Fort Milroy, West Virginia — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Milroy (Randolph County, near Huttonsville, West Virginia)

Randolph County, near Huttonsville · West Virginia · American Civil War

Quick BriefFort Milroy, also known as Cheat Summit Fort, was a Union fortification built on White Top, a 4,085-foot knob on Cheat Mountain in Randolph County, and served as the highest Union camp during the Civil War. General George B. McClellan ordered its construction in 1861 to secure the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The fort was the site of the Battle of Cheat Mountain (September 12–15, 1861), which was Robert E. Lee's first battle as a combat commander.

Civil WarOpen to visitors

History & Significance

Fort Milroy occupied a strategic position on White Top at elevation 4,085 feet, overlooking the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike which crossed approximately 100 feet below the fort. General McClellan ordered construction in 1861 to secure the vital turnpike and protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The fort was garrisoned by the 14th Indiana, commanded by Colonel Nathan Kimball, with approximately 1,800 defenders. During the Battle of Cheat Mountain (September 12–15, 1861), Lee's first offensive action of the war, the 14th Indiana's aggressive defense, numbering about 300 men, convinced Confederate commanders the force was much larger than it actually was, causing them to withdraw.

The battle resulted in minor casualties with little fighting, but the Union maintained control of the area. A cemetery for soldiers who died at the fort was built just south of the fortification; after the Civil War, bodies were exhumed and many were reinterred at West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton. The fort remains historically significant as the highest known Union fortification in the East.

Key Facts

StateWest Virginia

LocationRandolph County, near Huttonsville

Established1861

Decommissioned1862

War / eraAmerican Civil War

Current statusHistoric Site

Coordinates38.62444444, -79.87666667

NRHP reference90001445

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

Union Army installation at highest elevation of any Civil War Union camp
Strategic position guarding Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and Tygart Valley River access
National Register of Historic Places listing
White Top mountain setting in Randolph County
Civil War-era fortifications and military infrastructure remains

Best time to visitSpring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild weather and clear views; summers are cool at elevation, but winters can be harsh with heavy snow in the West Virginia mountains.

Getting thereElkins-Randolph County Regional Airport (EKN) is the nearest airport, approximately 30 km from the site near Huttonsville in Randolph County.

From the nearest major airportRoanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)🚗 134 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 3 hr 23 min drive

Fort Milroy (Randolph County, near Huttonsville, West Virginia)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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