A Bad-Looking Place to Attack: With Benham’s Brigade at Carnifex Ferry

The 12th Ohio had been on the march since well before dawn and by 1 o’clock on September 10, 1861, at Carnifex Ferry, they were ready to call it a day. But scouts reported General Floyd’s force just ahead and the decision was made to push ahead and “feel” the enemy. That “feeling” turned into a full-bore fight.

          “At the same time, we commenced with our rifles and muskets and they did the same,” Private John Minturn of Co. G noted in a letter to his father. “About that time, we had pretty hard work going on. We kept this up for about 2 hours when we were ordered to take a new position on their left flank with our right resting on the river. We were to charge right onto them at the double quick as soon as the Second Brigade could get in on their right and front to draw their fire. But before they got to their position it was so dark that the general ordered us to fall back out of the reach of their muskets and wait till daylight to give them “fits.”

Private Minturn’s graphic letter to his father describing the Battle of Carnifex Ferry first appeared in the September 26, 1861, edition of the Urbana Citizen & Gazette. I’ve supplemented his account with a few other quotes from other Ohio regiments that also participated in this engagement.

 


Camp Scott, Virginia

September 12, 1861

Dear father,

          I wrote a letter from Sutton giving an account of our march to that place. We left there the same day that I wrote and marched 18 miles to Birch Creek Camp. Here we stopped over Sunday and had an inspection of arms. Nothing transpired of any interest with the exception of our pickets being fired upon by the Rebels.

General Rosecrans formed our army into brigades at that camp. Our brigade is the first and is commanded by Brigadier General [Henry] Benham. He is from the Regular Army and is a regular “tiger.” Our brigade consists of the 10th Ohio, 12th Ohio, and 13th Ohio with two companies of cavalry under Captains West and Gilmore. We also have a battery of 4 mountain howitzers under Captain McMullen [1st Ohio Battery] and Captain Snider’s battery of two rifled 10-pounders. So that you see we have a pretty stiff brigade. [An interesting comment with perhaps a hidden meaning given General Benham’s reputation with alcohol and later accusations that he was drunk at Carnifex Ferry. Ed. Note]

          We left Birch Creek on the morning of the 9th, crossed Birch Mountain, and camped in a large meadow. Only three regiments were allowed to make a fire or light of any kind so as to keep the enemy from knowing our force; as these were of the Third Brigade, we had to eat a cold supper. However, we had three days’ rations cooked and in our haversacks. We did not unload our wagons but spread our blankets on the ground and slept on our arms, in line of battle, ready for the enemy if they should attempt to attack us.

Brigadier General Henry W. Benham 

          We were called up at 1 o’clock and ordered to eat breakfast and be ready to march in half an hour. So away we went. We had marched about 18 miles when we got word that the enemy was but 2 miles ahead of us and very strongly fortified. General Rosecrans immediately called a halt. This was about 1 p.m. and we were very tired. The officers then held a council of war and decided to advance and feel the enemy to find out their strength as well as we could that afternoon; then make the general attack the next morning.

          Our brigade was immediately ordered to advance and make the attack and the other two brigades were held in reserve. We started on at the double quick and soon got in sight of them on a large hill with entrenchments in every direction for more than a mile in extent. It was a bad-looking place to attack for it had to be done up the side of a very steep hill, the timber being cut down and the tops all locked together. This made it hardly possible for a man to get up, provided you were let alone, so you can imagine what we had to do.

 

“The rear and extremes of both flanks were inaccessible and the front was masked heavily by forest and close jungle. Colonel Lytle’s 10th Ohio was in advance and drove a strong detachment of the enemy out of camp. Shortly afterwards, his scouts suddenly discovered themselves in the face of a parapet battery and a long line of palisades for riflemen. The remainder of the 10th Ohio and 13th Ohio were brought into action successively by General Benham and the 12th Ohio afterward by Captain Harstuff whose object was an armed reconnaissance.” ~ Unknown member of 13th Ohio

 

Colonel John W. Lowe, 12th Ohio, killed in action at Carnifex Ferry

          The 10th Ohio advanced up the main road right up to their fort; the 13th Ohio took the top of the hill to the left while the 12th Ohio passed through a large cornfield and came up a ravine in the center between the 10th and 13th regiments. Our scouts drove their pickets all in so we had nothing to do but to advance and make the attack. We started about 2:30 p.m. and in a short time their artillery began to let us have it right and left. We immediately started on the run for their fort in order to get under the range of their guns.

 

“Colonel John Lowe fell early at the head of his regiment. He was leading his men on when a ball struck him in the center of the forehead and folding his arms together, he exclaimed, “Oh dear” and fell to rise no more. Someone approached him after he had fallen and asked him if he wished to send any word. His lips moved to speak but his words were inaudible.” Archie, Co. C, 12th Ohio

 

We got within 600 yards of them when we were ordered to halt and let our cannons play on them for a short time, aiming to break down some of their breastworks so we could charge on them with the bayonet. Our guns soon got into position and opened fire on them which they immediately answered with some 10-12 pieces of cannon, some of them very heavy. We had 10 or more pieces on our side so you can imagine the noise they made.

 


“The fire slackened at intervals but grew more furious as the night approached. Colonel McCook led the German brigade gallantly into action under the direction of Adjutant General Hartsuffstein. After a furious fight of 3 hours, night compelled the recall of the troops and the men laid on their arms within a short distance of the enemy, each ready to resume the contest the next morning.” ~Unknown member of the 13th Ohio Infantry

 

          At the same time, we commenced with our rifles and muskets and they did the same. About that time, we had pretty hard work going on. We kept this up for about 2 hours when we were ordered to take a new position on their left flank with our right resting on the river. We were to charge right onto them at the double quick as soon as the Second Brigade could get in on their right and front to draw their fire. But before they got to their position it was so dark that the general ordered us to fall back out of the reach of their muskets and wait till daylight to give them “fits.”

          We immediately fell back about a quarter of a mile and laid there till about 3:30 in the morning when we began to move on slowly and cautiously. But they had been too sharp for us. They retreated during the night leaving everything behind them but their cannons and what guns they could carry with them. We had nothing to do but to climb into their works and go on collecting their things into a pile. We captured their flag, hauled it down, and raised the stars and stripes in its place with three rousing cheers.

 

“This morning we took their flag off of their breastworks which they left behind in their haste. We hoisted the stars and stripes in its place. Their flag was a very nice silk one and it is the first Secesh “rag” I have ever seen. It bore the following inscription which is enough to fill the soul of every patriot with indignation and disgust: “Liberty is Purchased with the Blood of the Brave!” Well, we showed them who purchased it last night and will do the same thing every time they give is a chance. The battleground is scattered with canteens, haversacks, blankets, clothing, knapsacks, and accoutrements of all sorts. Among other things captured was an immense quantity of family stores such as ammunition, coffee, sugar, pig lead, and flour besides many other articles useful in the army. One fact to be regretted is that the 28th Ohio took the 10th Ohio and 13th Ohio for enemies and fired on them. If such had not been the case, our loss would have been very slight.” ~Private Elijah P. Brown, Co. C, 13th Ohio Infantry

 

"Floyd's command recrossing the Gauley River After the Fight of September 10th at Carnifex Ferry."

          They crossed the river and cut the bridge down so that we could not pursue them; this gave them more time to get away. The guns, ammunition, provisions, and others things we took will amount to $50,000-60,000 and probably a great deal more as they are still bringing things in. Our cavalry pursued them and captured a part of their train of wagons today, loaded with ammunition, and several wagons filled with dead bodies which they were taking away with them. I don’t know what their loss is in killed and wounded but it is a great deal heavier than ours. Our men are still bringing in prisoners and have already brought in a good many. Their force was about 8,000.

“Just as we entered their works Colonel Ewing came up with a man bearing our flag which we planted on them. We found everything abandoned- any amount of knapsacks, provisions, clothing, and among the rest one of General Floyd’s trunks. Bowie knives were lying around as thick as hops along with squirrel rifles, flintlock muskets, etc.” ~ Captain David Cunningham, Co. B, 30th Ohio Infantry

 

The report now is that they have received heavy reinforcements and have stopped 8 miles from here. If it is so, we will attack them tomorrow. Our loss is about 100 men; Colonel Lowe of the 12th was shot in the head and killed in the first of the fight.

 To learn more about Carnifex Ferry, please check out these posts:

Sources:

Letter from Private John O. Minturn, Co. G, 12th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Urbana Citizen & Gazette (Ohio), September 26, 1861, pg. 2

Letter from unknown member of 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cadiz Democratic Sentinel (Ohio), September 18, 1861, pg. 2

Letter from “Archie,” Co. C, 12th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Clermont Courier (Ohio), September 25, 1861, pg. 3

Letter from Private Elijah P. Brown, Co. C, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Urbana Citizen & Gazette (Ohio), October 3, 1861, pg. 2

Letter from Captain David Cunningham, Co. B, 30th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cadiz Democratic Sentinel (Ohio), September 25, 1861, pg. 2

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