Into the Valley of Death

On July 13, 1863, Union Col. John T. Toland led 872 officers and men ofthe 34th Regiment Mounted Ohio Volunteer Infantry from Camp Piatt,West Virginia, into Southwest Virginia to attack the railroads, telegraphs,and salt and lead mines essential to the Confederate cause. Five exhausting days later, the raiders arrived near where you are now standing fortheir first view of the valley before the Battle of Wytheville.

The day after the march began, Toland fought the first engagementof the raid at Piney Creek, West Virginia, killing and wounding nine Confederate soldiers. Toland lost two killed and three wounded. On the, sameday, Toland received orders directing him to "move immediately upon therailroad at Wytheville,Virginia." Later, sixmiles west of Raleigh(present-day Beckley),West Virginia, the regiment dismissed thewagon train that carried the supplies.The train, includingunserviceable horsesand men unfit forcombat, returned toCamp Piatt.

After bivouacking overnight at Jeffersonville (modern-day Tazewell),Virginia, on July 17, Toland broke camp about 3 a.m. to march to Wythevilleto destroy the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad tracks. He placed thirty-five prisoners of war, several African Americans, and 20 horses capturedat Abb's Valley in the rear of the column. Toland's force probably arrivedhere about 3 p.m. on July 18.

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Show me all markers in:  Wytheville, VA  |  Wythe County  |  24382  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Wythe County / Bland County
Toland's Raid
One of the "Big Four"
Battle of Wytheville
Homesteader's Legacy
Battle of Wytheville
Henry C. Groseclose
Bland
Site of James Burke's Garden
Crockett's Cove

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