Battle of Princeton Court House

The Battle of Princeton Court House was fought May 15–17, 1862 in Mercer County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in conjunction with Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign.[2] It was a minor victory for the Confederate States Army.

Battle of Princeton Court House
Part of the American Civil War
DateMay 15, 1862 (1862-05-15)–May 17, 1862 (1862-05-17)
Location
Mercer County, West Virginia
Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States of America (Union) CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Jacob Dolson Cox Humphrey Marshall
Units involved
Kanawha Division Army of East Kentucky
Department of Southwest Virginia
Casualties and losses
113 total
23 killed
69 wounded
21 missing		 16 total
4 killed
12 wounded [1]

Background

By early May 1862, Union forces were positioned to invade Virginia at two places. Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy's column, its axis of march the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, advanced from Cheat Mountain and occupied in succession Camp Allegheny, Monterey, McDowell, and Shenandoah Mountain. Retreating before the oncoming Federals, Confederate Brig. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson pulled back to Westview, six miles west of Staunton.

Battle
Map of Princeton Court House Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Union soldiers of Brig. Gen. Jacob D. Cox's District of Kanawha threatened the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. By mid-May, the Federals, although ousted from Pearisburg, held Mercer County and braced for a lunge at the railroad. Confederate Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall arrived from Abingdon, Virginia, with the Army of East Kentucky.

Seizing the initiative, Marshall bested Cox's two brigades during three days of fighting, May 15 to May 17, in Mercer County, centering on Princeton Courthouse. There were 129 casualties in total.

Aftermath

Breaking contact with the Confederates on the night of May 17, Cox withdrew 20 miles (30 km). Col. George Crook, commanding Cox's 3rd brigade, marched to and occupied the city of Lewisburg, where on May 23 he defeated Brig. Gen. Henry Heth's brigade. He withdrew upon learning that Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's army had routed a Union division at Winchester on May 25.

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References
  1. Incomplete. There is a report from Marshall, but none from Wharton
  2. "Battle Summary". National Park Service. Retrieved 15 May 2016.

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