Battle of Philippi

From West Virginia (WV) Cyclopedia

When Confederate forces, numbering about 800 men, threatened to seize control of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (http://www.wvrailroads.com/index.php/Baltimore_%26_Ohio_Railroad) (B&O) at Grafton, the South's troops were met by 3,000 federal troops under the general command of Major General George B. McClellan. The resulting engagement, which occurried on the night of June 3, 1861, became the first land battle of the Civil War involving organized troops, that battle taking place at Philippi, about 15 miles south of Grafton.

The Union's use of the railroad to deploy troops to the area, to rapidly engage enemy troops, was likely the first such use in world history of warfare.

See also: Philippi, West Virginia

External Links

Battle of Philippi (http://www.wvhumanities.org/philippi.htm)