8th Virginia Cavalry- Pg 6
Sept 19, 1861 Wise Letter, My Scouts
Sept 20: Lee arrives in Lewisburg
On September 21, Lee visited Floyd's camp on Sewell Mountain and urged Wise and Floyd to unite and "conquer or die together."
On September 25 Wise relieved from command in western Virginia, and five days later set out for Richmond. Wise Legion remains
When Rosecrans reached Gauley Bridge about October 5, he established his headquarters near the Tompkins' farm on Gauley Mountain and distributed his brigades "in echelon" along the turnpike. Brigadier General Robert C. Schenck held the most advanced post, about ten miles from Gauley Bridge. Colonel Robert L. McCook was stationed at Miller's Ferry, eight miles from Gauley, where the road from Fayetteville comes to the river, while Brigadier General H. W. Benham was located six miles from Gauley
Finding it very difficult to maintain supplies for the large army which he had mobilized at Big Sewell Mountain where his men suffered severely for lack of shelter and food, General Rosecrans moved a part of his forces back into the Kanawha Valley during the latter part of the winter. In the spring General Cox started eastward again and first encamped on Flat Top Mountain_ From this point he marched eastward to join Shields in the Shenandoah Valley and put General Lightburn of Lewis County in command at Gauley Bridge. Expecting to maintain itself in the Kanawha Valley at least, the Richmond government sent large forces into that section, one command under ex-Governor Henry A. Wise, the other under Gen. John B. Floyd, who had been Secretary of War under Buchanan.
In July, 1861, Gen. Jacob S. Cox crossed the Ohio with a strong Federal force and pushed up the Kanawha Valley. For some weeks there were rather severe conflicts between the contending armies. Battles were fought at Carnifex Ferry, Gauley Bridge and Cross Lanes, and other less important engagements took place with varying degrees of success on both sides; but in the end the Confederates were pushed back across the mountains, and they did not again occupy the Kanawha Valley.Wise was succeeded by General W. W. Loring, who had seen service under Lee in the northwest. He was given the task of driving the Federals out of the Hawk's Nest region. Floyd was detached for a movement up the south side of New River in order to cut the communications of the Federals. He took with him Russell's Mississippi Regiment, Phillip's Legion, the Fourteenth Georgia, the Fifty-first, Forty-fifth, Thirty-sixth, and Twenty-second Virginia, and five hundred cavalry -- in all some four thousand men.
Oct 15, 1861 Lee Letter, "your scout", to Floyd
Lee planned to join these two forces and by a concerted movement drive the Federals out of the Valley. Had it not been for the incessant rains in this region, one of the decisive battles of the war might have been fought. As it was, only skirmishing took place and on October 20, Lee received reports from the Staunton region so threatening that he was forced to move the greater part of his detachment in that direction. Floyd was disappointed but he established his camp at the forks of the road to Miller's Ferry and Gauley Bridge and directly in front of Fayetteville
The Federals knew that the Confederate militia had occupied the region of New River all summer. About October 18, they were seen opposite Miller's Ferry by McCook's brigade. They were to be assembled at Fayetteville for a rally and to be paid off, so Rosecrans ordered McCook to cross the river and capture or disperse them, and "occupy or treat the country" as circumstances demanded.
On October 20, he marched to Fayetteville and found only guerilla parties. He then occupied the town, and after reconnoitering the roads in the neighborhood, and satisfying himself that there was no force there other than the militia, he returned to Miller's Ferry without leaving a guard on the other side.
When Lightburn heard of the battle going on at Fayetteville, he called in all the forces which had been stationed at Summersville and on the Lewisburg Pike. The entire command retreated down the valley, skirmishing all the way. Lightburn made a stand at Charleston on September 13, but believing his forces to be outnumbered two to one, he continued the retreat to Point Pleasant.
The Confederate loss at the Battle of Fayetteville was sixteen killed upon the field and thirty-two wounded. The Federal loss in the battle and during the entire four days while retreating down the valley, was twenty-five killed, ninety-five wounded, and one hundred ninety missing.