September 10, 1861 Tuesday
Rosecrans’ Federal command struck Confederates at Carnifax Ferry, western Virginia, but failed to break the Southern lines. However, outnumbered and in a bad position, Brig Gen John B. Floyd withdrew his Confederates during the night toward Dogwood Gap and Sewell Mountain. Casualties were light, but the Northern victory was useful in holding western Virginia for the Union (
http://www.americancivilwar.com/statepic/wv/wv006.html and
http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=21719 ). Meanwhile, to the north, Gen R.E. Lee was planning his assault on Cheat Mountain. At Lewinsville, Virginia there was a small skirmish. U.S.S. Conestoga, commanded by Lieutenant S. L. Phelps, and U.S.S. Lexington, under Commander Stembel, covering a troop advance, silenced the guns of a Confederate battery and damaged gunboat C.S.S. Yankee at Lucas Bend, Missouri. U.S.S. Pawnee, under Commander Rowan, captured schooner Susan Jane in Hatteras Inlet. Other blockade runners, unaware that the Union Navy now controlled the inlet, were also taken as prizes. U.S.S. Cambridge, under Commander W. A. Parker, captured British blockade running schooner Revere off Beaufort, North Carolina, with cargo of salt and herring.
Gen Albert Sidney Johnston was appointed to the command of Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kentucky for the Confederates and became, actually, commander of the Western armies of the South. Brig Gen George H. Thomas, a Virginian who remained with the Union, was assigned to command Camp Dick Robinson in eastern Kentucky.
Late at night President Lincoln had a visitor – Mrs John Charles Fremont, who had traveled from St Louis to protest the treatment of her husband and to urge support of his emancipation and confiscation order. Although accounts vary, Mr Lincoln is said to have received the demanding lady coolly.