Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-01

en- anu SAiuiCuf IL ms "a 40 ~ -
| the town."
The report at once attracted atten-
ton, and earned for the affair at Rom
ney a Fictitious prominence. Though In
ruth IT was dashing enough, ii might
have received but scant attention as
reported by a majority of officers, In
whose hands the pen was often extreme
~ haVy when official communications
were TO be prepared.
Colonel Wallace's regiment was one OF
the best of those raised in the middle
west at the beginning of the war. The
men were young and sturdy, and their
zouave uniforms, with baggy gray trou-
sers, gave them a Jaunty and military
appearance.
The regiment was sent east by rail.
via Grafton, western Virginia, TO join
the army under General Patterson, then
operating on the north side of the Po-
tomae 1t had received orders an route
to stop off at Cumberland, Nd, and
hold the town -
Arriving there on June II. the regi-
ment became an individual command.
midday between General Patterson's
army which was at Chambersburg. and
Gen. George B. McClellan's, which was
advancing on the other side of the noun
tains into Virginia.
Colonel Wallaces orders directed him
to put out scouts in the Virginia coun-
try. Hearing shortly after his arrival
that the Confederates had consider
able camp at Romney. Colonel Wallace
decided on a raid to that town and re-
ceiveL General Patterson's assent to the
plan.
There were two routes between Cum
berland and Romney. One was by turn
pike, 20 miles. As this road was pa
troIled by confederate cavalry, Col. Wal
lace decided to take the other route.
This was 81 miles to New Creek by
rail, and thence % miles by noun
tain road, which, owing to it's rough
character, was left unguarded.
COL. WALLACES PROGRESS.
The progress of the command on It's
expedition is best followed through Col
Wallaces description:
Il left Cumberland at 10 o'clock on
the night Of the 18th instant. with eight
companies, in all about 500 men, he
reported, and by railway west to New
Creek station. 21 miles distant.
"A little after o'clock I started ny
men across the mountain to Romney,
% miles on, intending to reach the town
oy . o'clock in the morning. The road
was very fatiguing and rough, leading
along the bluffs and narrow passes,
which required great caution in cross
ing,
In his autobiography published in
1900 Gen. Wallace gives details of he
march not in the original report The
column was guided by two union men
he had employed at Piedmont, on the
railroad.
with one of the guides took my
place at the head of the column, he
wriCes ION foot, like all the rest.
Guessing at the time. 1 allowed a
rest of five minutes at the end of every
| Is minutes.
About midnight the stars went out
and the darkness became SO deep that
the files kept together chiefly by the
grind of gravel under foot and the muf-
fed rattle of canteens1 (Knapsacks,
blankets az haversacks had been lett
behind).
What with the obscurity and the
frequent halts, and the difficult ascent
of mountain crowding mountain in sue
cession, progress was necessarily slow
They came to a struggling hamlet
In one house a light was burning a
woman opened a door and screamed.
Then, according to a story told me
afterward." the autobiography continues,
"a man led an unsaddled horse out of
a back gate and by paths known to
himself. rode hard as he could go TO
the town" This was to give an alarm
AS the command marched silently on
in the dark a horseman suddenly aD-
peared in front of the column. He was
ordered to surrender and did So, He
proved to be a'confederate major.
The report continues:
with the utmost industry did not
set near RomnG until about O'Clock.
| In a pass a mile and a half this side
the town my advance guard was fired
upon byya mounted picket of the enemy.
1.-The picket dashed ahead to confirm
the alarm received by the people in the
town.
I'm fact" reported Colonel Wallace, IT
afterward learned that they had notice
of my C, ming fully an hour before my
arrived.
I'm approaching the place it was nee
essary for me to cross a bridge over
the south branch of the Potomac. a
reconnaissance satisfied me that the
passage of the bridge would be the chief
obstacle in my way, although could dis
tinctly see the enemy drawn up on the
bluff. which Is the townsite, supporting
a, battery of two guns, planted so as to
sweep the road completely.
RETURN FROM ROMNEY.
The report continues: After that I
quietly marched into the place and took
possession of the empty f1uses and a
legionsof negroes, who alone seemed I'M
scared by our presence"
These negroes cooked breakfasts of
ham and eggs, chicken and other good
things for the 800 Yankees, who re-
NAMED in the town until o'clock.
After searching the town for arms.
camp equipage, etc. says the report,
II returned to Cumberland by the same
road. reaching camp at IL o'clock at
night.
MY return was forced, owing to the
fact that there was not a mile on the
road that did not offer half a dozen
positions for the ruin rout of my
regiment by a much smaller force"
Colonel Wallace was unable to give the
loss of the Confederates, but "a citizen
of Romney admitted two killed Ny
own surgeon dressed the wound of one
man. A number of tents ere taken.
Quite a number of rifles were destroyed,
and, among others. have Mai. Isaac
Vandever prisoner. have also
an excellent assortment of surgical
stores, which, with the tents. / have
taken the liberty to convert
Praise for his men was not forgotten
by Colonel Wallace. He wrote:
MY regiment behaved admirably at
lacking coollx and in excellent order
Where all behaved calamity I cannot