On June 15th, Gen. Garnett arrived at Col. Pegram’s headquarters. His first actions was to set up two regiments. One commanded by Lt. Col. W. L. Jackson and the other by Lt. Col. J. M. Heck. Heck’s regiment consisted of ten infantry companies, one of artillery and one cavalry. After the regiments were formed, Lt. Col. Heck received orders to travel and set-up fortifications at Rich Mountain. The fortifications were called Camp Garnett after Gen. Garnett. Lt. Col Heck was assured by the local citizens there was not another way to approach the flanks of the camp.

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           On July 1st, Gen. Garnett requested additional troops from Gen. Lee. The next day, Col. Scott left Richmond with the 44th Virginia. Col. Scott arrived in Beverly on July 10th. Meanwhile, Col. Pegram arrived at Camp Garnett with the 20th Virginia and assumed command.

Gen. McClellan felt the Confederate position was the key to Confederate defenses in the Trans-Alleghany region. He felt by taking the position, it would threaten the South from Harper’s Ferry to Tennessee. With this in mind, on July 9th, he moved his headquarters to Roaring Creek, only two miles from Camp Garnett.

On July 11th, a Union sergeant, who was keeping communication lines open between Gens. Rosecrans and McClellan was captured. From the Union sergeant, Col. Pegram learned the enemy was now on his rear, but did not know which flank was affected. With this notice, Col. Pegram sent Capt. De Langel to reinforce the picket on the mountain. Total number of his men was 310 against an enemy six times his number.

David Hart, a staunch Union supporter, lived in a farmhouse on Rich Mountain. He went to Gen. Rosecrans camp stating he could lead his men along a path to the left flank of Camp Garnett. They had to slowly work their way through thorn bushes and dense brush. This brush also helped reduce any casualties in Gen. Rosecrans’ six regiments. Gen. Rosecrans’ troops were repulsed by Capt. De Langel’s troops twice. On the third advance, Gen. Rosecrans made his lines longer, while ordering his sharpshooters to aim for the artillery horses. The sharpshooters caused these horses to run away while still attached to the caissons. This left the Confederate artillery with very little ammunition. Capt. De Langel, who was seriously wounded as he was shot from his horse, helped to load the cannon. Afterwards, he ordered a retreat from their position. Col. Pegram heard the shots from Capt. De Langel position and advanced to reinforce him. However, he ran into Capt. De Langel’s troops retreating.

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          The next day Col. Pegram with 600 troops was between 2 large attacking armies. Three fourths of his command did not have rations. The other fourth had less than one meal left. Col. Pegram wrote Gen. McClellan wanting to surrender. Gen. McClellan would accept Col. Pegram’s offer and “treat you and them with the kindness due to prisoners of war”. Col Pegram surrendered 22 officers and 359 men of Col. Heck’s troops and 8 officers and 166 men of his own command.

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          Gen Garnett was killed during the retreat. He was the first officer of his rank killed in battle. Brig. Gen. H. R. Jackson obtained command of the Northwestern Army on July 14th. Although Gen. McClellan did not have any real impact on the battle and the Union loss at Bull Run, he was promoted to commander of the Army of the Potomac.

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