mountain
Marker Location: Route 219, .5 miles north of Droop Mountain State Park
County or Independent City: Pocahontas County
Web Site: [Web Link]
Marker Program Sponsor: West Virginia Historic Commission
Marker Number: Not listed
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