8th Virginia Cavalry- Pg 4
In the meantime, General W. W. Loring, with about five thousand men, was encamped at the Narrows of New River, about eighty miles southeast of Fayetteville. On August 29, George W. Randolph, Confederate Secretary of War, informed him that Pope's letter book had been captured, exposing the fact that only five thousand men were left in western Virginia. As the Confederates were in desperate need of salt, they availed themselves of this opportunity to enter the Kanawha Valley for a supply, while it was not so well guarded. There was also a possibility that the valley might be recovered. General A. G. Jenkins was given instruction to reconnoiter the situation. For this purpose he set out from Salt Sulphur Springs in Monroe County with the Eighth Virginia Cavalry, consisting of five hundred men, and marched through Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Calhoun, Roane, and Jackson counties to the Ohio River at Ravenswood. Here he crossed the river and by a route south of the Kanawha River, returned to his command. Loring was then ordered to "clear the valley of the Kanawha, and operate northwardly."
On September 2, Wise, assisted by Colonel P. B. Anderson, attacked the Federals at Hawk's Nest. He was forced to abandon his stand, but took a position covering Miller's Ferry and Liken's Mill. At the same time, Generals Beckley and Chapman succeeded in driving the Federals from Cotton Hill to within two miles of Montgomery's Ferry on the south side of the river, and even threw some balls into the camp at Gauley. Floyd got the idea that Cox was moving to attack him, and made no aggressive movement.
Sept 4: Lee arrivesat Valley Mountain
On September 6, Loring left Camp Narrows, Virginia, for the Kanawha, with an army about five thousand strong. His line of operations was by way of Princeton, Flat Top Mountain, and Raleigh Courthouse to Fayetteville
On September 10, the Federal advance under Rosecrans attacked Floyd at Carnifex Ferry. They were repulsed and withdrew, intending to renew the attack the next morning, but Floyd considered his own position too hazardous to withstand another attack, so withdrew to the opposite shore of Gauley River, and from thence to Sewell Mountain. Following this there was considerable skirmishing and Colonel Lucius Davis, operating on the south side of New River, captured several prisoners.
Having learned that Loring was planning to advance upon the Kanawha Valley, Lightburn ordered Colonel Siber to fall back from Raleigh Courthouse to Fayetteville, and Colonel Gilbert to fall back to Tompkins' farm, on Gauley Mountain. Fearing that Jenkins might attack Summersville, six companies of the Forty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry were detached from Gilbert's command and placed under command of Colonel L. S. Elliot, to re-enforce that place. At the same time, the quartermaster and commissary stores were directed to be shipped to Charleston.
In the meantime, when within about four and one-half miles from Fayetteville, Loring directed Colonel G. C. Wharton to proceed with the Twenty-second Regiment, under Colonel George S. Patton; the Fifty-first under Lieutenant Colonel August Forsberg; and J. Lyle Clarke's battalion of sharpshooters, under Lieutenant Clarke, by a road to the left, in order to attack the Federals in the rear, while Brigadier General John S. Williams was to delay his march of the Second Brigade on the turnpike in front one hour in order that both might strike at the Federal fortifications simultaneously. When within two or three miles of the Courthouse, Williams' front guard, under Captain E. L. Read, met the reconnoitering party sent out by Siber. After a short skirmish the Federals were driven to a square redoubt in the open field commanding the road. This redoubt was held by Companies B, C, D, F, and G, of the Thirty-seventh Ohio Regiment, supported by two 60 pounders, under command of Lieutenant William West.
Two hills now lay between the Confederates' and the Federals' first position. The Confederates moved their artillery to the top of the first hill, while the Forty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Virginia proceeded under cover of the woodland along the right flank of the Federal position. Edgar's battalion was placed in the rear of the batteries. Williams' batteries opened fire, and were replied to by a storm of shell and grape, and Minie balls from sharpshooters, who held the ravine and opposite hill. The Confederates suffered considerable loss here, but made a determined effort and succeeded in moving to the next hill, and thence forward to within three hundred yards of the Federal fort, where they opened a terrible cannonade upon it. Colonel William H. Browne led the Forty-fifth Virginia along the woodland, driving the Federals before him, while McCausland with the Thirty-sixth Virginia occupied a house and some tree stumps which had been used by the Federals.