Jenkins's trans-Allegheny raid was a Confederate cavalry expedition in the American Civil War that took place in Western Virginia (now West Virginia) and Ohio during August and September 1862. The raid was led by Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins, and it started on August 22 as a preliminary step in Confederate Major General William W. Loring's military campaign to drive the Union Army out of the Kanawha River Valley. This campaign, known as the Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862, took place from September 6 through September 16. The purpose of Jenkins's raid was to get behind the Union Army outposts located near the beginning of the Kanawha River, and cut off their main route of retreat to the safety of Ohio.
On the journey to his destination, Jenkins was able to capture several towns and seize valuable supplies and weaponry. He crossed the Ohio River into the state of Ohio, becoming the first Confederate force to invade the state. He moved back into Virginia and reached Buffalo, Virginia, on September 5. By occupying a position along the Kanawha River between the Union Army and Ohio, he completed his assignment to block the Union Army's most direct route of retreat. On the same day, Loring began a march with four brigades toward the Union outposts.
On September 8 Jenkins and a small detachment of his men were attacked by a detachment from the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry, but Jenkins escaped. Although Union leaders believed Jenkins had been removed as a threat, Jenkins was able to regroup and move south up the Guyandotte River. He eventually circled north and waited where the Coal River empties into the Kanawha River. Union Brigadier General Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn, in his retreat after a defeat in the Battle of Charleston on September 13, avoided Jenkins by taking a road north towards Ripley, Virginia, instead of following the turnpike along the Kanawha River.
Background
The Commonwealth of Virginia ratified an Ordinance of Secession that declared secession from the United States on May 23, 1861, and later joined other southern states in the Confederate States of America. Many people in the western portion of Virginia preferred to remain loyal to the United States, and they declared their own statehood on October 24, 1861—but the region did not officially become the state of West Virginia until June 20, 1863. 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. Bushwhackers and Partisan rangers utilized guerrilla warfare for both sides to help gain control of the region. The Kanawha Valley was important to the Confederacy because of its salt deposits and its potential for new army recruits.
During 1861, Union forces commanded by Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox gained control of a large portion of 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. 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. This 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.
On August 14, 1862, Cox began moving most of his division to Washington to reinforce another Union Army. A small quantity of troops remained near the Kanawha Valley, and were put under the command of Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn. Soon after Cox left the Kanawha Valley, some Union Army records were captured, and Confederate leaders learned Cox had left only 5,000 men in the Kanawha Valley at posts around Gauley Bridge. Major General William W. Loring was ordered to clear the Kanawha Valley of Union soldiers, and then move northeast to join more Confederate soldiers in the Shenandoah Valley. Part of Loring's plan to eliminate the Union Army included having a cavalry force move through Union–controlled territory to a point on the Kanawha River between Gauley Bridge and the Ohio River—which would block the best route for a Union retreat.
Opposing forces Confederate Army
Major General Loring commanded the Department of Southwestern Virginia. Before he began his objective to drive the Union Army out of the Kanawha Valley, he wanted to have a force behind the Union Army that would cut off the major Union retreat route to the safety of Ohio. This blocking force consisted of cavalry commanded by Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins. Under his command were seven companies from the 8th Virginia Cavalry Regiment led by Colonel J. M. Corns, and five more companies of mounted soldiers led by Captain W. R. Preston. Many of Preston's soldiers would eventually become part of the 14th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. At the start of the raid, Jenkins's entire force numbered 550 to 600 soldiers, although its size varied during the raid.
Union Army
Colonel Lightburn assumed command of the Kanawha District on August 17, 1862. His headquarters were located at Gauley Bridge. Under his command were seven infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment, but very few of these forces confronted Jenkins. Once Lightburn knew Jenkins was between Lightburn's Union force and the Ohio River, he sent six companies from the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry Regiment, plus three companies from the 4th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment, to find and confront Jenkins. The cavalry was commanded by Colonel John C. Paxton, and the infantry detachment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William H. H. Russell. CompanyB from the 2nd Loyal Virginia, led by Major William Powell, fought against Jenkins's men and almost captured Jenkins. The other forces that fought Jenkins at various locations in western Virginia were stationed far from Gauley Bridge and not directly under Lightburn's command. One of the larger Union forces was stationed at Spencer, Virginia, and consisted of five companies of the 11th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment. Their commander was Colonel John C. Rathbone. Also at Spencer was a company of independent scouts known as the "Snakehunters", commanded by Captain John P. Baggs. Rathbone's force totaled to about 300 men, although 100 men were poorly-equipped or unarmed.
Jenkins moves north
Confederate Major General Loring planned to take control of the Kanawha River Valley by leading a large force in an assault of Union forces located in Raleigh, Fayette, and Kanawha counties. As part of the plan, he needed to wait for Jenkins to get behind the Union fortifications to block a Union retreat down the Kanawha River. Lightburn eventually received reports that Loring was at Lewisburg (he was actually further south) with 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.
To the railroad On August 22, Jenkins began his mission to attack the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and then move to the rear of Lightburn's Union force. At least one historian believes that Loring knew Jenkins would not be able to damage the railroad, but the railroad portion of the mission was a diversionary movement that would draw attention away from Loring's front—and also draw attention away from Jenkins's principal goal of cutting off the Union route of retreat. Jenkins began this mission by moving north from Salt Sulphur Springs. He quickly found it necessary to send one company in the opposite direction to approach the Kanawha River from the south side instead of the north. He also left another company behind because it did not have enough ammunition. The size of his mounted force was about 550 soldiers.
Jenkins's route began with a northern movement in the Cheat River Valley. On August 28, Jenkins encountered six Union pickets about south of a Union post near Beverly. Here he learned the much larger force at the Union post, which blocked his path to the railroad, would be difficult to attack. Although Jenkins was temporarily joined by 300 irregular cavalrymen commanded by Colonel John Imboden, he decided to bypass the Union fortification. Imboden occupied the Union soldiers while Jenkins moved west for the second part of his mission. Jenkins's artillery was sent back to Salt Sulphur Springs, while the remaining force struggled west on a crude bridle path across Randolph County's Rich Mountain.
Jenkins moves west toward Ohio
Buckhannon After moving through Randolph County, Jenkins turned north on August 30 and began moving down French Creek to the community of Buckhannon, the county seat of Upshur County. During this movement, his men were often harassed by pro-Union Home Guard. Arriving near Buckhannon close to 3:00pm, Jenkins approached the town with all but two companies dismounted. Waiting for the Confederates were an untested light artillery company, a company of militia, and a new company of 60 regulars from the 10th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment. The Union companies were deployed on Water Tank Hill, causing some locals to now call this fight the "Battle of Water Tank Hill".
After firing a round or two, the Union forces fled and Jenkins captured the town. Jenkins reported casualties of four wounded. He also reported Union casualties of 12 to 15 killed or wounded, and 20 taken prisoner—including the Union commander Captain Marsh. The entire Union force was said by Marsh to number about 200. Using captured arms and ordnance, Jenkins was able to resupply his poorly-armed men with Enfield and Harper's Ferry rifles. Anything else of value was destroyed. At midnight, Jenkins began moving west toward Weston.
Weston and Glenville Many of the communities encountered by Jenkins were small. For example: the 1860 U.S. census lists the population of Weston as 820. Glenville had a population of 398, and Spencer had a population of 196. Jenkins arrived at Weston at dawn on August 31. It was raining and foggy, which allowed the six companies from the 6th Loyal Virginia Infantry Regiment to escape from town before Jenkins surrounded it. The Union commander, Lieutenant Henry Hoy, remained in town and joined Jenkins's men in plundering. Late that evening, Jenkins began moving west toward Gilmer County.
By 11:00am on September 1, Jenkins was close enough to see the small community of Glenville in the distance. Glenville was defended by the 165th Militia, Gilmer County. The militia fired two volleys at Jenkins's advance guard before fleeing into the woods. Jenkins's men rested for the remainder of the day at Glenville, and then they resumed their westward march at midnight.
Spencer
Colonel John C. Rathbone was the Union commander at the small community of Spencer. He was also involved with oil fields at Burning Springs. Rathbone's force numbered about 300, including at least 45 men from an independent company known as the "Snakehunters". On the morning of September 2, Rathbone received information that Confederate cavalry were moving toward Spencer. He did not make any adjustments to his pickets, and did not send a detachment to find the enemy force.