Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-06-27

the regular service, and the legal heirs o,
such os die or may be FILLED III The serpice
in addition TO all e,rs of pay and al
fo9dnces. shall receive lie sum of one hun
bred dollars
Official Report Of the Affair at Romney
HEADoUARTERs 1lrH REG IxprANA,)
CAMP McGINNIs, June IA, 1861
b. r. SULcRovE-SI The following is an Of
fetal dispatch of the Romney affair.
To MAJOR General Patterson, Chambers
Juryh, Pennsylvania.
DEAR Sin: Having been notified that
several hundred troops were quartered al
Romney. Hampshire county. Virginia,
drilling there. impressiug Unionimen. and
otherwise expressing loyal citizens. de-
termined to disperse them if possible. For
that purpose l left Cumberland at ten
O'Clock on the 18th inst. with eight com
panies, in all about 500 men, and by rail
way TO New Creek Station. twenty .one
miles distant. A little after 4 O'Clock
started my men across the mountains.
twenty-three miles off. intending to reach
the town by 6 o'clock in the morning.
the road was very fatiguing and rough.
leading along high bluffs aud narrow pass
cs, which required great caution in pass
ing-so much. indeed. that with the ut
most industry / did not get near Romney
until O'Clock.
In pass, a mile and a half this side of
the town. my advance guard was fired up
on by mounted picket Of the enemy, who
dashed ahead and alarmed the rebels. In
fact. l afterwards learned that they had
notice of my coming full an hour before
my arrival.
In approaching the place il was neces-
sary for me to cross bridge over the
Sonth Branch of the Potomac. A recon-
noisance satisfied me that the crossing of
tho bridge wonll be the chief obstacle in
my way, although | conld distinctly see
the enemy drawn up on the bluff. which
Is the town site, supporting battery Of
two guns. planted SO as to sweep the road
completely.
directed my advance guard to cross
the bridge on run, leap down the en-
bankment at the further entrance. and OBJ
serve the windows of large brick house
not farther off than Is yards. Their APP
pearance was the signal FIR an assault
warm fire opened from the house. which
the guard returned with no other loss than
the wounding of a Sergeant. The firing
continued several minutes / led a see-
ond company across the bridge. and by
following mp ravinc got them into po-
sitiou that soon drove the enemy from the
house and into mountain to its rear.
My attention was then turned to the bat
terry an the hill. Instead of following the
road, as the rebels expected, pushed five
companies in skirmishing order and at
double-quick time up hill to the right.
intending to get around the left flank Of
the enemy aud cut off their retreat
Hardly had my companies deployed and
started forward. and got within rifle range.
bef"re the rebels limbcred up and got of
over the bluff in the hottest haste Be-
tween their position and that of my men
was deep precipitous gorge. the crossing
OF which occupied ten minutes. When
the opposite ridge was gained we discov-
cred the rebels, indiscriminately blent
with mass Of women and children. fly
ing as for life from the town. Having no
horse. pursuit Of the cana oniers was out Of
the question. as they went oil under whip
and spur. Alter that quietly walked in
to the place and took possession OF the
empty houses and legsou OF negroes, 'cho
alone seemed u"seared as our presence
a r.
Alter searching the town Tor arms camp
equippage, de-, l returned to Cumber-
land by the same road: reaching. CAMP at
Ii O'Clock at night. NY return was lore
ed, owing to the fact that there was not a
mile on the road that an not oher haIi a
dozen positions for the ruin or route OF my
regiment by much smaller iorce.
The loss OF the rebels we have not been
able to accurately ascertain. A citizen OF
homney admittef TWO ktieu' my own sur