ROMNEY (W. Va.), Engagements at. This place was important as an outpost of the Union troops guarding the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and also as a base for operations up the valley of the south branch of the Potomac. It was held early in June 1861 by Col. Angus McDonald, with about 500 Virginia troops and two guns. On the night of 12 June Col. Lew Wallace, with 800 men of the 11th Indiana regiment, went by rail from Cumberland to New Creek Station and marching across the mountains attacked and routed McDonald on the 13th, and on the same day started on his return by the route he had come. Informa tion of Wallace's movement reached Gen. J. E. Johnston, commanding the Confederate forces at Harper's Ferry, on the morning of the 14th, and supposing it to be the advance of General McClellan's column from West Virginia to co operate with General Patterson, who was threat ening to cross the Potomac at Williamsport, Johnston ordered Col. A. P. Hill, with three regiments, to march on Romney and check the movement (see NEW CREEK). He burned all the bridges on the Potomac from Harper's Ferry to Williamsport, abandoned Harper's Ferry, and fell back to Winchester. On 23 September Lieutenant-Colonel Cantwell, with detachments of the 4th and 8th Ohio, a company of cavalry and one gun, marched from New Creek, drove McDonald's forces from Romney on the 24th and with a loss of three killed and 30 wounded, returned to New Creek, closely followed by McDonald's cavalry. On 25 October Gen. B. P. Kelley, with detachments of Ohio and West Virginia troops and two companies of cavalry, in all about 2,500 men and two guns, started from New Creek for the permanent occupation of Romney. ' He captured it on the 26th, after a sharp engagement with McDonald's forces, driv ing them beyond the town on the Winchester road, and capturing all their trains, two guns, 300 stands of arms and much camp equipage. A supporting column of the 2d Maryland, Colo nel Johns, marching from the mouth of Patter son's Creek, through Frankfort and Springfield, was met by the 114th Virginia militia, under Col. A. Monroe, at the bridge over the South
Branch, seven miles from Romney, checked, and fell back to Patterson's Creek, with a loss of six or eight in killed and wounded. On 28 October Gen. (Stonewall° Jackson was assigned to the command of the Valley District, with headquarters at Winchester, and immediately prepared to clear the valley of Union troops. He called out the militia, and being reinforced General Loring's division from West Vir ginia, set out late in December to destroy the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and to recover Romney. To withdraw his attention from the railroad, Colo nel Dunning, in command at Romney, made a demonstration toward Winchester with 2,000 in fantry and cavalry and six guns. He marched on the night of 6 Jan. 1862, and next morning at Blue's Gap, 16 miles from Romney, fell upon 700 Virginia militia, under Colonel Mon roe, scattered them and captured two guns, sev eral prisoners and some baggage, without the loss of a man, and returned to Romney. On the same day Jackson left the vicinity of Han cock and marched for Romney. Hearing of his approach, the Union troops retreated from Romney on the 10th toward New Creek. Jack son occupied the town on the 14th.and placed Loring's division there in winter quarters. Lor ing and his officers complained to the Richmond authorities, and the Confederate Secretary of War ordered Jackson to move the division back to Winchester, which was done 31 January, and on 7 February the town was again occupied by Union troops under Gen. F. W. Lander. Be tween this time and the close of the war the town changed hands several times, but, for the greater part of the time was in Union posses sion. Consult 'Official Records) (Vols. II and V).