Skirmish at Bowman's Place

The Skirmish at Bowman's Place, also known as the Action at Cheat River, was a Civil War battle fought near St. George, West Virginia on June 29, 1861, as part of the Western Virginia campaign.

Skirmish at Bowman’s Place
Part of the American Civil War
Article from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer describing the Skirmish
Date June 29, 1861 (1861-06-29) Location Adam Bowman’s residence, near St. George, Tucker County, West Virginia Result Union victory
Belligerents
USA	CSA
Commanders and leaders
Col. George Andrews Capt. Hiram Miller Col. James Irvine	Capt. John McNutt Lt. Robert McChesney  †
Units involved
15th Ohio Infantry Regiment 16th Ohio Infantry Regiment 1st West Virginia Infantry Regiment	2nd Rockbridge Dragoons Tucker County Home Guards
Strength
280+	20-50+
Casualties and losses
1 killed 1 wounded	1 killed 3 wounded

A party of Confederate cavalry intended to disrupt the local Unionist elections in Tucker County, but were surprised by a force of Union soldiers hidden around the residence of Adam Bowman on the banks of the Cheat River. The federals ambushed the Confederate force, with both sides sustaining casualties, and the Confederates retreated.

Background

By June 1861, it had been over a month since Union Gen. George B. McClellan invaded northwestern Virginia, and additional regiments arrived to reinforce him with each subsequent week. In early June, confederates were defeated at Philippi, and confederate commander, Col. George A. Porterfield, was replaced with Robert E. Lee's adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Robert S. Garnett. Garnett fortified positions at Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain in Barbour and Randolph counties to guard the two main mountain roads leading into the Shenandoah Valley.

McClellan maneuvered Union forces into position in front of Laurel Hill and Rich Mountain to confront Garnett, and pro-Union delegates in Wheeling declared secession illegal, voting to form a Restored Government of Virginia to represent the state in Washington, DC. It appointed Francis H. Pierpont as governor of a Unionist Virginia.

Toward the end of June, counties under Union control held elections for new delegates to the Restored Government. In Randolph and Tucker counties, Dr. Solomon Parsons, a Unionist delegate to the Wheeling Convention, was running unopposed for office.

The 2nd Rockbridge Dragoons, led by Capt. John R. McNutt and Lt. Robert McChesney, were camped with the Confederate forces at Laurel Hill. On the night of June 28, 1861, Lt. Robert McChesney and a detachment of 9 men rode northeast toward St. George, which was the seat of Tucker County along the Cheat River, on a scouting mission to disrupt the Unionist elections.

Detached companies of the 15th and 16th Ohio Infantry Regiments and the 1st West Virginia Infantry were posted around Rowlesburg guarding the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, 18 miles north of St. George. In early June, Capt. Hiram Miller of Company H, 15th Ohio Infantry Regiment, had pulled down a secession flag fluttering over the courthouse in St. George, and the union forces returned to guard the elections and polling places.

Order of battle

Union

• Co. H, 15th Ohio Infantry Regiment - Capt. Hiram Miller (102 men)
• Co. D, 16th Ohio Infantry Regiment - Capt. Richard W. McClain (101 men)
• Co. F, 1st West Virginia Infantry Regiment - Capt. James F. Donnelly (75 men)

Confederate

• 2nd Rockbridge Cavalry - Capt. Robert McChesney (10 men)
• Tucker County Home Guards - (10-30 men)

Battle

On the morning of June 29, Lt. McChesney and his men, along with a group of local Confederate Home Guards, proceeded to St. George, where they found the election had already occurred. They rode north along a mountain road following the Cheat River toward the residence of Adam H. Bowman, a local attorney, which served as a Unionist polling place.

Capt. Hiram Miller received word of the Confederate approach and prepared an ambush along the river by Bowman's residence. Company H of the 15th Ohio was concealed on either side of the road and allowed McChesney and his small troop to advance into the trap.

McChesney, or one of his troopers, noticed the Union soldiers and turned to escape. As they turned to flee, the men of the 15th and 16th Ohio opened fire on the party, and the Confederates returned fire before riding away.

Lt. McChesney was mortally wounded in the skirmish and reports claimed Capt. Miller fired the shot that fatally wounded McChesney.

Aftermath

Col. James Irvine of the 16th Ohio Infantry collected Lt. McChesney's personal effects after the skirmish, which he returned to his family. He wrote to the family stating: “I will, therefore, not speak of it further than to say that he bore himself gallantly, and my sympathies were greatly enlisted for him when he fell. What should have been our common country, lost a brave and gallant man.”

The small skirmish had no larger effect on the war in Western Virginia, but it allowed the Unionist elections to occur and the constant skirmishing would increase in later months, resulting in more notable battles in the Cheat River area. The casualties were light on both sides, but they were the first men to be killed in combat for the regiments, and would be remembered in the early days of the war.

Casualties

Union Casualties at Bowman's Place

Name	Regiment	Casualty
Pvt. Nathan O. Smith	Co. H, 15th Ohio Infantry	Killed
Pvt. John Mathys	Co. H, 15th Ohio Infantry	Wounded

Confederate Casualties at Bowman's Place

Lt. Robert McChesney	2nd Rockbridge Cavalry	Killed
Pvt. Albert G.M. Paxton	2nd Rockbridge Cavalry	Wounded
Pvt. Isaac Friend	2nd Rockbridge Cavalry	Wounded
Pvt. Franklin G. Long	2nd Rockbridge Cavalry	Wounded