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upon an active campaign, and directed by an inexperienced staff, he found many unexpected difficulties, and it was not until July 2d that his headquarters were established there. Here he was obliged to remain five days, fully occupied in clearing the vicinity of roving bands of secessionists, closing up his command, and arranging the details for the contemplated expedition of General Cox on the line of the Great Kanawha in co-operation with his own campaign. Everything being in readiness by the evening of July 6th, Morris was directed to move from Philippi early the next morning by the road leading to Garnett's position and occupy a position within two miles of the enemy's defenses. From this position he was to push out strong infantry reconnoissances, to hold Garnett in his front, and convey the impression that the main attack was to be made at Laurel Hill. McClellan, with the main body, moved out from Buckhannon the same morning, following the Beverly road, intending to turn the position at Rich Mountain, gain the rear of the enemy at Beverly, and thus cut Garnett off from his line of retreat.

McClellan's column reached Roaring Fork, about two miles in front of Pegram's intrenchments, on the afternoon of the 9th, and there went into bivouac until a reconnoissance could be made to ascertain the difficulties in its front. This was accomplished the next morning, and McClellan became convinced that the position was too strong to hazard a frontal attack with his inexperienced troops, and concluded to delay until he could establish some batteries in a position that his engineer officer, Captain Poe, had found on his right, and which commanded Pegram's intrenchments. But about ten o'clock that night Rosecrans reported to him that he had found a guide acquainted with a wood path, by which a body of infantry could move around Pegram's left flank and come out at Hart's farm on the top of Rich Mountain, and thus interpose itself between Beverly and Pegram's camp. After a careful study of the project McClellan adopted it, and confided its exe-*

only chance, then, of escape was to retrace his steps to Leadsville and attempt the difficult route by way of Saint George up the Cheat River Valley. General Morris, in command of the Union forces in Garnett's front, did not learn of the latter's retreat until late in the morning of the 12th, and when he did hear of it his troops were not ready for an immediate advance, and thus Garnett had some hours the start.

McClellan's advance did not occupy Beverly until about noon, half an hour too late to capture some fifty of Pegram's men that had made their way over the mountain during the night from Pegram's camp. The remainder of Pegram's command, after vainly endeavoring to reach Garnett, and suffering much from fatigue and hunger, surrendered themselves to McClellan; they numbered thirty officers and five hundred and sixty men. The Forty-fourth Virginia Regiment, which had been stationed on the eastern slope of Rich Mountain, near Beverly, and had not therefore participated in the action, together with those that had escaped from the garrison, retreated from Beverly toward Huttonsville before McClellan occupied the village. But it was now important to take such steps as would result in capturing, if possible, the main force of the enemy, which was then endeavoring to make its way north and escape by way of Saint George.

It was evident that if General Hill could have had ample time to collect his forces along the line of the railroad he could interpose a sufficient force to block the mouth of the valley by which Garnett was retreating, and at the same time the latter could be followed by the troops under General Morris. Unfortunately, McClellan was not in possession of the actual facts of the case until after midday of the 12th, and his line of telegraph terminated at his former camp at Roaring Creek, distant seven miles from Beverly. Hill, at Grafton, did not receive telegraphic information from McClellan until about noon of the 13th, and then started with twenty-five hundred men for West Union to head off Garnett's command. He reached this position with