Sketches (Reminiscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd

The main body of the enemy collec-
ted when some distance from the field
& were conducted by their Major
directly to Elk River, thence to Charles-
town. The escape of these men was
remarkable. Only their superior
knowledge of the country & our entire
ignorance of roads & delivered ^'them' from
our clutches. Perhaps however it was
better for us, that these whipped, demor-
alized wretches should return to their
friends & relate the tale of Southern
chivalry & give warning to others that
they may profit by their fate.

Col. Tyler the commander of t his portion
of the Northern army, has been an
itinerant tradesman for several years
past in the Western counties & few rodes
or localities are unknown to him.

Noted as he was for disregard of principle
& of honor, destitute of all the impulses & in-
stincts of the gentleman, he afforded a fit
leader for the vandal hoard crew, against
the State which hiterto has protected &
shielded him notwithstanding the outrage
perpetrated against her by his foul
hand. That he will meet with the
fate which every traitor merits can be
doubted by none. Victors in our first
battle, again, we are anxious to get signt
of the "blue-jackets," a name given the
Yankees on account of their peculiar uniform.

The advantage of success even in the
most insignificant skirmish is incalcu-
lable. Our men flushed with Success
will meet the enemy a second time with
redoubled energy & courage.

Our ^'The' victory gained & plenty of Yankees
prisoners to see every day, the excitement
which ruled supreme at first soon
disappeared, & the dull 'dreariness' uninteresting
routine of camp life ^'re asssumed its accustomed
sway interrupted only by occasional rumors.
From this time to the 9th September nothing
of interest transpired. On the 30th of Octob
August, I started to Leiwsburg to bear
special dispatches, -- there spending my
time very agreeably, I remained a day
or two & returned to the scene of war.

U. S. Col. Erastus Barnard Tyler (1822-1891), Colonel of the 7th Ohio, was not a "common tradesman" but a college graduate and successful businessman and fur merchant. He held various commands throughout the war, was given brevet rank of Major General, and later served as postmaster of Baltimore, Md.

Sketches (Reminiscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd

The pursuit continued for 8 or 10 mls.
115 prisoners were taken, 10 Yankees
Killed & 18 or 19 wounded. Our loss in
Killed was 3, in wounded 19.

Thus resulted a battle which was
far more significant than the loss
of either side wld. indicate.

The force opposed to us ^'was said to be' "the best driled
& organized in the West, containing
the celebrated 7th Ohio regt.

That bravery, gallantry,& disregard of
personal danger which ^'has' covered so
many of our Southern officers with glory
in other battles, was displayed to an
eminent degree in this battle.

Cols. Heth, Reynolds, & McCausland
& Major Hounshell were seen wherever
the action was hottest, in deed every
officer did his whole duty.

Sketches (Reminiscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd (contd.)

Gen. Wise's force was ordered back to
our old position at Dog Wood leap,
much to the displeasure of his men, who
did not understand the necessity which
demanded the movement -- A day or two
after arriving here, McCausland's &
Thompkins' regiment reinforced Gen. Floyd.
For a few days were were occupied in
fortifying our position on the hill, & it
is now very formidable. The distance
to Summerville is eight miles.

On the night of the 25th. We learned
that Tyler's force had advanced
upon us to within one mile & a half
& had taken positions at the Cross
LANES. Gen. Floyd determined to
attack them early the next morning.
Hence our whole force was in motion
long before Sun rise on the 26th.
August. Just as the sun appeared
in the East, we engaged the enemy
who were posted on two eminences
near the Cross Lanes. For a few minutes
^'the' fight was very fearce furious.
Col. Heth lead the center. Col. Reynolds
the right wing & Col. Thompkins
McCausland the left wing. Col.
thompkins was held in reserve, &
took no part in the action.

In 15 minutes the enemy were dis-
lodged & retreated in great confusion.
Gen. Floyd & staff exposed them-
selves greatly & made narrow escapes.
From information obtained since, it
appears that they were ignorant of our
force & intended attacking us.
Their force was between 900 & 1800
ours about 2000 though we had
no more engaged than the enemy.
Tyler & staff officers, except his
Major, fled when the firing commenced
or they wld. have been captured.

Col. Tompkins' regiment was the 22nd Virginia. George S. Patton (the first) later succeeded Tompkins as Colonel. (Woods consistently misspells Thompkins for Tompkins)

Sketches (Reminscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd (contd.)

One other fact & I will revert to my regu-
lar narrative. So unexpected & hurried was
our departure from Camp Arbuckle that
the troops, General & all left their tents.

We all bivouaced in the woods every night,
the General nearly always drawing an ex-
posed position to bivouac -- often a danger-
ous one. There undoubtedly would have
been great complaint in the army, had not
the soldiers seen their commander endur-
ing the same hardships as they. In this
he displayed his wisdom & generalship.
The amount of rain & dampness during the
past few weeks is said to surpass any that
of any previous season for many years.

The soldiers endured it manfully & exhib-
ited a will which will appear on the
battle field much to the terror of an
enemy.

The enemy at Gauley Bridge seeing so
large a force in their front, took it for gran-
ted that they would be immediately attacked,
& drew reinforcements from all adjacent
points, -- leaving them unprotected.

Gen. Floyd hearing that Carnifax's Ferry
was unprotected, determined at once
to cross the river at that point. at a &
on the morning of the 22nd, by 2 o'clock
^'he' had his whole force in motion.

This movement was made with great
secrecy. Our camp fires were left
brightly burning. It is probably that
the enemy were entirely ignorant of
of ^'our' departure for many hours.

By a forced march of 12 miles over
the Saturday Road, -- one of the roughest
in Western Virginia, we arrived at the
Ferry by 12M. & immediately crossed,
leaving Wise's force on the Eastern side
of the River. In all our undertakings,
fortune seems to have favored us. The
enemy on leaving attempted to destroy
both ferry boats. But, luckily for us, one
was washed out upon the bank by the
violent current, & we were enabled to
cross. This ferry is a perfect natural
fortification, & 100 men on the Western
Bank could prevent the crossing of innumer-^'able'
hosts from the opposite side. The enemy
however, destitute of that cunning &
fore-sight so peculiar to the Yankees,
permitted us to cross without the firing
of a gun, or the loss of a man, except
by accident. During the passage of the
troops the river was greatly swollen by
heavy rains, & the current became so
strong that our boat was carried
off, drowning 4 men. This placed us in
a perilous condition , with only a portion
of our forces over & without provisions,
this would have been the golden oppor-
tunity of the enemy, had they been aware
of it. But the energy of our General
soon removed this difficulty. In less
than 24 hours a larger & stronger
boat was completed, & our Brigade was
was once more united on the summit
of the hill north of Gauley. Gauley River,
which is remarkable along it entire course for the rapidity & noise of its
current, here at the ^its' junction ^'with' Meadow
river, presents a spectacle peculiarily
grand & picturesque. Mr. Jefferson said
it was worth a trip across the Atlantic
to see the passage of the Potomac through
the Blue Ridge, & it may be said with
equal propriety the the traveler wld.
be well repaid by ^'for' visiting this spot from
the remotest pot portion of America.
A scene so wild, I never before beheld.
On each ^'side' of the ravine are clifts &
precipaces, in many places hundreds
of feet high, & the roaring of the
stream over the falls can be heard at
an emmence ^'great' distance.

Sketches (Reminiscences) of the campaign of General Floyd (contd.)

As far as Meadow Bluff, 15 miles from
Lewisburg, the country is interspersed by
beautiful & well cultivated farms.
The country up to the above point is
lime stone & peculiar for its grazing
properties. West of that place Mountain
upon Mountain surrounds you in every
direction. Comparatively little land is
cultivated. The inhabitants generally
are a hand-to-mouth people, illiterate,
ignorant, wimple, with no society,
little communication with cities &
towns. Generally they are honest &
well-meaning. Nearly all east of
Gauley River are loyal to the State, or
remain quiet, believing in the maxim
of Ovid "In medio tutisseums ibis."

Several were arrested who certainly gave
aid & comfort to the enemy & sent to Lewis-
burg. Others fled to their Northern
friends in whose embrace they were
doubtless safer than in the hands of
their offended Southern Brethren.

As I anticipated, I found the whole
country incensed with Wise, who they
insist deserted them without cause & left
them to ^'the' mercy of the ruthless invader.

One common opinion prevails about
Gen. Floyd viz-that he is emphatically
the man for the place & times. He pleased
old & young -- was viewed as their liberator
& protector. What the future may dis-
cover, I know not, but my earnest hope is,
that this feeling towards him may
remain unaltered & unchanged.

"In medio tutisseums" = You will be safest in the middle

Sketches (Reminiscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd (contd.)

I verily believe that had Gen. Floyd follow-
ed their advice, he would now be on
Big Sewel Mountain. It seems to have
escaped their minds that Gen. Floyd
& his command are like a certain cat
which by fighting with its tail can
produce as much consternation & confusion
to an enemy in rear as by fighting
with its mouth.

Our scouts at Sewel, & after leaving
there, were very active & pressed those
of the enemy closely. Cavalry did most
of our scouting, infantry the enemy's.

Several small skirmishes occurred be-
tween them -- our side was generally
successful. Cavalry scouting is very
unsatisfactory -- necessarily only on the
roads & in danger of being ambushed
by infantry, which was often the case.
Our cavalry being compelled to disperse
& run, sometimes with loss. It must be
confessed that they have not distinguished
themselves for bravery & gallantry -- often
disgracefully deserting their officers.

From Sewell our advance was slow
& cautious -- feeling continually the
strength of the enemy. On the 21st. Aug.
Floyd's & Wise's combined forces reached Dog
Wood Gap on the Jas: River & Kanawha pike
10 or 12 miles from Gauley Bridge & 2 or 3
miles from the Hawk's Nest where the enemy
were stationed in force.

Having now arrived at a point from which our career is more ventful & attended
by more stirring achievements I will divert
for a time to speak of the Soil & appear-
ance of the Country through which we
passed, & its inhabitants.

Sketches (Reminiscences) of the Campaign of General Floyd (contd.)

There we assembled & were about to partake
of a bounteous & splendid repast when in
rushed a messenger breathless with excitement
& bore tidings from Davis that the enemy were
at Meadow Bluff & advancing upon Lewisburg.
All was haste & excitement. The General seemed
delighted at the prospect of a fight but
expressed his disbelief of the report. This was
8 o'clock P.M. A hasty meal was taken & an
unceremonious departure for camp.
By 5 o'clock we were on the march to
meet the enemy. In my hurry I brought
no baggage excepting a blanket behind
my Saddle. Onward we marched until we
arrived in the night near Meadow Bluff
12 mls. from Lewisburg. That night no
enemy attacked us, nor the next day.
Scouting parties of the enemy came in con-
tact with Col. Davis' cavalry a few miles
west of Meadow Bluff & he, with fertile
imagination, magnified the barking
of the squirrel into the roar of the majestic
lion. From this time our watchword was
onward. Our marches from day to day were
short in order that Gen. Wise with 3
regiments might overtake us, which
he did when we came to the top of Big
Sewel Mountain. The campaign thus
far would have been dull & uninteresting
in the extreme, had ^'not' the gallant Col.
Lucius Davis headed our scouting
parties, & diverted us daily, nightly, &
almost hourly by his peculiar & charac-
teristic dispatches, which would more
properly have emanated from the brain
of some heroic bard, whose dreams
were only of wars, military disasters
& successes, for in his emphatically
ridiculous communications, he fought
& planed more battles than Homer
ever ascribed to the warlike Hector or
Achilles. It may here be remarked that
history relates no instances of men
so peculiarly, so unfortunately tender
on their flanks & in rear as the follow-
ing two men, Gen. Wise & Col. Davis.
No movement could be proposed or
executed that they did not express
their fear, & unbounded horror of
a flank or rear attack, thereby exposing
[word line out] their tenderness on those points
to the ridicule of all.

James Lucius Davis, 1813-1871. Author of "The Trooper's Manual: or, Tactics for light dragoons and mounted riflemen." Colonel of the 46th Virginia and later the 10th Virginia Cavalry. Wounded and taken prisoner at Gettysburg.