Women Soldiers at the Battles of Cloyd's Mountain and New River Bridge (Includes Video)

During the spring of 1864, the Federals launched a multi-prong offensive where they ultimately clashed with the Confederates at places such as the Wilderness in Virginia and multiple locations in and around Atlanta.  Another part of the offensive involved Brigadier General George Crook marching into southwestern Virginia in order to destroy the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad.  Confederates led by Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins attempted to stop them on May 9th, 1864, at Cloyd's Mountain, located in Pulaski County. The battle was short and involved a small amount of troops on both sides, but the action was fierce and involved hand-to-hand fighting resulting in a high amount of casualties.  At the end, the Federals drove the Confederates from their works and turned their attention to the 700-foot-long railroad bridge that spanned the New River.

Piers from the railroad bridge spanning the New River
View is looking at the Federal position on the west side of the river
http://www.thomaslegion.net/battleofcloydsmountain.html

In a last ditch effort to save the railroad bridge, Confederates, now led by Colonel John McCausland following the wounding and capture of Jenkins, raced towards Central Depot, now known as Radford. (1)  One of the Kentucky troopers killed in rearguard action was 21-year-old Captain Christopher S. Cleburne, the younger half-brother of Patrick Cleburne who would follow him into eternity six months later at Franklin.

Map showing positions of the Confederates on the east side of the New River
and the Federals on the west side.  The You Are Here marks the location of the camera in the above photo
http://www.thomaslegion.net/battleofcloydsmountain.html

 
The Confederates crossed the New River at the bridge and made a stand on the eastern side.  On May 10th, 1864, they opened up on the Federals upon their arrival on the west bank.  In the ensuing three-hour artillery duel, one of the dismounted troopers serving in a West Virginia cavalry unit (Federal), was torn apart by a shell.  The youngster proved to be a woman.  Among those who bore witness to her gruesome death was a future U.S. president and his brother-in-law, who was the surgeon who examined her corpse.  In the picture of the bridge above, you are looking at the area where she was killed.







Interestingly, this slain woman was not the only one at these two obscure battles.  There were two more on the Confederate side.  Their unit was tasked with guarding the cannons that ultimately killed the West Virginia girl.(2)  Unlike their Federal counterpart, they both survived.  I talk about all three of these women in an introductory chapter in my book and specifically provide several eyewitness accounts from soldiers who described the Federal woman's death.

(1)  A Federal surgeon amputated Jenkins' arm, and he ultimately bled to death in a Union hospital.

(2)  This is generally speaking.  There is no way to know exactly which cannon fired the shot that killed the woman.

(Notes about the video:  I have not been able to verify the statement that the woman enlisted to avenge the death of her family.  Also, at the 0.25 mark, a picture is displayed of a sergeant.  It is insinuated that the soldier was a woman.  As a mater of fact, I've seen this image associated with female soldiers quite a few times.  However, this individual is unknown, and there is no definitive evidence that this sergeant was indeed a woman.)

Until next formation....rest.