So what was the maneuvering for?
Wheeling to Fairmont:
“On May 26, McClellan, in response to the burning of bridges on the Baltimore & Ohio near the town of Farmington, ordered Col. Benjamin Franklin Kelley of the (Union) 1st West Virginia Infantry[4] with his regiment and Company A of the 2nd West Virginia Infantry, to advance from Wheeling to the area and safeguard the important bridge over the Monongahela River at Fairmont, a distance of about 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Wheeling.
Kelley’s men were supported by the 16th Ohio Infantry under Col. James Irvine.
After securing Fairmont, the 1st West Virginia advanced again and seized the important railroad junction of Grafton, about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Fairmont, on May 30.”
and also
PARKERSBURG to GRAFTON:
“Meanwhile, the 14th Ohio Infantry Regiment, under Col. James B. Steedman, was ordered to occupy Parkersburg
and then proceed to Grafton, about 90 miles (140 km) to the east.
By May 28, McClellan had ordered a total of about 3,000 troops into Western Virginia and placed them under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Morris, commander of Indiana Volunteers.”