▁River ▁and ▁K ana wh a ▁Turn pi ke ▁were ▁water ▁and ▁land ▁routes ▁to ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River . ▁Union ▁troops ▁and ▁supplies ▁were ▁often ▁moved ▁by ▁steam bo at ▁up ▁the ▁K ana wh a ▁River ▁to ▁Char l eston ▁and ▁Camp ▁Pi att . ▁Char l eston ▁also ▁had ▁strateg ic ▁value ▁since ▁a ▁salt ▁works ▁was ▁located ▁nearby . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁Virginia ▁Caval ry ▁was ▁glad ▁to ▁be ▁back ▁at ▁winter ▁qu arters ▁in ▁Camp ▁Pi att , ▁Virginia , ▁and ▁believed ▁they ▁had ▁completed ▁their ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁year . ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 2 , ▁Colonel ▁Pa xt on ▁received ▁a ▁surprising ▁order ▁from ▁the ▁new ▁division ▁commander , ▁recently ▁promoted ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁George ▁Cro ok . ▁ ▁Thus , ▁Pa xt on ▁would ▁lead ▁caval ry ▁and ▁inf antry ▁in ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁two ▁re bel ▁cam ps . ▁ ▁One ▁re bel ▁camp ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁S inking ▁Creek ▁Valley , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁was ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁valley ▁near ▁Williams burg . ▁Before ▁the ▁regiment ▁depart ed , ▁General ▁Cro ok ▁confident ial ly ▁told ▁Major ▁William ▁H . ▁Pow ell ▁not ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁camp ▁without ▁good ▁results . ▁ ▁To ▁Cold ▁Kn ob ▁Mountain ▁ ▁Pa xt on ' s ▁caval ry ▁regiment ▁depart ed ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 4 , ▁travel ing ▁over ▁ ▁towards ▁Sum mers ville — using ▁less - expl ored ▁roads ▁to ▁remain ▁conce aled . ▁All ▁companies ▁were ▁included ▁except ▁B