Scary Creek: A First Battle

Scary Creek: A First Battle. . , The 1861 Kanawha Valley Campaign , Union and Confederate leaders both wanted control of the Kanawha Valley, an approach to the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, filled with such important resources as salt and soldiers, whose loyalty was contested by both sides. Union soldiers crossed the Ohio River into Point Pleasant on May 22, 1861. Confederate soldiers withdrew from Buffalo to Charleston awaiting an opportunity to fight a defensive battle. For many in gray and blue, it would be their first experience in war., U.S. Army: , Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox commanded the Union Army in the Kanawha Valley consisting of soldiers from Ohio and Kentucky. Colonel Jon Lower essentially commanded the 1,500 soldiers engaged at scary Creek including the 12th Ohio, 21st Ohio, Cotter’s Independent Battery, and George’s Independent Cavalry. Cox reported to General George B. McClellan who was responsible for seizing western Virginia., C.S. Army: , Brigadier General Henry A. Wise, formerly a governor of Virginia, commanded the Confederate army in the Kanawha Valley consisting of soldiers from Virginia, primarily western Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton essentially commanded the 900 Confederate soldiers engaged at Scary Creek including the Putnam County Border Rifles and the Kanawha Riflemen in the 22nd Virginia, the Buffalo Blues in the 36th Virginia, Captain Albert G. Jenkin’s Border Rangers of the 8th Virginia Cavalry, and Captain John Hale’s Kanawha Artillery. Wise reported to General Robert E. Lee, the commander of all Virginia military forces., Armies Take Positions , Soldiers experienced nervousness, noise, and the death of loved ones in their first battle at Scary Creek on July 17, 1861. Confederate commanders chose Scary Creek as a defensive location for stopping the Union approach to Charleston taking a position along both sides of the Winfield Road (A), south of Scary creek. Confederate artillery commanded the accompanying heights, elevation 600 feet., The Battle Opens , Union forces moved south along the Winfield Road (A), dislodging Confederate skirmishers from Little Scary Creek about 11am. Union artillery took a position near the Simms House ©, elevation 900 feet, and the infantry proceeded to the north bank of Scary Creek. Both sides engaged in an intense fight throughout the afternoon. Although US artillery knocked out CS artillery, neither side gained a substantial advantage., The Battle Rages , Union Colonel Lowe attempted a flanking attack (D) around 4 p.m. Scary Creek could not be forded at the mouth of the river and Lower could not find a way around the fight. Exhausted Confederate forces began to withdraw, until Captain Jenkin rallied his men to continue the fight. Union forces, finding no additional support, withdrew from the battle. Confederate soldiers occupied the battlefield, claimed victory, and burned the building the Union had occupied., Victory and Defeat , Earlier Union officers had agreed to create a fire as a sign of victory. Several officers, not engaged in the fighting, rushed to the battlefield expecting to celebrate a victory. Instead four key officers became prisoners of war. The Confederate victory was short lived, because General Wise, unable to hold the valley, retreated. Although Union soldiers took Charleston eight days later, fighting over the Kanawha Valley continued at Carnifex Ferry in 1862., Soldiers’ Accounts From the Battle , “Attention, Company I: shoulder-e-r-r guns; forwards walk, do sumpting, quick.” Captain Ferdinand Gunkle, 12th Ohio, USA, “The loud-mouth cannon, bursting shells, crashing small arms, and ‘shouting captains’ made a royal tumult which tested the nerves of raw recruits from the field and from the shop…” Cameron L. Thompson, Kanawha Rifleman, CSA, “I asked of them, ‘Where is my brother?’ ‘Who is your brother?’ ‘Lieutenant Welch of this Battery.’ ‘There he lies. He has done his duty.” Levi Welch, Kanawha Rifleman CSA, Estimated strengths and casualties. Source: Lowry, The Battle of Scary Creek. , Engaged Killed Wounded Captured , U.S.A 1500 15 11 7 C.S.A 900 4 12 4, Questions to connect with history: , How do you overcome being nervous? , What causes are worth sacrificing life for? , Scan the QR to share your answer., More Information: , Scan the QR code to learn more about Rivers to ridges Heritage Trail in Putnam and Mason Counties., (captions) , General George B. McClellan Photo: National Archives , General Jacob D. Cox Photo: Library of Congress , Captain Albert G. Jenkins Photo: West Virginia Encyclopedia , General Henry A. Wise Photo: Library of Congress , Colonel John Lowe, Union Commander at Scary Creek Photo: Ohio Historical Society , Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton, Confederate Commander at Scary creek Photo: Library of Congress , Map: Confederate Veteran James H. Mays, 1926 , Map: Google Earth, 2005 , Background: H.A. Graham’s Map of Virginia: showing the distribution of its slave population from the census of 1860, Library of Congress