[9] Washington Street, which was the Lewisburg portion of the James River and Kanawha Turnpike (today's U.S. Route 60), ran roughly east–west.

[12] Within the Mountain Department, Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox commanded the Kanawha Division that was responsible for the western Virginia territory relevant to the Battle of Lewisburg.

[17] The brigade was headquartered at Meadow Bluff in Greenbrier County, located about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Lewisburg in what one soldier called a "natural position for defense".

[27] Among those reporting to Loring was Brigadier General Henry Heth, a graduate of West Point and veteran of United States Army posts in the western region of the country.

While at Flat Top Mountain, Cox was notified that the raid on Knoxville was cancelled because of maneuvers in the Shenandoah Valley by Confederate Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

Cox planned to attack further south with his First and Second brigades, and hoped to reach the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad at the Dublin Depot near New Bern.

[47][48] Confederate Brigadier General Heth, with a larger force, arrived on May 10—causing the 23rd Ohio to withdraw back toward Princeton after skirmishing.

[47][Note 6] On May 15, Confederate forces began skirmishing again with Cox's brigades near the mouth of Wolf Creek in the southern part of Mercer County.

[51] Cox became concerned about Confederate forces approaching from multiple directions, so he withdrew back to Flat Top Mountain.

[53] On May 11, Crook sent detachments of infantry (47th Ohio) and cavalry to capture Lewisburg and drive out the small Confederate force (two companies) stationed in town.

Further east at the Jackson River Depot on the Virginia Central Railroad, he planned to capture supplies belonging to Confederate Brigadier General Heth.

[58] While moving toward the railroad, Crook learned that the notorious Confederate guerrillas known as the Moccasin Rangers were nearby, and decided to capture them if possible.

[61] Crook's advance guard of 12 cavalrymen led by Captain Powell surprised some of the Moccasin Rangers near Callaghan's Station west of Jackson River, and captured about 30 of them.

[58][Note 10] Crook's brigade arrived at the Jackson River Depot on May 17, and learned that Confederate troops had fled the area with Heth's supplies.

[66] A search of the depot's telegraph office resulted in the discovery that Stonewall Jackson was sending troops to Covington, and two local militias were also expected.

[67] As a precaution to delay any Confederate troops arriving by rail, a railroad bridge about 10 miles (16 km) east of the depot was burned, and Crook's return trip began on the next morning.

[17] He sent Lieutenant Colonel Elliot and his detachment west on the turnpike, where they would unite with the remainder of the 47th Ohio Infantry about seven miles (11 km) north of Blue Sulphur Springs at Meadow Bluff.

Union pickets at the Greenbrier River Bridge were driven away, captured, or killed by a mounted portion of the 8th Virginia Cavalry.

[Note 12] Two artillery pieces were left on a hill near the bridge as part of a rear guard, and the main portion of Heth's force continued to Lewisburg led by a small number of mounted cavalry.

[79] The two companies advanced in the morning fog, and while in town approached what they believed was a group of Union pickets retreating from the bridge.

[86] Leaving Colonel Gilbert in command of the regiment, Crook then rode back to the 36th Ohio Infantry, and deployed with them on their left side of town.

[89][91] Gilbert's men then focused on enemy artillery pieces using a combination of volleys from their rifled muskets and bayonet charges.

[96] The road to the Greenbrier Bridge and nearby fields were littered with numerous Confederate muskets, cartridge boxes, knapsacks, blankets, and jackets abandoned by Heth's fleeing men.

[99] Crook cautiously ordered his men to return to camp, and detachments of the cavalry began to patrol every road to Lewisburg as a precaution against a Confederate surprise.

[100] Heth and his men continued their retreat to Union in Monroe County, and eventually further south to Salt Sulphur Springs.

[18] Armstrong's study of Confederate casualties totals to 240, which he believes "are likely on the low side due to scarcity of period records".

"[105] Private Joseph Sutton, regimental historian of the 2nd Loyal (West) Virginia Cavalry, called the battle "one of the best planned little engagements of the war".

[32] He offered the excuse of regiments "filled with conscripts and newly officered under the election system", but also said "he should bear his proportion of the result of the disaster".

[107] Compounding problems with Edgar's Battalion was Heth's order that caused it to cross a wheat field where it was assaulted by Union soldiers hidden among trees.

He is most famous for an action, contrary to Confederate General Robert E. Lee's order to avoid contact, that started the Battle of Gettysburg.