Battle of Lewisburg - 3
Heth's rear guard, in what has been described as one of the early bowling tournaments in the Alleghenies, had been rolling solid shot down present Washington Street, then a narrow and exceedingly steep road, to discourage a Union charge up the center. Bowling game or not, it was not funny to either the brave Confederate forces who stayed behind to use this unusual method to slow down the advancing enemy or to the equally brave Union cavalrymen who no doubt suffered wounded horses and personal injuries as the solid shot broke up their attempts to form and charge.
Now the rear guard, too, had to retreat. And then came the grand finale. Five hundred blue-coated cavalrymen charged the whole length of present Washington Street and harried the flanks of the fleeing Confederates.
Heth's split forces were going down hill toward the Greenbrier River, some two and a half to three miles distant, and most of the men had to force their way over very rough ground indeed, often through heavy underbrush, in the attempt to get away from the Union infantrymen and the 500 blue-clad riders who made a spectacular cavalry charge up the hill to harass the foe.
Crook feared to throw his entire command into the pursuit, not knowing what reserves Heth had nearby.
Actually, all of Heth's forces were engaged in the action. The Confederates were able to cross the long covered bridge at Caldwell and burn it, then get away via the Monroe Draft road to Union.
Trenches had been dug in the grounds of Elmhurst, a mansion which still stands on the eastern bank of the Greenbrier at Caldwell. When the first water tank was placed above U.S. 60 for the use of Camp Shaw-Mi-Del-Eca, nearly forty years ago, indications were that the ground had been previously prepared for a gun emplacement. Even a novice soldier would know that would be a perfect spot for a piece of artillery to bear on the turnpike, approaching and coming off the Greenbrier River bridge. If Heth had a spare gun to leave behind when he moved up the hill towards Lewisburg, it was probably there.
Burning the bridge did not set well with the citizens of Lewisburg, who thus were left without access by wagon to the outside world. Henry Heth was not exactly a hero to the men and women of the little town.
In his report Heth assumed blame for the disastrous engagement, but also blamed "the disgraceful behavior of three regiments and batteries" on the fact they were "filled with conscripts and newly officered under the election system." Crook also mentions in his report that the defeat would certainly be demoralizing to the new conscripts.
To quote from Crook's report dated May 24: ". . .Nothing new today. . . Enemy retreated in the direction of Union, greatly demoralized; stragglers are still coming in. The rebels left 38 dead on the field and 66 wounded that we have found, besides carrying a good many of their wounded with them. . . Have collected some 300 stand of small arms. . . our loss 13 killed, 53 wounded, and 7 missing. . . and as a number of his troops are men who have been pressed into the service under the state conscription, and this is their first engagement, there is every reason to believe that the defeat will be to them very demoralizing. The force actually engaged with us was about 2500 men including 125 cavalry and six pieces of artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Finney and Major Edgar were two of the officers taken. "