But as Benham had not advanced, toward evening of the 11th Rosecrans sent him orders to march immediately up the Kanawha to my position and follow Major Lieper on the road that officer had opened to the top of Cotton Hill, and as much further toward Fayette C.H.as possible, taking Lieper's detachment with him; meanwhile I was ordered to keep the remainder of my troops on the mountain in the position already occupied.

Benham was expected to reach Lieper's position by ten o'clock that evening, but he did not reach there in fact till three o'clock in the following afternoon (12th).

[Footnote: Official Records, vol.v.pp.

256, 273.] After some skirmishing with an outpost of the enemy at Laurel Creek behind which Major Lieper had been posted, nothing more was done till the evening of the 13th.
Floyd's report shows that he retired beyond Fayette C.H.on the 12th, having conceived the mistaken idea that Benham's column was a new reinforcement of 5000 men from Ohio.

[Footnote: _Id_., p.