Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862

Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862
Part of the American Civil War
Kanawha River and surrounding territory
Date September 6–16, 1862 Location Western Virginia (now West Virginia) 38°20′50″N 81°38′00″W / 38.34722°N 81.63333°W / 38.34722; -81.63333 Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
Joseph A.J. Lightburn Edward Siber Samuel A. Gilbert John Paxton Leonard Skinner	William W. Loring John Echols John S. Williams Gabriel C. Wharton John McCausland John Floyd King Albert G. Jenkins Logan H.N. Salyers John Buchanan Floyd
Units involved
District of the Kanawha First Brigade Second Brigade 2nd VA Loyal Cav Reg 9th VA Loyal Inf Reg	Dept. of SW Virginia First Brigade Second Brigade Third Brigade Fourth Brigade King's Art. Bat. Jenkins' Cavalry Salyer's Cavalry Virginia State militia
Strength
~ 5,000	~ 5,500
Casualties and losses
237 30 killed 79 wounded 128 captured/missing	404 29 killed 105 wounded 270 captured/missing
Casualties exclude Jenkins' raid

The Kanawha Valley Campaign of 1862 was Confederate Major General William W. Loring's military campaign to drive the Union Army out of the Kanawha River Valley during the American Civil War. The campaign took place from September 6 through September 16, 1862, although an important raid that had impact on the campaign started on August 22. Loring achieved success after several skirmishes and two battles (at Fayetteville and Charleston), and Union troops retreated to the Ohio River and the safety of the state of Ohio.

Although the Kanawha Valley was in the southwestern portion of the Confederate state of Virginia at the time of the battle, it became part of the Union state of West Virginia in 1863. Despite West Virginia's impending break away from the Confederacy, its citizens in the Kanawha Valley were divided in loyalty to the two causes. Confederate leadership desired to regain control of the region and its valuable salt mines, and the river valley was seen as a source for new army recruits.

During August 1862, Union Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox was ordered to move his Kanawha Division from southwestern Virginia to Washington as reinforcement for Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia. Cox left behind a small force of about 5,000 men, which was under the command of Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn and headquartered at Gauley Bridge. Confederate leadership found out about the depleted force, and sent Major General William W. Loring to drive the remaining Union soldiers out of western Virginia. Despite Loring's success, he was removed from command one month later because of his lack of cooperation with his superiors. Cox returned to Ohio, and organized troops to retake the Kanawha Valley. Confederate troops evacuated the valley, and the Union army entered Charleston on October 30.