The Battle of Carnifex Ferry took place on September 10, 1861 in Nicholas County, Virginia (now West Virginia), as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War. The battle resulted in a Union strategic victory that contributed to the eventual Confederate withdrawal from western Virginia, which in turn led to the creation of the State of West Virginia two years later.
Concerned about Floyd's drive to reclaim the Kanawha Valley, Union Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans led three brigades of infantry southward from Clarksburg to support Tyler's regrouped regiment. Moving into position on the afternoon of September 10, Rosecrans advanced against Floyd's campsite and attacked. The Confederate lines repulsed the attacks and the Federal casualties were significantly higher than the defenders. The strength of Rosecrans's artillery proved to be problematic however, and Floyd decided to retreat that night across the ferry to the south side of the Gauley River. He subsequently moved eastward to Meadow Bluff near Lewisburg.
Floyd, seeking to deflect the blame, placed the responsibility for the defeat on his co-commander Brigadier General Henry A. Wise, furthering the dissension that marked the Confederate high command in western Virginia.
^CWSAC Battle Summary, National Park Service February 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 156.
^"Kessler's Cross Lanes". CWSAC Battle Summaries. National Park Service. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
^Where People and Nature Meet: A History of the West Virginia State Parks. Charleston, West Virginia: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. April 1988. ISBN0-933126-91-3.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Carnifex Ferry.
Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park's website
The West Virginia Review, 1931: Detailed overview of the battle
February 15, 2024
battle, carnifex, ferry, took, place, september, 1861, nicholas, county, virginia, west, virginia, part, operations, western, virginia, campaign, during, american, civil, battle, resulted, union, strategic, victory, that, contributed, eventual, confederate, wi. The Battle of Carnifex Ferry took place on September 10 1861 in Nicholas County Virginia now West Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War The battle resulted in a Union strategic victory that contributed to the eventual Confederate withdrawal from western Virginia which in turn led to the creation of the State of West Virginia two years later Battle of Carnifex FerryPart of the American Civil WarPatterson HouseDateSeptember 10 1861 1861 09 10 LocationNicholas County Virginia now West Virginia 38 12 32 N 80 56 19 W 38 20889 N 80 93861 W 38 20889 80 93861ResultUnion victory 1 BelligerentsUnited States of America Union CSA Confederacy Commanders and leadersWilliam S RosecransJohn B FloydStrength 5 000 2 000Casualties and losses17 killed141 woundedunknown killed30 wounded The battle took its name from a former settlement which was named after the local Carnefix family 2 Contents 1 Opposing forces 1 1 Union 1 2 Confederate 2 The battle 3 Battlefield preservation 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksOpposing forces editUnion edit Further information Union order of battle Confederate edit Further information Confederate order of battleThe battle editIn late August 1861 Confederate forces under Brig Gen John B Floyd crossed the Gauley River and surprised the 7th Ohio Infantry under Col Erastus Tyler at Kessler s Cross Lanes 3 Outnumbered Tyler s inexperienced men were routed and Floyd camped near Carnifex Ferry The Confederates began throwing up entrenchments on the Henry Patteson farm located on the rim of the Gauley River Canyon near Summersville Concerned about Floyd s drive to reclaim the Kanawha Valley Union Brigadier General William S Rosecrans led three brigades of infantry southward from Clarksburg to support Tyler s regrouped regiment Moving into position on the afternoon of September 10 Rosecrans advanced against Floyd s campsite and attacked The Confederate lines repulsed the attacks and the Federal casualties were significantly higher than the defenders The strength of Rosecrans s artillery proved to be problematic however and Floyd decided to retreat that night across the ferry to the south side of the Gauley River He subsequently moved eastward to Meadow Bluff near Lewisburg Floyd seeking to deflect the blame placed the responsibility for the defeat on his co commander Brigadier General Henry A Wise furthering the dissension that marked the Confederate high command in western Virginia Battlefield preservation editIn October 1935 the battlefield was preserved as Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park 4 Gallery edit nbsp A map of the battle nbsp General Floyd s troops retreat across the river nbsp Map of Carnifex Ferry Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection ProgramSee also edit nbsp American Civil War portalThomas J Kelly Irish nationalist References edit CWSAC Battle Summary National Park Service Archived February 26 2008 at the Wayback Machine Kenny Hamill 1945 West Virginia Place Names Their Origin and Meaning Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains Piedmont WV The Place Name Press p 156 Kessler s Cross Lanes CWSAC Battle Summaries National Park Service Retrieved January 16 2017 Where People and Nature Meet A History of the West Virginia State Parks Charleston West Virginia Pictorial Histories Publishing Company April 1988 ISBN 0 933126 91 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Carnifex Ferry Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park s website The West Virginia Review 1931 Detailed overview of the battle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle of Carnifex Ferry amp oldid 1147804466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
