Battle of Carnifex Ferry
Carnifex Ferry, West Virginia, USA
What happened
Union troops under William S. Rosecrans attacked Confederates under John B. Floyd. Floyd's Confederates had crossed the Gauley River, surprised a Union regiment, and then dug in near Carnifex Ferry. Rosecrans marched south and attacked in the afternoon. The Confederate lines held, but Floyd was outnumbered and withdrew across the river that night.
Why it matters
It was a strategic Union victory that helped lead to the Confederate withdrawal from western Virginia. That withdrawal helped make possible the creation of West Virginia two years later.
What came next
Floyd moved east to Meadow Bluff near Lewisburg and blamed his fellow general, Henry A. Wise, for the defeat.
Did you know?
The battle is named after a former settlement named for the local Carnefix family.
Timeline
- 10 Sep 1861Battle of Carnifex Ferry.
- 1863Western Virginia becomes the state of West Virginia.
- Oct 1935The battlefield becomes Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park.