Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 1 (of 2)

by Ann S. Stephens

BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY.

September 10, 1861.

More than a month had now elapsed since General Rosecranz had been entrusted with the Federal command in Western Virginia, and the commanders of the hostile forces had been intently watching the movements of the opposing armies, anxious for an opportunity to strike a decisive blow.

From his headquarters at Clarksburg, General Rosecranz moved forward to resume active operations, and at two principal points the enemy prepared to give him battle. The popular impression was that he intended to attack General Lee, at Cheat Mountain Gap, his nearest and most accessible opponent, then held in check by General Reynolds. Floyd had been permitted to cross the mountains at Summersville, and was known to be then in the Kanawha region, some eighty or a hundred miles distant, where it was the intention of the Federal commander to seek him. It was not until Monday, the 9th of September, that the General reached Birch river, where he concentrated his force, drawn from various encampments, and which had marched in detached bodies to the rendezvous appointed. After leaving the valley of the Big Birch the route lay through a mountainous and densely wooded country, infested with guerrillas, who gave them much annoyance; and as no reliable guide accompanied the army, Rosecranz was obliged to rely chiefly upon the inhabitants for information of the geographical and topographical features of the country. The position of Floyd’s forces was also unknown to him, and it was not until he had reached Cross Lanes, eight miles from Summersville, that he received reliable information that the enemy was strongly posted somewhere in the range of hills that line either side of the Gauley river, immediately facing that village. Floyd was known to be advised of the approach of the Federal army, as his scouts and skirmishers had been encountered frequently on the previous day, and it was the plan of Rosecranz to carefully reconnoitre the position of the enemy before advancing any considerable force within range of his guns; but the eager and importunate requests of various officers, as well as the impetuosity of the men, urged him forward.

Colonel McCook was first sent with a squadron of Chicago cavalry to Carnifex ferry, by a road which led through ravines to the Gauley river. In an attempt to destroy a boat found here he was fired upon by the enemy, who were out of range of the carbines of the cavalry. To overcome this opposition, he dispatched a man asking that ten infantry should be sent to his aid. By some mistake the whole of Colonel Lytle’s Tenth Ohio, an Irish regiment, came hurrying down, eager for a fight, and opened fire on the woods on the opposite side that speedily banished the enemy. Colonel Lytle’s regiment continued in the advance, acting as skirmishers, and shortly drove in a detachment of the rebels from an exposed camp on the left, of the road. This road was very narrow, and shut in to the very wagon tracks with the jungle of underbrush.

General Rosecranz, who was still ignorant of the precise position of the enemy, or of the nature of his entrenchments, now sent orders to General Benham that Lytle should proceed down this road to make a reconnoissance, to be supported, if necessary, by the remainder of Benham’s brigade. Lytle was still a mile in advance of the rest of the brigade, pushing cautiously forward, with companies A, B, C and E, as skirmishers. They suddenly found themselves in front of some kind of fortification, and the enemy discovered them at the same time. At first there was sharp and scattered firing, when suddenly a terrific crash of musketry was followed by a storm of bullets. The enemy had opened along his whole front. The remainder of the Tenth was hurried forward to support the advance, and General Benham sent orders for the Thirteenth, Colonel Smith, and the Twelfth, Colonel Lowe, to come forward. The Federal troops stood their ground with the greatest heroism, in the face of a heavy battery. The firing on either side was not effective; and though the Tenth suffered severely, the loss was not great.

The Thirteenth, Colonel Smith, came in on the left, a little in the rear of the Tenth, and deploying towards Floyd’s right, opened in fine style. In the thickest of the firing, Colonel Lytle dashed forward in front of the enemy’s works, leading several companies, and as they left the cover of the woods, he received a severe wound. The ball which disabled him also wounded his horse, who dashed his rider to the ground, and in his death agony plunged over the parapet into the enemy’s works. Colonel Lytle was carried to a house near by, and lay in great pain, within hearing of the contest he was unable to share. The Tenth, discouraged and embarrassed by the loss of their leader, became somewhat scattered in the woods, but held their position and kept up a steady fire.

Meantime, Colonel Lowe came up with the Twelfth, and was led by Adjutant-General Hartsuff into the woods near the spot where the Tenth first received the enemy’s fire. He was leading up his regiment, waving his sword to cheer on his men, when he was struck in the forehead by a musket ball, and fell heavily from his horse. He died bravely, a soldier’s death, in front of the foe, and in the presence of his men.

The reconnoissance that was designed, had now grown into a severe and general engagement. But the unknown position of the enemy, and the necessity of calling up other regiments to support the advance, had led to a premature struggle. McMullen’s howitzer battery, and Captain Snyder’s battery were brought forward as speedily as possible, and rendered efficient service. General Rosecranz dispatched Adjutant-General Hartsuff to order up Colonel McCook’s brigade, who rushed forward in a state of wild enthusiasm when they were informed that they would have the honor of storming the batteries. Meantime the General, who had been making a careful survey of the whole field, found that the work would be too hazardous, and cost too many valuable lives, if it were then attempted, and countermanded the order. It was now too dark to distinguish the foe, and it became absolutely necessary to withdraw the troops.

The men had marched seventeen miles and a half, and many of them were exhausted with scouting and skirmishing all day over the hills. They retired slowly, galled with disappointment, and bivouacked, wearied and supperless, within musket range of the rebel front. Sentinels were posted to prevent any attempt of the enemy to surprise them, and guard against the retreat of Floyd if possible. But total ignorance of the country, and the intense darkness of the night, made it impossible to secure all the avenues of retreat. General Rosecranz himself was up all night long, taking care of his position with jealous and anxious solicitude; but notwithstanding, the foe slipped from his grasp.

The troops expected to storm the position and take it by sunrise, but before that time it was discovered vacant. Floyd began the evacuation as soon as he ascertained that Rosecranz did not intend to storm him, and by three o’clock the next morning the enemy put the deep and turbulent Gauley, and some miles of rugged road, between himself and the disgusted Federal army—sinking the flats and destroying the trestle bridge by which he had secured his retreat.

The Union troops immediately took possession of Floyd’s camp, in which he had left his own personal baggage, that of his officers, and their parade stores, the baggage and blankets of private soldiers, large numbers of muskets, squirrel guns, powder, lead, cartridges, forage, large quantities of commissary stores, and some horses and wagons.

He took nothing with him, in fact, excepting his guns, part of his tents, and a small supply of rations. It was also ascertained that he threw at least a portion of his cannon into the Gauley.

The loss of Rosecranz’s army in the engagement was 16 killed, and 102 wounded. That of the enemy was probably small, as they were well protected from the Federal fire. Twelve rebel prisoners were taken, and 25 of Colonel Tyler’s Seventh Ohio, mostly wounded, who had been captured at Cross Lanes on the 26th of August, were released.