Battle of Princeton Court House

Battle of Princeton Court House Part of the American Civil War Date May 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]

Jackson's Valley Campaign 1st Kernstown McDowell Front Royal 1st Winchester Good's Farm Cross Keys Port Republic

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. It was a minor victory for the Confederate States Army.

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

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.

References

• National Park Service battle description
• CWSAC Report Update and Resurvey: Individual Battlefield Profiles

Coordinates: 37°21′57″N 81°06′06″W / 37.3657°N 81.1017°W / 37.3657; -81.1017