The Battle of Lynchburg was fought on June 17–18, 1864, as part of the American Civil War. Over30,000 soldiers were at the battle, including cavalry and infantry. The fighting took place outside of Lynchburg, Virginia. The Union Army of West Virginia, commanded by Major General David Hunter, attempted to capture the city. Hunter took too much time moving his force to Lynchburg; allowing Confederate reinforcements time to arrive to defend the city. Hunter was repulsed by troops under the command of Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early. A portion of Early's troops arrived on the first day the battle. Following the battle, Confederate troops pursued the Union army as it retreated into West Virginia.
Lynchburg was important to the Confederate Army. It had three railroads, a navigable canal, military hospitals, and was a distribution center for food and military supplies. Telecommunication lines strung along the railroads enabled Confederate military headquarters in Richmond to communicate with regional headquarters in western Virginia and Tennessee. Because of its importance, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant wanted Hunter to attack the city and its railroads.
Hunter retreated west into West Virginia after his defeat at Lynchburg. This left the Shenandoah Valley open to the Confederate Army down to Maryland. Early moved down the valley and threatened Washington, DC, until his defeat in the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11–12. After this battle, which took place less than from the White House, Early began a retreat back to the Shenandoah Valley. On July 30, cavalry sent by Early, and commanded by Brigadier General John McCausland, moved into Pennsylvania and burned the city of Chambersburg.
Background
Grant's plan
thumb|upright=2.0|Union Army plan to attack Confederate assets in western Virginia |alt=A county map of western Virginia showing the Union targets along the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad (salt mines, lead mines, Dublin Depot) and the Virginia Central Railroad
During March 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant became commander of all Union armies. Grant's strategy in Virginia was to attack the strongest Confederate army, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, on multiple fronts. In western Virginia, Grant targeted Lee's support system. Western Virginia provided food and supplies for Lee's army that was positioned near Richmond. Both towns were located on railroad lines that were used to transport troops in addition to supplies, so the railroads were also targets for the Union Army.
In the case of Lynchburg, it was the eastern terminus of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad, and also had the Orange & Alexandria Railroad and South Side Railroad that could be used to get to Richmond. The James River and Kanawha Canal was navigable between Lynchburg and Richmond, offering another (although slower) mode for transportation. Telegraph line enabled communication between Richmond and Lynchburg, and between Lynchburg and Knoxville, Tennessee. Lynchburg was also the storage site for medical supplies and the home of multiple hospitals.
The Union plan of attack had Major General Franz Sigel leading the Army of the Shenandoah south in the Shenandoah Valley to capture Staunton, which was a stop for the Virginia Central Railroad. An army located in West Virginia, led by Brigadier General George Crook, would attack the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. A small force of cavalry from Crook's army, led by Brigadier General William W. Averell, would attack the same railroad further west, including some salt mines located on a branch line. Crook and Averell would join Siegel at Staunton after the missions were completed. Then the combined force would attack Lynchburg.
Failure in western Virginia
Sigel departed from Martinsburg, West Virginia, on April 29. Siegel did not reach Staunton because he was defeated on May15 in the Battle of New Market by a Confederate army led by Major General John C. Breckinridge.
Further west, Crook won the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain on May9, and burned the Virginia & Tennessee's New River railroad bridge near Central Depot (northeast of Wytheville) on May10. Averell chose not to attack the well-guarded salt mines, and was prevented from reaching the lead mines on May10 in the Battle of Cove Mountain. Both Crook and Averell retreated toward a camp at Meadow Bluff, West Virginia, because they had not heard from Sigel. They reached the safety of Meadow Bluff on May19.
Hunter takes command
Major General David Hunter replaced Siegel on May 21. On June 5, he moved south in the Shenandoah Valley and defeated Confederate forces in the Battle of Piedmont. Hunter, in his report, estimated that Confederate losses were 600 killed or wounded—and over 1,000 became prisoners. Among the Confederate casualties was the leader of the Confederate Army at Piedmont, Brigadier General William E. "Grumble" Jones, who was killed in action. On the next day Hunter moved his army into Staunton against no resistance. He spent the next few days destroying Confederate war materials while waiting for Crook to join him.
In a letter dated June 6, Lieutenant General Grant wrote to Hunter saying that he should attack the "Lynchburg branch of the Virginia Central" Railroad at Lynchburg. He also urged Hunter to destroy the canal (James River and Kanawha Canal) near Lynchburg. On June 8, Hunter was joined by Crook's Army of West Virginia, including cavalry commanded by Averell. The newcomers received badly needed supplies such as boots and uniforms. Hunter reorganized his combined cavalry into two divisions.
Confederate reaction to Piedmont
thumb|upright=1.5|right|Confederate forces moved from Richmond toward Staunton|alt=map of western Virginia with railroads and important cities
Lee's response to the defeat at Piedmont was to send Breckinridge with two brigades from the Richmond area to the Shenandoah Valley. Breckinridge had been injured in an earlier battle when his horse fell upon him. Brigadier General John D. Imboden's cavalry and the remnants of Jones' army also were at Rockfish Gap.
Separate from Wharton's troops, Breckinridge arrived by rail in Charlottesville on the morning of June 9. He now had a total of about 5,000 infantry soldiers from Jones' defeated army and Wharton. Also available to Breckinridge was a cavalry brigade located further west under the command of Brigadier General John McCausland, which would increase the Confederate cavalry to about 4,000 riders.
Opposing forces
Union
thumb|upright=0.6|right|MG [[David Hunter|alt=Old picture of an American Civil War general with dark hair]]
The Union force consisted of 16,643 fighters commanded by Major General David Hunter. Averell was harassed by McCausland during the June 13 movement to Buchanan, a distance of . The fight for the town was brief, as Averell used artillery fire on the town for less than 40 minutes. McCausland's men retreated and the town was secured by Averell. Hunter's infantry moved into the town on June 14. Three iron works near Buchanan were destroyed by Averell's men on June 14. On the morning of June 15, Crook's infantry left Buchanan and led the way through the Peaks of Otter in the Blue Ridge Mountains. By evening, the Union force waited at the southern foot of the mountains, about from the county seat then known as Liberty. Averell and Duffié's cavalry were sent out to scout for the enemy.
While Hunter was at Buchanan, Breckinridge received a telegram at Rockfish Gap that let him know that Early was on his way and Sheridan had been driven back. With this news, Breckinridge decided to relocate to Lynchburg. He arrived on June 15 without his brigades and took command of the city. Breckinridge sent every available piece of rolling stock to Charlottesville to help move Early's soldiers.
Liberty and Lynchburg
thumb|upright=1.5|right|As Hunter moved toward Lynchburg, Confederate reinforcements began arriving|alt=Old map with arrows showing routes of Union and Confederate armies
On June 15, Averell sent the brigade commanded by Colonel William H. Powell ahead to Liberty. On the same day, Averell's cavalry detachment of 200 riders rejoined the Union force at Liberty. They were able to damage railroad line and equipment on the Orange & Alexandria and South Side railroads. Hunter's main force entered the town on the next day. Hunter spent the day burning buildings, and had Crook's infantry destroy rail line. Crook and his men were unhappy about the delay in movement to Lynchburg.
While Hunter's infantry was at Liberty, Averell moved toward Lynchburg. Near the end of the day (June 16), he attacked McCausland in a short action at New London. Although McCausland had been reinforced by Imboden, the Confederates moved back toward Lynchburg. By the evening of June 16, Hunter was believed to be somewhere west of the Big Otter River (between Liberty and New London), waiting for reports from Averell and Crook.
While Hunter was near Liberty, Virginia Military Institute cadets arrived (8:00am on June 16) to reinforce Lynchburg. They had moved via the James River and Kanawha Canal, and brought six pieces of artillery. Troops from Breckinridge's Division also arrived in Lynchburg on June 16. On the evening of June 16, Early arrived in Charlottesville.
Battle, June 17
Because of the news that Averell was skirmishing at New London, Hunter decided shortly after 2:00am on June 17 to join Averell near the front. He began moving there with his staff, while one of his aides was sent to Brigadier General Sullivan to get his infantry division moving. The aide could not find Sullivan, causing a two-hour delay. Hunter also sent an order to Crook, who was camping with most of his division near the Forest Road and Big Otter River. The order was for Crook to move south toward New London, and flank the Confederates facing Averell.
Quaker Meetinghouse
thumb|upright=1.75|right|Quaker Meetinghouse (circled) was southwest of Lynchburg and south of Forest Road (circled)|alt=old map with troop positions at city with troops on west side of town and river on east