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unity, and Boseerans was dissatisfied that his head of column should heengaged before he had time to plan an attack. Colonel Lowe, of the 12thOhio , had been killed at the head of his regiment, and Colonel W. H. Lytle,of the 10th, had been severely wounded; darkness was rapidly coming on,and Boseerans ordered the troops withdrawn from fire, till positions couldbe rectified, and the attack renewed in the morning. Seventeen had beenkilled and 141 had been wounded in the sharp but irregular combat. Floyd,however, had learned that his position could be subjected to a destructivecannonade; he was himself slightly wounded, and his officers and menwere discouraged. He therefore retreated across the Gauley in the night,having great difficulty in carrying his artillery down the cliffs by awretched road in the darkness. He had built a slight foot-bridge forinfantry, in the bit of smooth water known as the Ferry , though bothabove and below the stream is an impassable mountain torrent. Once over,the bridge was broken up and the flat-boats were destroyed. He reportedbut twenty casualties, and threw much of the responsibility upon Wise, whohad not obeyed orders to reenforce him. His hospital, containing thewounded prisoners taken from Tyler, fell into Bosecrans’s hands.
On the 12th of September we first heard, at Gauley Bridge, of the engagementat Carnifex Ferry, and I at once moved with two regiments to attack Wise, whoretired as we advanced, till I occupied the junction of the turnpike with theSunday road. The whole hostile force had retreated to Sewell Mountain, andBoseerans halted me until he could create means of crossing the Gauley.
McCook’s brigade joined me on the 16th of September, and my own commandwas increased by bringing up another of my regiments from below. With
FLOYD’S COMMAND RECROSSING THE GAULEY RIVER AFTER THE FIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 10TH,AT CARNIFEX FERRY. AFTER A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.
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