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By the* middle of August, Rosecrans had established a chain of posts, witha regiment or two at each, on a line upon which he afterward marchedfrom Weston, by way of Bulltown, Sutton, and Summersville, to GauleyBridge.
The Confederates had also been straining every nerve to collect a force thatmight give us an effective return blow, and Robert E. Lee was expected tolead their forces in person. After ten days’ quiet occupation of GfauleyBridge, in which I had reconnoitered the country nearly forty miles in frontand on each flank, we learned that General John B. Floyd had joined Wisewith a brigade, and that both were moving toward the Kanawha . At the sametime the militia of Raleigh , Mercer, and Fayette counties were called out,making a force of two thousand men under General Chapman. The total forceconfronting us was thus about eight thousand. ,1 To resist these I kept 2regiments at Gauley Bridge, an advance-guard of 8 companies vigorouslyskirmishing toward Sewell Mountain, a regiment distributed on the Kanawha to cover the steamboat communications, and some West Virginia recruitsorganizing at the mouth of the river. By extreme activity these were ableto baffle the enemy and impose upon him the belief that our numbers were
more than double our actual force.
A- Rosecrans had informed me of his
, ■ purpose to march a strong column to
join me as soon as Lee ’s plans werefully developed, and I accumulated sup-plies and munitions at Gauley Bridge,determined to stand a siege if neces-sary. On the 13th of August the 7thOhio , Colonel E. B. Tyler, was orderedby Rosecrans to Cross Lanes, coveringCarnifex Ferry on the GauleyRiver about twenty miles aboveus, where a road from Lewis-^ burg meets that going up theGauley to Summersville. I was author-ized to call Tyler to me if seriouslyattacked. On the 20th Wise made astrong demonstration in front, but wasmet at Pig Creek, three miles up theOn the 26th Floyd , having raised twoflat-boats which Tyler had sunk, crossed the Gauley at Carnifex Ferry with2000 or 3000 men, and surprised him, routing the regiment with a loss to usof 15 killed and about 100 captured, of which 50 were wounded. Thegreater part of the regiment was rallied by Major Casement, and led over the
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GAULEY BRIDGE, LOOKING DOWN STREAM.FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
New River, and easily repulsed.
,IOn the 14th of August Wise reported to force 3100. At that time he gives Floyd ’s force atGeneral Lee that he had 2000 ready to move, 1200, with 2 strong regiments coming up, besidesand could have 2500 ready in 5 days; that 550 2000 militia under General Chapman, as stated
of his cavalry were with Floyd , besides an artil- above. The aggregate force operating on the Kana-lery detachment of 50. This makes his total wha line he gives as 7800, Sept. 9th.—J. D. C.