since the war closed, and the best memory fades with the
lapse of years. Therefore, the greatest caution has been
necessary in compiling" data, lest errors should creep in.
Conflicting accounts of the same occurrence are not un-
usual from persons who saw it. In such cases the his-
torian must exhaust every available resource to ascertain
the truth and reconcile the different versions, In the his-
tory, or more properl}^, the chronicle, of the war in Hamp-
shire contained in this book, the aim of the author has been
to present facts with as much accuracy as the available
data will permit. There are gaps in the narrative which
perhaps can never be filled. But the knowledge that much
has been preserved from oblivion is ample reward for the
months of labor spent in collecting and arranging the ma-
terial. In this connection it is proper to state that valuable
assistance w-as rendered by old soldiers, and- by others,
whose memories were the only store houses of the facts,
or who possessed documents on the subject, Among such
were Judge William H. Maloney, of McNeill's company;
Lieutenant John Blue, of the Plampshire m.ilitia, and after-
wards of the regular service; Captain Isaac Kuykendall,
G. H. Houser, Lieutenant Philip Snarr, of Hardy county;
B. F. McDonald, of Bloomer}^; John O. Thompson, editor
of the Keyser Echo; V. M. Poling, circuit clerk; John O.
Casler's book "Four years in the Stonewall Brig-ade;"
Amos Robinson, of Grassy Lick; John Pancake, Colonel
Alexander Monroe, Captain C. S. White, county clerk, and
others. Special mention should be made of the valuable
assistance obtained from the diaries of George W. Wash-
ington, one of the foremost citizens of the county. These
books, eleven manuscript volumes, were placed at the dis-
posal of the vmter by Robert Washmgton. That journal
was kept with remarkable regularity every day from 1833
to 1876; and while nearly the whole of it relates to individ-
BEGINNING OF THE STRIFE. 547
ual and neig-hborhood affairs, yet many a date of war events
has been fixed by a reference to that journal.
Conunittee of Safety.—^d.i'\j in the spring- of 1861
the people of Plampshire county foresaw trouble. The
sig-ns of the time portended evil, and no one could tell just
what would come to pass. The vote at Richmond on the
ordinance of secession left no doubt that a conflict was at
hand; and the people of Hampshire, nearly all of whom
favored sesession, thoug-ht it the part of prudence to look
out for themselves to the best of their ability. Accord-
inglv, after much discussion, a meeting- of citizens was
held in Romney, April 27, 1861, and after a long- and
heated discussion, resolutions were passed, calling- upon
the people to prepare for the worst; and, in order that the
movement mig-ht have tang-ible results, it was decided that
at committee of safety oug-ht to be appointed whose duty it
would be to look out for the public g-ood in any way that
mig-ht become necessary. That far the movement had
taken the same course as similar movements in other
counties of the state; but in Hampshire something- more
was done. The county prepared for war, not only with
men and arms, but also with money. This part of the
proceeding- was peculiar, for counties did not usually raise
money by taxation for war purposes, but left that to the
state or the g-eneral g-overnment. A second meeting- of the
committee of safety was held May 8, and a third on May
13. At this meeting- money was subscribed to pa}' troops^
It cannot be ascertained now how much was raised, as the
records are frag-mentary; but one g-entleman paid on that
day one hundred dollars "to equip volunteers, "and five days
later the same g-entlemen paid one hundred more for the
same purpose. If all contributed in the same proportion,
the sum must have been considerable. A full list of the
members of the committee of that date is not now obtaina-
ble, but it is found on the court records as it existed a few
days later. It appears that, up to that time, funds to meet
548 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE.
the committee's expenses had been subscribed by mem-
bers of the committee, or by other citizens; but the v/hole
matter was about to pass into the hands of the county
court, aS' will be seen from the following" order:
"At a court held for the county of Hampshire, Virg-inia,
May 27, 1S61; present, David Gibson, William Dunn,
Isaiah Lupton, Robert Carmichael, J. C. Pancake, J. C.
Poland, Georg^e W. Washing-ton, John Hammack, William
French, B. D. Stump, W. Donaldson, James Liller, John
Starkey, Elijah Rinehart, Samuel Cooper, James Sheetz,
Georg-e Spaid, N. Alkire, H. Alkirt, H. Parrell, William D.
Rees, E. M. Armstrong-, J. W. Albin, S. Milleson, A. A.
Brill and Thomas Crawford, Justices.
"It is ordered that the county court of Hampshire
county doth appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars,
if so much be necessary, for war purposes, to be levied upon
all the property of the county liable to state tax, except so
much as is exempt from levy; that five thousand dollars of
this sum be levied at this time, and the remaining- five
thousand dollars, tog-ether with an additional amount to
cover the accruing- interest, be levied at the May term,
1862; that bonds be issued, pa5^able at the proper times,
and that the bank at Romne}'- be requested to cash the
same as they may be required; and that James D. Arm-
strong-, John M. Pancake, and Isaac Parsons be and they
are hereby appointed to execute said bonds for and on be-
half of the county of Hampshire; that the said sum be
placed in the hands of the committee of safety, to be used
at their discretion for the said purposes, and for the sup-
port of such families of volunteers of the county in actual
service as may require assistance. The committee of
safety are hereby directed to report their proceeding-s
under this order to this court at its March term, 1862.
The committee of safety consists of the following- gfentle-
men: James D. Armstrong-, Isaac Parsons, John M. Pan-
cake, David Gibson, Dr. S. R. Lupton, John C. Heiskell, J.
BEGINNING OF THE STRIFE. 549
\Y. Marshall, AV. A. Vance, R. K. Sheetz, A. W. McDonald,
James Sheetz, John T. Pierce, James W. Albin, Charles
Blue, John A. Smith, Robert Hook, R. B. Sherrard, G. W,
Gore, Georg-e W. Washing-ton, and John Johnson, as ap-
pears by the proceedings of a public meeting* held in Rom-
ney, Saturda)^ April 26, 1861. A roll call of the court on
the foreg"oing" order shows that all the members of the
court voted aye, except Lupton, Hammack, Liller, Cdoper,
and Albin who voted no."
It is to be reg-retted that no record exists of any subse-
qent proceeding-s of this committee and by some it is be-
lieved that no meeting- was held after May 29, 1861. Georg-e
W. Washing-ton in his journal mentions all the meeting's
up to that time, but none later.
Roniney' s RemctrlcoMe Record.— ^o town in
West Yirg-inia, and, except Winchester, Virg-inia, perhaps
none in the United States, has a record surpassing- Rom-
ney's in respect to chang-ing- hands during- the Civil war.
If the complete record could be obtained it is confidently
believed that Romney would surpass Winchester, which
chang-ed hands seventy-eig-ht times during- the war. Rom-
• ney has fifty-six times to its credit; and those vv'ho are ac-
quainted with the facts say there were many more, but no
record of them can be found, and the v/ell-established fifty-
six captures of the town must suffice. It '.vill not be pre-
sumed that there was a battle every time the town chang-ed
hands. There was no hard battle, and the skirmishes
were neither sev^ere nor numerous. At times the troops
of one side would march peaceably out and the other side
would occupy. Ag-ain, a few shots would be exchang-ed;
and on two or three occasions the fig-htiny: had com-udsra-
ble importance.
* The table which follows will show in chronolog-ical
sequence the captures and recaptures of Romney between
June 10, 1861, and April 15, 1865. In another part of this
book the important captures will be g-iven more in detail.
550 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE.
Virg-inia militia, in the service of the Southern Confeder-
acy, held the town from the beginning- of the war till June
11, 1861. Then began Romney's vicissitudes of fortune,
as follows:
June 11, 1861, captured by General Lew Wallace and
held a few hours.
June, 1861, occupied by Colonel McDonald, with confed-
erate militia.
July 21, 1861, Colonel Cain, with a federal force, took pos-
session and remained a few hours.
J-jIv, 1861, Colonel Cummins came in with confederate
troops.
September 24, 1861, Colonel Cantwell, with Ohio troops,
took the tovi^n after a brisk skirmish.
September 24, 1861, Colonel McDonald recaptured it and
drove the federals nearly to Keyser, fig-hting- all the way.
October 27, 1861, General Kelley marched from Keyser
and captured Romney after a fight which at that time was
considered severe. The confederates retreated, with loss
of cannon and wagons.
January 14, 1862, Stonewall Jackson took peaceable pos-
session. General Lander having retreated. The Hamp-
shire militia were a day or two ahead of Jackson in enter-
ing- the town.
March 3, 1862, Colonel Downey of the union army, occu-
pied Romney after General Loring-, who had been left here
by Jackson, marched back to Winchester. For the next
four captures the dates cannot be definitelj' fixed.
Spring- of 1862 Hampshire militia occupied when Colonel
Downey withdrew.
Summer 1832, Colonel Greenfield, with the twenty-second
Pennsylvania regiment, was the next.
Summer of 1862, Hampshire militia, or troops from the
reg-ular confederate army, occupied Romney after the
Peansylvanians had retired.
BEGINNING OF THE STRIFE. 551
Fall 1862, General Lander sent Maryland troops to Rom-
ney (federal).
November, 1862, General Imboden occupied the town
with a confederate force.
December 29, 1862, General Milroy, with a strong- fed-
eral force, occupied the town for a day or two, as he was
marching- to Winchester.
During- the first four months of 1863 there is no record
that troops of either side entered the tov/n, but that was a
"time of military activity, and in all probability Romney
chang-ed hands several times during these months.
June 7 (probably), 1863, Captain McNeill, with a confed-
erate force, was in possession.
June 15, 1863, Colonel Campbell came in with a federal
force.
June 16, 1863, General Imboden occupied Romney on his
march to Gettysburg-.
June 17, 1863, a federal company was in possession of the
town one hour.
June IS, 1863, a confederate force topic possession, and
hurried on to join the forces then on the march to Gettys-
burg-. It is believed that these men belonged to Imboden's
brigade and that they had been scouting- in the mountains
of Hardy county.
June, 1863, a federal cavalry compan37- entered Romney.
June 22 (probably), 1863, Captain Sheetz, with a confed-
erate force, occupied the town,
June 22 (probably), 1863, Lieutenant Summers, with a
federal force, took possession after Captain Sheetz with-
drew.
July 12, 1863, a confederate force again took possession.
Aug-ust 8, 1863, Romney occupied by federal cavalry.
August 15 (probably), 1863, confederates entered
Romney.
September, 1863, federal troops, known as Blinker's
Dutch, captured the place.
552 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE.
October 5, 1863, a confederate force was again in pos-
session.
October, 1863, federal cavalr}'- held the town for a short
time. There is no record of further occuiDation of the
A.
town in 1863.
January 5, 1864, McNeill was in possession of Romney.
January 8, 1864, federal cavalry entered and took pos-
session.
Februar}^ 1,, 1864, confederate cavalry held the town.
February 1, 1864, Nev\^ York cavalry drove out the con-
federates.
February 3, 1864, the town was in possession of confed-
erates belong-ing- to General Rosser's command.
February 3, 1864, General Averell, who was hunting- for
Rosser, took the town.
May 10, 1864, McNeill was once more in possession.
May 10, 1864, McNeill departed and federal troops were
in possession.
May 10, 1S64, the confederates, whether McNeill or not
cannot be ascertained, drove out the federals, making- three
times in one day that Romney changed hands.
July, 1364, federal cavalry under Ring-g-old held the
town.
Aug-ust 5, 1864, General McCausland occupied Romney
on his return from his raid into Pennsylvania.
Aug-ust S, General Averell passed throug-h Romnc}"^ in
pursuit of McCausland, having' been only two hours behind
him when McCausland set lire to Chambersburg-, and hav-
ing- been in pursuit all the way to Romney. He overtook
and sig-nally defeated him at Moorefield, a full account of
which will be found in this book.
Aug-ust 29, 1864, McNeill occupied Romney.
October 31, 1864, federal cavalry from Spring-field occu-
pied the place.
November 1, 1864, McNeill occupied the town on his way
to attack Spring-field.
BEGINNING OF THE STRIFE. 553
Noveraber 2, lSo4, federals pursuing- McNeill entered
Romney.
November 23, 1S64, confederates belonging- to General
Rosser's force occupied the town, the day that Keyser
was captured.
January, 1865, federal troops from Cumberland \vcre in
the town.
February 1, 1865, a force of two hundred confederates
were in jjossession of Koraney.
February 5, 1S65, Colonel Young- with a federal force
were in the town. This was the force which murdered
Captain Georg-e Stump.
February 7 (probably) 1865, McNeill held the town.
February 13, 1865, the federal v/ere once more in pos-
session.
February 19, 1865, McNeill was once more in possession,
carrying- away Generals Crook and Kelley as prisoners,
having- captured them at Cumberland, a full account of
which will be found in this book.
February 19, 1365, federal cavalry, pursuing- McNeill,
were in the town about one hour.
February 19, 1865, s. small confederate force dashed into
the tov/n as the federals v/ere retreating- and drove out the
strag-glers, capturing one prisoner.
February 25 (probably), 1865, federals from Cumber-
berland were in possession.
April 15 (probably), 1865, the town was held for the last
time by armed confederates. They were the companies
of McDonald and Sheetz, which had escaped from Virg-jnia
when General Lee surrendered.
CHAPTER XLVIL
-»o«-
LEW WALLACE TAKES ROMNEY.
The first uniontroops to occupy Romneywere under Gen-
eral Lew Wallace, June 11, 1861. Prior to that time the
Hampshire militia and several confederate companies had
•occupied the town, sometimes in strong- force, and some-
times not. There were too few confederates in Romney
when Wallace come,tooffer much resistance, and no attempt
was made to hold the place. A few men with rifles posted
themselves on the bluff overlooking- the South branch
brid,g-e, and fired as the federals advanced; but ran as soon
as a few shots had been exchang-ed. The confederates
who were in the town retreated, and nearly all the citizens
went with them. It was th# first view of the blue coats
the people of Rom.ney had, and they did not know whether
they could safely remain, or whether they would be safer
somewhei-e else. General Wallace, as is g-enerally known,
was author of Ben Hur and other famous works. If all
soldiers were as g-entlemanly as he, and as considerate of
others, v/ar would lose many of its horrors. It is appro-
priate in this connection to quote from the journal of
Georg-e W. Washing-ton under date of June 12, 1861. He
says:
"I rode up to the upper end of the place, and on ray re-
turn met Everett who informed me that the federal troops
were in Romney. I rode on to Romney to see what was
g-oing- on. Before I g:ot there- they left. I was told that
the officers were g-entlemen and that they informed the-
citizens they would be perfectly secure under this protec-
tion; that they had come to the county by invitation, and
LEW WALLACE TAKES ROMNEY. 555
that no unarmed person would be disturbed. The inhabi-
tants had g-enerally left before I g-ot there. The brave
soldiery of the county! The last heard of them they were
fleeing- toward Harper's Ferr3\"
It was during this occupation by the federals that the
printing material of the South Branch Intelligfencer was
destroyed. There was not so much as a piece of type
left. The paper had been strong- in its support of seses-
sion.
Fdchard Asllhy Killed.— On June 26, 1861, Richard
Ashby, brother of General Turner Ashby, was mortally
wounded by a bayonet thrust throug-h the body, in an en-
counter on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad near the mouth
of Dan's run, in wliat was then Hampshire county, but is
now Mineral. A body of confederates fr(»m Winchester
had reached Roraney on June 17. The two Ashby brothers
were of the number. A few days later the Ashby cavalry
was sent to Patterson's creek, and was in that reg-ion until
June 26. On that day Richard Ashby, Garrett Monroe
and seven others encountered a larg-e force of federals at
the mouth of Dan's run. In attempting- to ride across a
cattle stop on the railroad, Ashby's horse fell, and the
rider Vv'as thrown. He v/as attacked, wounded in seven
places, and left for dead on the railroad. His companions
escaped. After the federals had passed on, the wounded
officer rallied and was able to walk to the side of the rail-
road where he concealed himself under bushes and lay
there till evening. In the meantime his brother Colonel,
afterwards General, Turner Ashby was scouting with a
larger party along- the railroad, and learned" from the citi-
zens that heavy firing had been heai-d that morning from
the direction in which his brother had gone, and the
colonel hastened to ascertain the fate of his brother. In a
short time he discovered a camp of federal soldiers on
Kelley's island in the Potomac river, and charged the
camp, losing three men, but succeeding in dislodging the
556 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE.
federals. Among the spoils of the capture was Richard
Ashby's horse^ and from this it was concluded the rider
had been killed. Search for him was made, and he was
found near where he had been wounded. He was carried
to the house of Mr. Cheshire one-half mile from Spring -
field, where he received every jittention. There was no
hope for his recovery, and on July 4, 1861, he died. He
was buried in Indian Mound cemetery, Eomney. Roman-
tic writers, with more reg-ard for sensationalism than for
truth, have conveyed erroneous ideas of the death and
burial of Richard Ashly; and it is the duty of the historian
to correct these so far as he can. It has been represented
thait a dramatic scene took place by the open g-rave when
General Ashby broke his brother's sword, threw the
pieces in the g-rave, and registered a solemn vow to be
aveng-ed upon the murderers of his brother. Nothing- of
the kind occurred. The funeral was solemn and impres-
sive, and General Ashby enacted no theatrical part. He
knew that his brother had fallen in open battle; that it v/as
the fortune of Vr'ar, and that his fate was that which every
soldier might expect. Tiie body of Richard Ashby was
removed to Winchester, Virginia, in October 1862, and was
buried beside his brother, General Ashby. At the same
time and in the same cemetery was buried tbs body of
Captain George Sheetz. Richard and Turner Ashby were
grandsons of Captain John Ashby who did service in
Plampahire during the French and Indian war of 1755, and
who was a personal friend of youthful George Washington.
Colonel Caul's Visit.— Colonel Cain of the federal
army, paid Romuey a visit on July 22, 1861. After Lew
Wallace withdrew his troops, June 12, there had been no
federals in the vicinity to dispute the possession of Rom-
ney by the confederates. In the latter part of July, how-
ever, there were no confederate forces in Romney, except
a few straglers. On the twenty-second of that month, it
being Monday, and a court day, a few persons were stand-
LEW WALLACE TAKES ROMNEY. 557
ing- around the court bouse, when a federal soldier rode up
with a white flag" and asi:ed for David Gibson, who came
forward and was handed a letter by the soldier. lie read
it and announced that it was from Colonel Cain, who want-
ed an interview v^dth him. The news spread that the
yankees were coming, and the people fled, and the federal
soldiers were not opposed when they came in. No one
now remembers v^^hat was the business which Colonel Cain
talked over with Mr. Gibson. On that date, July 22, 1861,
Georg-e Y/. Washington wrete in his journal: "Monday,
court day. I doubt, however, whether there will be any
court, as I understand everybod}^ has run away from the
town and county, nearly, * * * * j rode to Romnej^ As
I expected, no court. Before I left there was quite a stir
among- what few people were there, from Mr. Gibson's
having received a letter from Colonel Cain of the federal
army, requesting- an interview with him. The fev/ that
were left all made their escape."
Fight at Hanging KocJcS.—A. skirmish took place
at Hang-ing- Rocks, four miles below Romney, on Tuesday
morning-, September 24, 1861, between Hampshire militia
and several companies of union troops under Colonel Cant-
well of the eighty-second Ohio reg-iment. The militia was
under Colonel McDonald. Captain Robinson and Lieuten-
ant John Blue were also in the company. There were only
twenty- seven men on the confederate side, but in addition
to these, a larg-e scouting- party had been sent down the
river. Rumors of the approach of the federals had been
circulating for some time, and McDonald kept a sharp
lookout. On the evening- of September 23 he had received
information which led him to believe that the federals would
attempt to pass Hang-ing- Rocks early the next morning-.
With- his twenty-six men he climbed to the top of the rocks
a while before day on the rnorning- of September 23. The
air beinj?- cool, some of the men built a fire, v/hich v/as in-
discreet, for tbe}^ might thus have betrayed their presence.
558 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE.
But the fog- was dense and the fire was not discovered by
the enemy.
The Plang-ing- Rocks rise perpendicularly more than
two hundred feet, the top overhang-mg- the base in several
places. The South branch flows along the base of the
cliff about half a mile, leaving- a space between the water
and the rocks varying- in width from forty to one hundred
feet. The road leading- from Romney to Cumberland
passes along- the narrow strip of level land between the
river and the base of the cliff. Since the war a railroad
has been built there also; but at the time of the skirmish
only the Romney and Cumberland pike occupied the nar-
row space. Troops marching- to Romney from the north
would naturally follow that road; and Colonel McDonald
took advautag-e of the strong- position to check the advance.
Stones were piled near the brink of the precipice by the
men who had taken possession of the summit, and they
prepared to hurl them upon the federals who might at-
tempt to pass below. Everything- was in readiness by the
break of day. As already stated, Colonel McDonald had
sent a scouting- party down the river the night before.
The party was liable to return at any time, and the men on
the cliff had been instructed to make no mistake by attack-
ing- their ov/n scouts. Soon after daybreak cavalry was
heard crossing- the ford of the river at the north end of the
pass; and presently the head of the column appeared, fol-
lowing- the road up the river along- the base of the cliff.
The confederates on the rocks were lying- flat, with their
heads and shoulders over the brink, peering down through
the fog, trying to determine whether the men below were
enemies, or only the looked-for scouts who had been sent
down the river. The federals were suspicious of the place,
were expecting an attack, and consequently were on a
sharp lookout. They saw the heads of the rebels project-
inp over the cliff, and instantly fired on them. That
â–
brought a furious attack from the militia above. Down
LEW WALLACE TAKES ROMNEY. 559
came a rain of stones sufficient to have crushed an army.
The yankee cavalry saved itself by wheeling- and rushing-
back down the road. But in so doing- the horsemen rode
over the infantry in the rear. Many rushed into the river
to save themselves. Those who could swim gfot safely
over; but many were drowned. The bodies of a dozen or
more afterwards were taken from the river and buried in
the sand on the west bank. During- the high water on the
following- Saturday, September 28, other bodies were
washed down the river and were taken out and buried.