The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South
Alexander Kelly McClure, Ed.

[91] decided that the position of the Federals was too strong to be attacked in front with any reasonable prospect of success, and that a flank attack was now out of the question, inasmuch as the Federals had been aroused by the discovery of the danger which had so recently threatened them; so the troops were ordered to resume their former positions. During the operations just related, there had been but little skirmishing, and the Confederate loss had been slight. One circumstance, however, occurred which cast a gloom over the whole army. Colonel J. A. Washington, while making a reconnoissance, fell into an ambuscade, and was killed. He had, by his soldierly qualities and high gentlemanly bearing, gained the esteem of all. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the troops for their courage and patient endurance in this campaign; and Colonels Burk, Gilliam, Campbell, Lee, Munford, Maney, Hatten and Savage were worthy of the gallant fellows that it had fallen to their lot to command.

We will now examine into the condition of affairs on the line of the Kanawha. General Floyd entered the Kanawha Valley in August. General Cox was then near Charleston. After some maneuvring, Floyd fell back to the junction of the New river and the Gauley, where he was joined by General Wise. Floyd's force now numbered between eight and ten thousand men. Being uncertain whether Cox would advance up the New river line or upon that of the Gauley, he posted a force, under Wise, on the New river line, while he occupied a favorable position on the Gauley. At Carnifax's Ferry, Floyd and Wise were in easy supporting distance of each other; but there was no cordiality between them. About the 15th of September, General Floyd, seeing that it was the evident intention of Rosecrans to attack him, ordered Wise to his support, which order Wise failed to obey, and Floyd was left to receive alone the attack of a greatly superior force, which, however, he succeeded in repulsing with considerable loss; but, being still unsupported by Wise, he was obliged to retire. Among the casualties on the side of the Confederates, General Floyd received a painful wound in the arm. General Wise having finally joined Floyd, they fell back to a position on the James river and Kanawha turnpike, near the Hawk's Nest.

About the last of September General Rosecrans, having reinforced Cox, took command in person and advanced on the James River and Kanawha turnpike, gradually pushing back Floyd and Wise in the direction of Lewisburg, it being his intention to turn the Confederate position on Valley Mountain and the Greenbrier river. Such was the condition of affairs on the line of the Kanawha