The Battle of Charleston was a Confederate victory in Kanawha County, Virginia, on September13, 1862, during the American Civil War. Troops led by Major General William W. Loring defeated a Union force led by Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn. This battle, which featured the extensive use of artillery but few casualties, was the second major fight in Loring's Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862 that succeeded in driving Union forces out of the Kanawha River Valley. All points in the Kanawha River Valley were in the southwestern part of Virginia at the time of the battle, but are now part of the state of West Virginia.
After a victory in the Battle of Fayetteville on September10, and a pursuit down the Kanawha River, Loring caught Lightburn's force at Charleston during the morning of September13. Much of the fighting became an artillery duel, especially after Lightburn brought his command to the west side of the Elk River. Once Lightburn burned a bridge across the river, it became difficult for Loring to continue his pursuit. Lightburn retreated to the safety of Ohio, but abandoned the direct route along the Kanawha River to avoid Confederate cavalry waiting for him. He brought 700 wagons of supplies with him.
Loring did not conduct much of a pursuit, and was content to gather supplies in Charleston. His report claimed he captured supplies worth at least $1,000,000 (), and the nearby salt-mines were saved. He established headquarters in Charleston, and released a declaration urging locals to join him. In less than four weeks, he offended Confederate leadership and was replaced by Brigadier General John Echols. The Union commander in the Kanawha Valley prior to Lightburn was Jacob Dolson Cox. In October, Cox was promoted to major general and returned to the valley. Confederate troops were defeated by November and gone from the valley.
Background
In the American Civil War, Union forces controlled a large portion of southwestern Virginia during the summer of 1862. Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox was commander of the District of the Kanawha, which included Charleston and southwestern Virginia along the Kanawha River Valley. The western portion of Virginia had few good roads and few settlements. Using small steamboats from the Ohio River, the Kanawha River could be navigated for about to a point about upstream from Charleston, which meant the river could be used to transport troops and supplies. Charleston is located where the Elk River joins the Kanawha River.
Further upstream (with non-navigable portions), the Kanawha River is formed by the meeting of the New River and the Gauley River at the community of Gauley Bridge. That community was important not only for its river connections, but also because the James River and Kanawha Turnpike ran through it and was intersected by another road that ran northeast to Summersville and beyond. The Kanawha River Valley portion of Virginia, including Charleston (county seat of Kanawha County), became part of the Union state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863.
On August 14, 1862, Cox began moving his Kanawha Division to Washington as reinforcement for Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia. Exceptions to Cox's orders were about 5,000 troops left behind and put under the command of Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn. Soon after Cox left the Kanawha Valley, Pope's quartermaster was captured along with numerous records, and Confederate leaders learned that Cox had left only 5,000 men in the Kanawha Valley at posts around Gauley Bridge. In the southern half of western Virginia, many of the people from the mountains were pro-Union, while the majority in the large valleys were pro-Confederate. The Kanawha Valley was important to the Confederacy in 1862 because of its salt deposits and its potential for new army recruits. The valley, including Charleston, also contained a large amount of supplies used by Union troops. Major General William W. Loring was ordered to clear the Kanawha Valley of Union soldiers, and then move northeast to form a junction with more Confederate soldiers in the Shenandoah Valley.
Opposing forces Union army
Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn assumed command of the Kanawha District on August 17, 1862. He was very religious and had little combat experience. Under his command were seven infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment. He also had eight mountain howitzers and six artillery pieces—three rifled and three smoothbore. His forces were: The First Brigade was commanded by Colonel Edward Siber. It consisted of the 34th and 37th Ohio Infantry regiments. Siber had over 20 years of service as a German soldier in Prussia and Brazil. The Second Brigade was commanded by Colonel Samuel A. Gilbert. Gilbert had combat experience, and had fought in the Battle of Cheat Mountain and the Battle of Lewisburg. Under his command were the 44th and 47th Ohio Infantry regiments. Gilbert's brigade also included two companies from the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry Regiment commanded by Major John J. Hoffman. At the time of the battle, four companies from the 4th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment and one company from the 9th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment had been placed under Gilbert's command. Other troops not permanently attached to a brigade were the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry, and the 4th, 8th, and 9th Loyal Virginia infantry regiments. These regiments were often split and scattered throughout the region. Over half of the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel John C. Paxton, was elsewhere during the battle. Two companies, commanded by Major John J. Hoffman, were with Gilbert's Second Brigade. Another two cavalry companies were under the command of the cavalry's Lieutenant Colonel Rollin L. Curtis. The 4th Loyal Virginia Infantry was present at the battle and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William H. H. Russell. There is no evidence the 8th Loyal Virginia Infantry was present for the battle at Charleston. The only casualty known for that regiment, in the entire campaign, occurred in October.
Confederate army
Major General William W. Loring commanded the Department of Southwestern Virginia. He had been a soldier since the age of 14, was a sergeant at the age of 17, and fought in the Second Seminole War and the Mexican–American War. Under his command were six infantry regiments, three infantry battalions, and batteries. The First Brigade was normally commanded by Brigadier General John Echols. It consisted of the 50th and 63rd Virginia Infantry regiments, plus Derrick's 23rd Virginia Infantry Battalion. Echols became ill, so the brigade was commanded by Colonel John McCausland. Added to this brigade were the 22nd and 36th Virginia Infantry regiments. Also part of the brigade were Lowry's Battery, Otey's Battery, and a small portion of cavalry. The Second Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General John S. Williams. Under his command were Edgar's Battalion and the 45th Virginia Infantry Regiment. The 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment was detached to the First Brigade. His artillery (six pieces) was led by Major John Floyd King. The Third Brigade was commanded by Colonel Gabriel C. Wharton. In the battle of Charleston, the brigade united and cooperated with the Second Brigade commanded by Brigadier General Williams. The brigade consisted of the 51st Virginia Infantry Regiment and 30th Virginia Sharpshooters Battalion (a.k.a. Clarke's Battalion of Sharpshooters). Movement to battle
Cavalry raid
Confederate Major General Loring planned to take control of the Kanawha River Valley by leading a large force in an assault on Union forces located in Raleigh, Fayette, and Kanawha counties. As early as August 31, Union leaders had received reports that Loring had a force of 10,000 troops. Loring's force actually consisted of about 5,000 men instead of the rumored 10,000, but he expected to add to it by recruiting and organizing existing local militias.
Part of Loring's plan was sending a cavalry force through of Union–controlled territory to cut off the most direct Union route of retreat downriver. The cavalry force was led by Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins and consisted of about 550 men. On August 22, Jenkins started north from Salt Sulphur Springs. He captured a Union supply depot on August 30, and was able to resupply his poorly-armed men.
News of Jenkins reached Union Colonel Lightburn, who was headquartered at Gauley Bridge. He sent orders to concentrate his forces, and the Union outpost at Raleigh Court House was abandoned on September 3. Union Colonel Edward Siber moved his brigade north from Raleigh Court House to Fayette Court House. By September 5, Jenkins was at the small town of Buffalo located on the Kanawha River between Charleston and the Ohio River. His mission was accomplished, and Union forces upriver were not where he would go next. On the next day, Loring's brigades began moving north from their camps near Red Sulphur Springs, Grey Sulphur Springs, and the Narrows of New River.
Fayetteville
Loring moved through Princeton, Flat Top Mountain, and on to Raleigh Court House. Arriving at the Union fortification at Raleigh Court House (today's Beckley) on September 9, he discovered Union troops had evacuated. He attacked the Union front and right flank at Fayette Court House (a.k.a. Fayetteville) on September 10, and fierce fighting occurred all day. Between 1:00and2:00am on September 11, Union Colonel Edward Siber's brigade quietly abandoned the Union outpost at Fayette Court House and moved north.
Lightburn believed his entire force would need to retreat, and their probable destination was Point Pleasant on the Ohio River at the mouth of the Kanawha River. Union forces not located at Fayetteville, including at Summersville and Gauley Bridge, prepared to retreat. The Union commander at Fayetteville, Colonel Siber, led a fighting retreat, with the largest skirmishes occurring at Cotton Hill and Montgomery Ferry between Fayetteville and the Kanawha River. Elements of Lightburn's other brigade, commanded by Colonel Samuel Gilbert, provided artillery protection from the north side of the river. Union troops on both sides of the river (Siber on the south side, Gilbert on the north) continued retreating down the Kanawha River with the Confederates pursuing.
Charleston On September 12, Lightburn waited at Union Camp Piatt. The camp was located on the Kanawha River about upriver (east) from Charleston. Siber's brigade crossed the Kanawha River near the camp, and Lightburn's command was reunited. Lightburn believed about 8,000 Confederates were in the valley. He knew he was being pursued by Loring, and thought Confederate cavalry was waiting downriver from Charleston to cut off the Union retreat. Just after midnight (September 13 am), Lightburn's men began moving downriver to Charleston. The town's population for 1861 was about 1,500, and it was located on the Kanawha River and a major road known as the James River and Kanawha Turnpike. On the downriver (west) side of town, the Elk River empties into the Kanawha River, and travelers on the turnpike must cross the Elk River on a suspension bridge. Many of Lightburn's troops took a defensive position on the downriver side of the Elk River, while the remaining troops took forward positions on the east side. Lightburn urged locals to evacuate the town.
Battle