​​​​​​​On August 20th, 1921, approximately 13,000 armed miners had gathered at Lens Creek Mountain, Kanawha County in West Virginia. Their objective was to reclaim Logan and Mingo counties from the anti-union forces, with Blair Mountain the only barrier that stood before them.

The 'czar of Logan,' the notorious Sheriff Don Chafin, awaited the miners. An estimated few thousand armed personnel, consisting of law enforcement and volunteers, dug trenches and set up machine guns along the mountain ridges.

On August 25th, minor skirmishes took place, and on August 27th, President Harding dispatched WWI hero Brigadier General Harry H. Bandholtz to halt the march before the situation escalated further, however, his mission ultimately failed after a provocation from Don Chafin towards the miners.

On August 30th, the battle began in earnest. 

Courtesy of - Library of Congress 

Courtesy of - Library of Congress

Courtesy of - Library of Congress

​​​​​​​​Over multiple days of fighting, machine guns were fired, and private aircraft mobilized by Chafin rained explosives and chemicals from above. 

On September 2nd, U.S. federal forces sent by President Harding arrived to the scene of the battle. About 2,500 federal troops and U.S. army aircraft took control of the area, and a ceasefire was established. The Battle of Blair Mountain had ended, leaving more than a hundred dead, and an estimated 1,000 miners apprehended.