These movements of the Kanawha and Shenandoah valleys, under General Sigel, commenced on the 1st of May. General Crook, who had the immediate command of the Kanawha expedition, divided his forces into two columns, giving one, composed of cavalry, to General Averill. They crossed the mountains by separate routes. General Averill’s force comprised two thousand cavalry. He started on the 1st of May, with three days’ rations and two days’ forage, and moved day and night over mountain paths until the evening of the 8th, when a cavalry force of the enemy was encountered near Jeffersonville, Va. After a slight engagement with the enemy, General Averill made a detour by way of Princeton. On the 9th he left Tazewell Court House for Wytheville, in order to cut the railroad thirty miles lower down than the point where General Crook’s command was to strike. Averill reached Cove Mountain Gap, near Wytheville, on the 10th, where he learned that the enemy were then in possession of the latter place. A conflict ensued, in which General Averill sustained a heavy loss and was prevented from forming a junction with General Crook at Dublin Station, as first proposed. He however accomplished the main object of his expedition, and proceeding to New river and Christiansburg, he destroyed the railroad, several important bridges and depots, including New river bridge, and formed a junction with Crook at Union on the 15th.
The rebel General Morgan commanded the troops encountered by General Averill. General Morgan had made a forced march from Saltville, on learning of Averill’s expedition, and arrived at Wytheville in advance of the latter commander, and thus saved that town and its valuable lead mines from destruction.
The division under General Crook, which started from Charleston simultaneously with General Averill’s command, consisted of the Twenty-third, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-sixth Ohio, forming the first brigade; the Twelfth and Ninety-first Ohio, Ninth and Fourteenth Virginia, forming the second brigade; the third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, Eleventh and Fifteenth Virginia, forming the third brigade.
General Crook’s first object was to strike the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at Dublin Station, where, forming a junction with Averill, he hoped to be able to march to Lynchburg, and capture that important town, the possession of which was vital to the sustenance of Lee’s army. He proceeded without opposition nearly to Princeton, where two companies of the enemy, one of cavalry and one of infantry, were encountered and driven off. Near the southwestern base of Lloyd’s Mountain, about four miles from Dublin depot, a more considerable force of the enemy was found. These were under the command of General Jenkins. In the engagement which ensued, that officer was killed, and the command of the rebel forces was then assumed by General McCausland. After some skirmishing, the enemy were attacked in front and flank and driven through Dublin to New river bridge. The Federal loss was one hundred and twenty-six killed, and five hundred and eighty-five wounded; and that of the enemy was severe, but unknown. On the next day an attack was made on the enemy’s position near the bridge, which was destroyed. The expedition proceeded as far as Newberne, on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, ninety-nine miles from Bristol, destroying the railroad for some distance. The resistance of the enemy, with the approach of a strong force under General Morgan, caused General Crook to withdraw to Meadow Bluff, in Greenbrier county.
General Sigel, with fifteen thousand men, moved up the Shenandoah valley to New Market, about fifty miles from Winchester. This movement, like that of the Kanawha valley, was designed to occupy Gordonsville and Lynchburg, thus destroying the western communication of Lee’s army.
The Confederate authorities were early apprised of General Sigel’s movements, and General Breckinridge was dispatched in great haste with all the troops he could muster, to meet Sigel’s army.
The advance forces of the two armies encountered each other on the 13th of May, and skirmishing ensued, which continued throughout the following day, Saturday, and also on Sunday. General Sigel had not yet been able to bring up all his force, but took position at three P. M., on the 15th, when the enemy immediately moved to the attack. A severe engagement now ensued, which resulted in the defeat and discomfiture of Sigel’s army, who fell back in great disorder, abandoning his hospitals and destroying a portion of his train, and retreated to Cedar Creek, near Strasburg. The Federals lost seven hundred men, one thousand stand of arms, and six pieces of artillery.
By the result of this movement the Union commander incurred the displeasure of General Grant, who asked the removal of General Sigel from command, which was done, and Major-General Hunter was appointed to supersede him.
General Hunter’s instructions were embraced in the following dispatches to Major-General H. W. Halleck, Chief of staff of the army:
“Near Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 20, 1864.