Southwest Virginia Gateway
Kentucky Unionists considered Pound Gap second
in importance only to Cumberland Gap as a strategic gateway to southwestern Virginia and eastern
Tennessee. On the frigid morning of March 16,
1862, Union Gen. James A.
Garfield, the future president,
arrived here with 700 Ohio and
Kentucky infantry and cavalry
to kick that gate open. Garfield
had learned that Confederate
militiamen were mustering here
and at Cumberland Gap.
About 500 Confederates
occupied Pound Gap and the vicinity. Confederate
Maj. John P Thompson held the forward location
with 175 men, the rest scattered on detached duty
or guarding "the cabins, at the foot of the mountain." In swirling snow, 100 of Union Maj. William
McLaughlin's cavalrymen approached the gap
along the road out of Kentucky, while Col. Jonathan
Cranor of the 40th Ohio Infantry advanced along
one flank. Garfield led another force personally
along the other flank to envelop
the defenders and cut off their
retreat. The Federals converged
and after a sharp, brief firefight,
the Confederates withdrew
south toward Gladeville (Wise).
The Confederates lost
one man killed and several
wounded; the Federals reported
no casualties. Through the evening Garfield's
men destroyed "60 log huts and two large
buildings for quartermaster and commissary
stores," as well as "a half dozen army wagons,"
before abandoning the gap and returning to Kentucky. Although the engagement had little effect
beyond the geographical limits of the region,
it proved the difficulty of defending Pound
Gap.
"A loud echoing shout burst from the long
line, as with fixed bayonets it swept down
through the ravine and up the hill."
—Union participant, March 16, 1862
"It is now certain that the enemy, ...
under
the guidance of the most expert and well
informed citizens and scouts, the most of
them from Kentucky and a part of them
from Virginia, had made a night march,
and had marched a strong column on south side of the mountain, so as to attack
me in front and rear and cut off my retreat."
—Confederate Maj. John P. Thompson
Comments 0 comments