The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-01-06
By CAPT. CHARLES E. HOVE

During the War Between the States,
1861-1865, no battles were fought in
what is now Garrett County, Mary
land, but twice the Confederate troops
invaded this territory.
The burning of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad shops at Piedmont, and
the attempt to destroy the railroad
bridge crossing the Potomac River at
Bloomington, in Garrett county, by
McNeill's Rangers on May 6, 1864,
was recently described by Lenora w.
Wood in The Republican.
The following account of the raid
through Western Virginia and Garrett
county, Maryland, in 1868, has been
compiled chiefly from the official re-
port of General William E. Jones,
commanding the Confederate forces
engaged.
The primary object of the Confeder-
ates in this raid was the destruction of
bridges and otherwise Gripping of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which
was of great Importance to the Fed
eral Army in the transportation of
troops and supplies.
In April, 1868, General Jones, with
his whole available force, marched
from his camp at Lacy Spring, Rock
ingham county, Va, to Moorefeld, w.
Va. When the expedition reached the
South Branch, heavy rains had raised
the waters of that stream so that a
detour of twenty-five miles by Peters
burg was necessary. Sending his in
fantry and artillery back to the Val
ley, General Jones advanced rapidly
with cavalry only toward Oakland and
Rowlesburg. Greenland Gap. near Pet
ersburg, was occupied by Federal
troops. The ConfederateS charged
them, and, after a spirited resistance,
the Federals surrendered. Next morn
ing the ConfederateS reached the
Northwestern Turnpike (now U. S.
Route SOY at Mt. Storm, and rode west
on that road, crossing the North
Branch of the Potomac River at Cor
mania, after which they burned the
turnpike bridge at that place.
Colonel A. w. Hartman was sent
thru Ryan's Glade from Gormania to
OAKLAND with +bo T,uoJftb U;,o;r; =,
cavalry, Browns Maryland battalion
of cavalry and John H. McNeill's COM
pany of Partisan Rangers. Captain
E. H. Mcdonald, with squadron of
the Eleventh Virginia cavalry, crossed
the river at Kitzmiller and marched to
Altamont, where he destroyed some
railroad property, then hurried toward
Oakland
Colonel Harman's Report
''On the night of the 26th (April) l
moved in the direction of Oakland
and reached Oakland at LOO a. M;
surprised and captured company of
81 men, with two commissioned off
GERS, and paroled them. Destroyed a
railroad bridge east of town and the
railroad and turnpike bridges over the
Youghiogheny River; also a train of
cars at Cranberry Summit (now Terra
Alta. | captured the guard Us men)
and paroled them with 20 citizens.
From here l moved to Kingwood and
Morgantown, which places [ took
without opposition. The suspension
bridge over Cheat River was destroyed
on the turnpike"
General Jones wrote, that, but for
the delay at Greenland Gap his troops
would have captured a train at Oak
land filled mostly with Union officers.
From the North Branch at Cor
mania General Jones marched west
over the Northwestern Turnpike with
his main force to Cheat River, arriv-
ing there about 200 D. M, Sunday,
April 26. Having captured the pickets
and learning there was a garrison of
only 300 men at Rowlesburg, troops
of the 9Th, 18th and 18th Virginia Cav
airy attacked the town and railroad
bridges, while Jones remained at the
turnpike bridge across Cheat River.
Both attacks failed.
Finding his command without for
age for his horses after thirty-six
hours of forced marching, General
Jones abandoned the attempt to cap
ture Rowlesburg, and, after a few
hours of night marching found scan
ty supply of forage and went into
camp.
Next morning, moving on Evans
vile, corn was secured for the horses
and meat rations for the men. Late
in the evening of April 9th. courier
brought the information that Lieut..
c. H. Vandiver and party of eight
men had captured Independence and a
home guard of 20 men. A force was
thrown at once into Independence and
the two-span bridge near that place
DESTROYED. The whole command cross
ed the railroad about dark, going
north, and finding forage about mid
80. .nh@