The Battle of Charleston was a Confederate victory in Kanawha County, Virginia, on September 13, 1862, during the American Civil War.

Lightburn retreated to the safety of Ohio, but abandoned the direct route along the Kanawha River to avoid Confederate cavalry waiting for him.

In the American Civil War, Union forces controlled a large portion of southwestern Virginia during the summer of 1862.

[6] On August 14, 1862, Cox began moving his Kanawha Division to Washington as reinforcement for Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia.

[7] Exceptions to Cox's orders were about 5,000 troops left behind and put under the command of Colonel Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn.

[9] In the southern half of western Virginia, many of the people from the mountains were pro-Union, while the majority in the large valleys were pro-Confederate.

[33] Loring's force actually consisted of about 5,000 men instead the rumored 10,000, but he expected to add to it by recruiting and organizing existing local militias.

[9][Note 3] Part of Loring's plan was sending a cavalry force through 500 miles (800 km) of Union–controlled territory to cut off the most direct Union route of retreat downriver.

[43] Elements of Lightburn's other brigade, commanded by Colonel Samuel Gilbert, provided artillery protection from the north side of the river.

He knew he was being pursued by Loring, and thought Confederate cavalry was waiting downriver from Charleston to cut off the Union retreat.

[51] Lightburn's force east of the Elk River consisted of a portion of the 47th Ohio Infantry aided by three mountain howitzers, and a small detachment of the 2nd Loyal Virginia Cavalry.

[53] Loring's pursuing Confederate troops were led on the north side of the Kanawha River by Colonel John McCausland.

[57] At about 1:00 pm, Lightburn realized that the Confederates were getting closer, and he gave orders to burn all government buildings containing supplies that could not be removed.

[60] Although the destruction of the Elk River bridge formed a barrier between Lightburn and McCausland, an artillery duel continued until 10:00 pm.

[61] Lightburn chose to have his supply wagons move northwest down the Ripley Road—not the road along the Kanawha River that ran directly to Point Pleasant.

[65] The pursuit was soon abandoned, since they had left their supply trains behind earlier in their effort to catch the Union army as it retreated from Fayetteville and Gauley Bridge.

[70][Note 4] Loring was content to remain in Charleston, and issued a proclamation on September 14 that urged the local population to join him.

[73] On September 19, western Virginia was attached to the command of Union Major General Horatio G. Wright, who was headquartered in Cincinnati.

[75] In early October, Cox was promoted to major general and sent back to Point Pleasant as commander of western Virginia.

[77] Loring had become argumentative and uncooperative with Confederate leadership, so he was replaced by Brigadier General John Echols in mid-October.

[80] By November 2, a division of Union troops was at Gauley Bridge, and inspections were being conducted at Fayetteville and Raleigh Court House.

[26] One historian has attempted to tabulate casualties using newspaper reports, pension records, regimental histories, and correspondence.

[25] Based on his research, Union casualties at Charleston totaled to only eleven killed, two wounded, and six missing or captured.

[27] Loring's September 13 report claimed they captured Charleston "after a stout resistance from the enemy, in which their loss was heavy, ours was very slight.

[84] Using methods similar to those used to research Union casualties, one historian found evidence of only four Confederates killed and four wounded at Charleston.

The Cleveland Morning Leader said, "The retreat was undoubtedly a masterly movement, and does great credit to Colonel Lightburn.

Cox later implied that the Battle of Charleston should not have been fought, writing that "...either of the brigades intrenched at Gauley Bridge could have laughed at Loring.

The river would have been impassable, for all the ferry-boats were in the keeping of our men on the right bank, and Loring would not dare pass down the valley leaving a fortified post on the line of communications by which he must return.

[90] He believed that Loring could have been stopped at Fayetteville or Gauley if Union troops had been concentrated at those places—also implying that the Battle of Charleston could have been avoided.

Colonel George S. Patton Sr., commander of the 22nd Virginia Infantry Regiment that fought at Charleston and grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton, owned what is now called the Craik–Patton house when he was an attorney prior to the American Civil War.