Sinking Creek Raid

Sinking Creek Raid
Part of the American Civil War
Greenbrier County in West Virginia
Date November 26, 1862 Location Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia) Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Col. John C. Paxton Major William H. Powell 2nd Lt. Jeremiah Davidson	Lt. Col. John A. Gibson
Units involved
2nd Loyal Virginia Volunteer Cavalry	14th Virginia Cavalry
Strength
22	500
Casualties and losses
0	2 killed, 2 wounded
Entire rebel camp surprised and surrendered to union cavalry regiment's advance guard.

The Sinking Creek Raid took place in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia) during the American Civil War. On November 26, 1862, an entire Confederate army camp was captured by 22 men from a Union cavalry during a winter snow storm. The 22 men were the advance guard for the 2nd Loyal Virginia Volunteer Cavalry, which was several miles behind. This cavalry unit was renamed 2nd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry in 1863, after West Virginia became a state.

The Confederates, who were the rebels in the American Civil War, had an army camp near the foot of a mountain in Sinking Creek Valley. Their camp contained about 500 soldiers, who were surprised by the small group of Union cavalry men. Many of the rebels did not have their weapons loaded. The Union cavalry raced into the camp with sabers drawn, and quickly convinced the rebels to surrender in exchange for their lives. Over 100 rebel soldiers were taken prisoner. More than 100 horses and about 200 rifles were also captured, in addition to supplies and tents.

The leaders of the raid, Major William H. Powell and 2nd Lieutenant Jeremiah Davidson, both received promotions shortly afterwards. Powell was later awarded the Medal of Honor for this action. General George R. Crook said the Sinking Creek Raid was "one of the most daring, brilliant and successful of the whole war". Powell would eventually become a general. Davidson would rise to the rank of captain in the cavalry, and major in the infantry.

During September 1862, the Union army was forced to retreat from Western Virginia (the Kanawha River Valley) to Ohio by the Confederate army. This retreat was "embarrassing to the government". The army's commander, Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn, was replaced by General Jacob Dolson Cox, who reorganized the troops. During late October, Cox and the troops advanced to the Kanawha River Valley against no resistance. They made winter quarters in Charleston, as it was easier to be resupplied because of the river.

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