In June of 2020, we visited the area near Summersville, West Virginia and Fayetteville, West Virginia to see the New River Gorge Bridge.  The three days in the area were not enough, we saw a lot of the sites, but there were so many more places to explore.  I had lists of places that I wanted to see but we ran out of time.  The Carnifex Ferry Battlefield was one of those places.   In less than four months, we were back to see some of what we missed on our first visit.

The civil war battle in 1861 that took place near the Carnifex Ferry was a mystery to me. I had never heard of this battle and I wanted to learn more.   Nestled in the Appalachian hills of West Virginia, this battleground is often overlooked as people chose to visit the larger more well known Civil War historical locations.  However, this battlefield is a great historical stop for the person that is in the area enjoying the kayaking, hiking and gorgeous mountain top views that the New River and Gauley River areas offer. 

The West Virginia State Park: Carnifex Ferry Battlefield

The Carnifex Ferry Battlefield is a small State Park near Summersville, West Virginia.  The area draws tourists who vacation on the Summersville Reservoir, boat the Gauley and nearby New Rivers, come to see the mighty New River Gorge Bridge or visit the multiple parks (national and state) in this area.  An area that is a playground for the nature lover and outdoorsman. 

The grounds of this park have been preserved in memory of a civil war battle that took place in September of 1861.   To fully understand the battle however, we need to back track a few days in time before the battle.
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The Battle of Carnifex Ferry
In August of 1861, a contingent of the Confederate Army encamped in the area near the Carnifex Ferry Battlefield.    The roughly 1,800 men settled onto the land near the Patterson Farmhouse.  In early September, the union army arrived with nearly 7,000 troops.  In the afternoon of September 10th, the Union army advanced upon the heavily entrenched confederate army.  Both sides fought valiantly and it was the Union army that retreated at the end of the day. 

When the union general was pushed back he must have realized his error.  You see, he had only advanced a small portion of his available men to attack this confederate camp.  When he retreated, he knew it was only for the night and that in the morning that he would be attacking with his full force of me.

Riding high on his troops ability to push back the Union army on the first day of fighting, the confederate general knew that he was seriously outnumbered.  He assessed the risks and the benefits and that night in the cover of darkness he withdrew his troops and retreated.

The Union army claimed victory for this battle.  They held the ground that they had fought for and the Confederate Army had retreated.  However, the Confederate Army did not see it that way.  They claimed that they rightfully held the victory due to the fact that they sustained far fewer casualties and absolutely no fatalities during this battle.  A claim that could not be made by the Union Army.

Near the Patterson House on the Carnifex Ferry Battlefield is a single grave. This grave is a stark reminders that risk of being a troop in the Civil War was not confined to times of battle.  Sickness in the encampments was a very real problem and this grave is testament to that.   On September 7th, only three days before the battle a young soldier died of sickness within that encampment.  Granville Blevins had been in the army for less than 3 months when he passed away.  His brother and friends gave him a proper burial on the Patterson land.  While many men died of sickness while encamped here, this is the only known gravesite.  

Other activities at the Carnifex Ferry Battlefield

This state park also offers a few other neat tidbits of interest.  The Carnifex Ferry Battlefield can boast of a fabulous overlook that gives visitors a breathtaking view of the river far below.   This battlefield offers a 2 mile trail that circles that battlefield and will take a visitor near all points of interest within the battlefield.  The multiple picnic shelters and the softball field round out the variety of activities that this park offers.  

A trip to the Gauley River and the New River would not be complete without at least a quick stop to see the hallowed ground of this battlefield.  During the summer months, the gift shop and museum is open for visitors (weekends and holidays).  If you enjoy watching reenactments, you can visit in early September during an even numbered year and take in the thunder of guns as this battle for control of the valley takes place.   During our visit we split our day at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield with a trip to the Babcock State Park to see the gorgeous Glade Creek  Grist mill!   Thanks for the great visit West Virginia State Parks!

Babcock State Park resides in the Appalachian Mountains near the New River Gorge.   This state park is a multi faceted park with a variety of opportunities for fun.  However, the main attraction at this state park is the Glade Creek Grist Mill.

The Glade Creek Grist mill is frequently touted as one of the most picturesque locations in West Virginia.  Many  go as far as to say that it is the most commonly photographed spot in the state.  I can attest to it's beauty and how photogenic this building really is.

The Glade Creek Grist Mill may look old, but this building is relatively new with the construction being completed in 1976.  What makes this mill look old and vintage?  This mill was built from the parts of three other West Virginia Mills.

The actual building structure is from the remains of the Stoney Creek Grist mill.  That mill dated back to the 1890's and was located in Campbelltown, which is in Pocahontas County.  
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The overshot waterwheel is from the Spring Run Grist Mill that was located near Petersburg, WV.   The waterwheel was the only thing that was salvageable after a fire decimated the mill that was located in Grant County.

The other inner workings for the mill came from the Onego Grist Mill that was located near Seneca Rocks in Pendleton County.  

The Glade Creek Grist Mill was built near the sight of the former Coopers Mill which was destroyed in 1920.  This mill is fully operational and is open on the weekends.  You can even buy some cornmeal that is ground on the premises. 

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Babcock State Park is not just for the Grist Mill.  There is a campground and the most charming cabins that are for rent.  They have multiple trails that are good for trail running, hiking and mountain biking.  They even have a mountain top lake for those hot summer days.  

Babcock State Park and the Glade Creek Grist Mill are definitely something that we are happy that we took the time to visit.  We are already making plans to return to this state park and stay in one of the cabins and explore more of the trails that this park has to offer.