September 1
A skirmish between Confederate and Union sides took place at Boone Court House (Madison) that resulted in a rout of the former and burning of the town. Other skirmishes were reported at Burlington (Hampshire County) and Blue Creek (Kanawha County).
September 2
Union and Confederate forces skirmished near Hawk's Nest (Fayette County), Beller's Mill--probably Beeler's Mill (Jefferson County), and Worthington (Marion County).
September 3
A skirmish was fought at Big Bend in Calhoun County between a Union detachment and Confederate guerrillas.
A Union expedition to Marion County returned to Wheeling and reported the secessionists had disappeared.
September 4
September 5
Union Lieutenant McClasky was mortally wounded in a skirmish with Confederate guerrillas in Calhoun County.
September 6
A skirmish took place at Rowell's Run.
September 7
Gen. Benjamin Kelley issued General Order No. 7 that prohibited any officer or soldier from transporting any "black or mulatto person, the same being slave," on the Baltimore and Ohio and Northwestern railroads. The prohibition did not, however, extend to slaves owned by officers or soldiers, hired free servants, or servants who were given permission by their owners.
September 8
September 9
During a skirmish between Union and Confederate soldiers at Shepherdstown, a boatman on a passing canal boat was killed.
S. S. Fleming of Shinnston wrote to Samuel Crane (probably the Auditor of Public Accounts) to find out if it would be possible for the recently formed home guard company to be armed. Fleming noted the "perilous situation" in the area that had led to formation of the company.
September 10
A battle between Confederate and Union troops occurred at Carnifex Ferry in Nicholas County.
Citizens of Hardy County petitioned Jefferson Davis for relief and protection.
September 11
A skirmish erupted on the Point Mountain Turnpike when Union forces encountered Confederate troops who were engaged in removing tracks and railroad equipment from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and transferring it to Winchester for use on the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire Railroad.
September 12
A skirmish occurred along the Coal River near Peytona. A company of the First Kentucky Regiment captured 200 head of cattle and Confederate soldiers guarding them. The Union troops were later attacked by Confederate cavalry.
Confederate troops under Gen. Robert E. Lee advanced on Elkwater via the Huntersville turnpike, took a position on the road to Huttonsville, and broke the telegraph wire. At the same time, Confederate troops advanced in front of Cheat Mountain and threatened Cheat Summit. Fighting continued for several days before the Confederates withdrew.
Union cavalry from New Creek attacked a group of secessionists at Petersburg (Hardy County).
September 13
John Augustine Washington, the last member of the Washington family to own Mount Vernon, who was serving in the Confederate Army under Robert E. Lee, was killed near Elkwater in Randolph County.
Union artillery shelled Shepherdstown, causing a temporary panic in the town.
September 14
Skirmishes erupted at Shepherdstown.
September 15
A skirmish took place at Pritchard's Mill in Jefferson County and fighting occurred along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between that point and Harpers Ferry.
September 16
A group of women from Morgantown, writing to the Wheeling Intelligencer under the signature "Many Ladies," requested that Kanawha, the proposed name for the new state, be changed to Western Virginia. A letter from ladies from Fairmont, published in the same paper on September 30, made a similar request.
Gen. Benjamin Kelley underwent surgery in Grafton to remove a bullet in his shoulder.
September 17
Union troops were successful in a skirmish near Harpers Ferry.
Captain Pate's company of Mounted Rangers assailed an entrenched camp of Unionists in Boone County.
September 18
September 19
The Department of Western Virginia, under Brig. Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, was created under General Orders No. 80 from the Adjutant General's Office.
Gov. Letcher issued a proclamation calling for sheriffs in the counties for which vacancies had occurred at the Virginia State Convention to hold elections on October 24. Twelve western Virginia counties were covered by this proclamation.
September 20
A barn near St. Marys, owned by T. D. Gorrell, was burned.
September 21
On the road from Camp Pierpont to Cassville (Wayne County), Maj. Ralph Ormstead and Lt. James Baisden of the 5th VA (WV) Infantry were killed by enemies hiding in the bushes.
Guerrilla Zach Cochran was killed at his house in Taylor County when he attempted to escape from a company of the 7th (West) Virginia Infantry.
September 22
September 23
Union troops under General Jacob D. Cox advanced to Big Sewell Mountain, where they clashed with Confederates under General Henry Wise.
September 24
Fighting between Union and Confederate troops occurred at Mechanicsburg and Hanging Rock passes in Hampshire County when Union troops moved upon Romney. Federals took the town during the overnight hours but withdrew the next day, with fighting between the two sides following.
September 25
An action took place at Chapmanville (Boone County) between Federal troops under Col. D. A. Enyart of the First Kentucky Volunteers and a party of rebels.
Gov. Francis Peirpoint and John Carlile spoke during a mass meeting at the Atheneum in Wheeling that was attended by 300 to 400 soldiers from Camp Carlile.
September 26
Telegraph lines were cut in Big Birch (Braxton County) and roads were blocked with trees cut by rebels.
September 27
September 28
Confederate Gen. Henry A. Wise arrived in Richmond, having received orders several days earlier at Sewell Mountain to report to the Confederate capital and to transfer everything in his command to Gen. John B. Floyd.
September 29
Flooding occurred in the Ohio and Kanawha river valleys, inundating Charleston and disrupting camps in the Kanawha Valley and at Wheeling Island. Earlier in the week, flooding also occurred in Randolph County, drowning government mules and affecting the Union camp at Beverly.
September 30
Undated Events, September 1861