They escaped southward through Lewisburg, West Virginia; hours before a second Union force commanded by Brigadier General Alfred N. Duffié occupied the town.

Although Averell had a sound victory at Droop Mountain, he did not achieve his objectives of eliminating the Confederate army in Lewisburg and damaging the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.

Other historians believe that the battle was a tactical victory for Echols and Jackson, since Averell did not eliminate the Confederate army in Lewisburg; and more importantly, did not disturb the railroad.

[10] Union Army leaders normally considered troops in West Virginia to be a defensive force that should handle Confederate raids and confront guerrillas and bushwhackers.

Through his chief-of-staff, Brigadier General George W. Cullum, Halleck let Kelley know that he wanted the Confederates out of Lewisburg and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad disabled.

[17] A second Union force, which was from Brigadier General Eliakim P. Scammon's Third Division, would move southeast from Charleston to meet Averell in Lewisburg and provide assistance.

[39][Note 3] The mounted portion of Scammon's force, commanded by Brigadier General Alfred N. Duffié, departed from Charleston for Lewisburg on November 3.

[41] Both regiments were involved in a July 1863 raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, where they captured the town of Wytheville but inflicted little permanent damage to the railroad—and lost both of their colonels.

[44] In the first few days of the expedition, Averell's Brigade traveled south over the most direct route, and encountered a few bands of guerrillas and small detachments of Confederate Army soldiers.

After a small clash, the squadron of West Virginians continued south and reunited with Averell's main force near Green Bank and Arbovale, which was about 20 miles (32 km) north of Huntersville.

[46] Siple reported the encounter to Colonel Jackson, who was headquartered with the main body of the 19th Virginia Cavalry just northwest of Hillsboro in Mill Point.

[46] Jackson warned Colonel William W. Arnett, who was 8 miles (13 km) north with the 20th Virginia Cavalry Regiment near the Greenbrier River in Marling Bottom.

Arriving at Huntersville and finding no enemy troops, he determined that a portion of the 19th Virginia Cavalry was six miles (9.7 km) west at Marling Bottom—and devised a plan to cut them off from their headquarters at Mill Point.

Around dusk, Oley entered Marling Bottom, but Arnett was already gone and passed through the intersection near Mill Point after dark while Thompson continued skirmishing—Averell's trap had failed.

[54] Elsewhere, during the afternoon of November 4, two regiments from Jenkins' Confederate cavalry brigade were resting in Greenbrier County while their commander, Colonel Ferguson, consulted with Brigadier General Echols.

The remaining six companies from the 14th Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel James A. Cochran, rode north to assist Jackson at Mill Point.

[54] That evening at Mill Point, Jackson's Confederates assumed defensive positions on the southwest side of Stamping Creek, with Arnett commanding the "infantry" (dismounted cavalry).

[56] Early in the morning on November 5, Averell moved his infantry from Huntersville toward Mill Point, and Oley left Marling Bottom for the same destination.

[71] Averell was up early in the morning on November 6 planning his strategy, and began moving his troops from Mill Point to Hillsboro shortly after sunrise.

[80] Although some skirmishing already happened, historians consider artillery shots fired at Droop Mountain by Schoonmaker using Keeper's Battery, which occurred around 11:00 am, as the beginning of the battle.

In the case of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott's 2nd West Virginia Mounted Infantry, the men dismounted near the front and remained out of sight while waiting for orders.

[91] Colonel Thomas M. Harris and the 10th West Virginia Infantry moved to the front on Moor's right and began pushing their outnumbered enemy back.

Averell ordered Major Thomas Gibson, whose Independent Cavalry Battalion was held in reserve almost four miles (6.4 km) back, to advance as quickly as possible.

[106] Duffié began a pursuit with the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry as the advance, but returned to Lewisburg after finding blockades and a burnt bridge at the Greenbrier River.

Averell reported that he began the pursuit on the morning of November 8, but ended the search because of a "formidable blockade", being "encumbered" with prisoners and captured property, and Duffié's infantry being "unfit for further operations".

[109] Duffié's report said he made the pursuit on the morning of November 8 with his cavalry and mounted infantry, and he "received an order from General Averell to return" when he was eight miles (13 km) from Union, West Virginia.

[112] Duffié began a move to Meadow Bluff as ordered, but found that location impractical because of bad weather and difficulties with the supply line.

[115] Averell detached two squadrons of the 8th West Virginia Mounted Infantry, under the command of Major Hedgmen Slack, on the evening of November 8.

On December 11, he reported that Confederate troops had reoccupied their positions held prior to the battle, and the enemy had suffered heavier losses than those inflicted.

President Abraham Lincoln made reference to the battle in a speech, and Major General Ambrose Burnside confirmed that the victory encouraged his Army of the Ohio in Tennessee.