“From all the information that I have received I am pained to have to express my conviction that Colonel Porterfield is entirely unequal to the position which he occupies. The affair at Philippi was a disgraceful surprise, occurring about daylight, there being no picket or guard of any kind on duty. The only wonder is that our men were not cut to pieces. They were all asleep and were only aroused by the firing of the enemy. The safety of the Northwest and of our inexperienced soldiers depends upon an immediate change of commanders, and giving the command to a bold and experienced leader. * * * * * I would again urge rapid reinforcements to regain possession of the Northwest, and that I may receive from you authority to call out and arm the companies from all the valley counties and send them to that quarter instead of their going, as heretofore directed, to their different rendezvous. Send up five thousand flint-lock muskets from Richmond and I will have them overhauled and put in order for use.”
On the same day Major Harman sent a communication to Colonel Porterfield in which he said:
“Tomorrow I shall send you a field battery, accompanied by cavalry and infantry, which will be joined by other troops on the way and the whole force will report to you at Beverly. On the day following from two to three thousand troops will be sent to you by President Davis from Richmond. I have received a telegraphic dispatch from the Commander-in-Chief of our army, saying: “Send a messenger to tell Colonel Porterfield to be valiant and maintain his ground until relief reaches him. Send him supplies if he wants them.” Having received no official communication from you, but learning from private sources, since the disaster to our arms at Philippi, that you are almost without ammunition, I have determined to send you a supply by express.”
When Porterfield and his men left Philippi they did not stop running until they reached Huttonsville, nearly forty miles southward, and near Beverly, in Randolph county. From his headquarters there Porterfield wrote on June 9th to Colonel R. S. Garnett, Adjutant General of the Virginia forces at Richmond:
“My force is not only deficient in drill but ignorant, both officers and men, of the most ordinary duties of the soldier. With efficient drill officers they might be made effective; but I have to complain that the field officers sent to command these men are of no assistance to me, and are, for the most part, as ignorant of their duties as the company officers, and they as ignorant as the men. I hope, if I am continued in command, that good staff officers may be sent me to aid in organizing this raw force, than which there is none more so now in the service. * * * It is necessary that at least five thousand well-drilled men should be sent at once, as the enemy’s army is being daily reinforced; and if aid is not soon sent it will be impossible to keep the open field, even as a mere corps of observation, but we will have to retire to the mountains, where it will be most difficult, if not impossible, to provision even this small force.”
On June 11th Porterfield again wrote to Colonel Garnett and asked for a chance to redeem himself:
“The enemy remains at Philippi where they are reported to have about five thousand men and are fortifying themselves. The same number are said to be at Grafton. From five hundred to one thousand are said to be at Cheat River Bridge and other forces are stationed at different points on the railroads. * * * A regiment from Tennessee is expected here tomorrow, having in charge, as I am informed, some pieces of heavy artillery. No pieces heavier than 6-pounders should be sent to this country until some position is selected to be fortified and a strong and reliable infantry force is sent to support it. * * * The percussion caps sent have nearly all been of small size, for shot-guns, and not large enough for muskets. As reinforcements are now expected, and we shall have active service in this part of the state, I desire to be continued on duty here. It was not until after repeated calls for aid, and when left with a small militia force entirely unprepared for the field, that I asked for duty elsewhere.”
But the Confederate authorities did not intend to have any more Philippis if they could avoid it by a change of commanders. On June 13th General Lee wrote from Richmond to Porterfield, informing him that Garnett had been promoted to Brigadier General and had been sent to take command in Northwestern Virginia.
A court of inquiry was created to inquire into the conduct of Porterfield at Philippi and the causes which led to the inglorious defeat and rout of the Confederate force. The court made an exhaustive investigation and submitted, on May 4, 1861, a lengthy report thereupon. A few extracts from this document will be read with interest by those who had a hand in the game:
“* * * On the morning of the day just indicated, at between daybreak and sunrise, this command was attacked and taken by surprise; no alarm or intimation of the enemy’s approach having been given by the guard or infantry pickets until the enemy was within some four hundred yards of the place, and had commenced the fire from his artillery. It is shown that a main and picket guard, as strong as was consistent with the effective infantry force present, was regularly detailed and posted at distances sufficiently far out to accomplish the object in view, provided they knew and did their duty, which latter is strongly to be suspected, from the fact that, although in advance, they failed to give any intimation of the enemy’s approach—a conclusion which is strengthened by the report of the mounted officers out with the scouting parties on the night of June 2nd, that they had neither seen an infantry picket nor been challenged by its sentinels, going from or returning to the town that night. It appears that immediately upon the arrival of the command at Philippi the officer in command, Colonel Porterfield, took measures to place his force, which was raw and new in service, under a course of instruction, and to select those in his opinion best fitted to instruct the sentinels and guards in their duties. The testimony shows that, while there was a certain degree of confusion in some quarters, a portion of the command moved from the town in good order, and that the whole force, nearly, after passing some distance, was reformed and proceeded in order.