Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: January 4,1862

It is just as I feared. Gen. T. J. Jackson, supposing his project to be a profound secret, marched on the 1st instant from Winchester, intending to surprise a force of the enemy at Romney. But he had not proceeded half the distance before he found a printed account of his intended expedition in a Baltimore paper at an inn on the roadside. This was treason of the blackest dye, and will cost us a thousand men. The enemy, of course, escaped, and our poor soldiers, frost-bitten and famished, must painfully retrace all steps of this fruitless march.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 103

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: July 2, 1861

There has been some brilliant fighting by several brothers named Ashby, who led a mounted company near Romney. One of the brothers, Richard, was slain. Turner Ashby put half a dozen Yankees hors du combat with his own arm. He will make a name. We have accounts of an extraordinary exploit of Col. Thomas, of Maryland. Disguised as a French lady, he took passage on the steamer St. Nicholas at Baltimore en route for Washington. During the voyage he threw off his disguise, and in company with his accomplices, seized the steamer. Coming down the Bay, he captured three prizes, and took the whole fleet into Fredericksburg in triumph. Lieut. Minor, C. S. N., participated in this achievement. Gen. Patterson, who conciliated the mob in Philadelphia, which had intended to hang me, seems to be true to his pledge to fight the Southern people. He is now advancing into Virginia at the head of a brigade.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 57-8

Diary of Judith W. McGuire: Monday Night, November 11, 1861

To-day M. P. and myself went to Winchester, and thence to the camp. We took Mr. P. N's children to see their father. There we saw W. B., J. M. G., and many other young friends, and were much pleased at their cheerfulness. They look sunburnt and soldierly. I returned to Winchester to see my dear S. S.  R. C. was sitting with her, looking well and happy. Camp-life agrees with him. These poor boys expect to be ordered to Romney; but wherever they go, they hope, by God's help, to repel the invaders.

SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, p. 72

Diary of Judith W. McGuire: Tuesday, October 29, 1861

A little reverse to record this morning. It is said that Colonel McDonald's cavalry made an unfortunate retreat from Romney the other day, as the enemy approached. It may have been wise, as the enemy outnumbered us greatly.

Mr. _____ and myself have just returned from a delightful walk to Pagebrook. We were talking of our future, about which he will not allow me to despond. The Lord will provide, he says, and begins at once to count up our mercies.  We constantly hear that our children and near relatives are well — none of them have been wounded, all mercifully spared; so that we would be ungrateful indeed to encourage or allow a feeling of despondency.

SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, p. 70-1

Major-General Thomas J. Jackson to Major Thomas G. Rhett, February 1, 1862

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,

February 1, 1862.

Maj. THOMAS G. RHETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters D. N. V.:

MAJOR: The Secretary of War stated, in the order requiring General Loring's command to fall back to this place immediately, that he had been informed that the command was in danger of being cut off. Such danger I am well satisfied does not exist, nor did it, in my opinion, exist at the time the order was given; and I therefore respectfully recommend that the order be countermanded, and that General L. be required to return with his command to the vicinity of Romney.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

 T. J. JACKSON,

 Major-General, P. A. C. S., Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS, Centreville, February 6, 1862.

Respectfully referred to the Secretary of War, whose orders I cannot countermand.

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 1056; Mary Anna Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson), p. 231

Major-General Thomas J. Jackson to Judah P. Benjamin, November 20, 1861

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,

November 20, 1861.

Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War:

SIR: I hope you will pardon me for requesting that at once all the troops under General Loring be ordered to this point.

Deeply impressed with the importance of absolute secrecy respecting military operations, I have made it a point to say but little respecting my proposed movements in the event of sufficient re-enforcements arriving; but since conversing with Lieut. Col. J. T. L. Preston, upon his return from General Loring, and ascertaining the disposition of the general's forces, I venture to respectfully urge that after concentrating all his troops here an attempt should be made to capture the Federal forces at Romney.¹

The attack on Romney would probably induce McClellan to believe that the Army of the Potomac had been so weakened as to justify him in making an advance on Centreville; but should this not induce him to advance, I do not believe anything will during the present winter. Should the Army of the Potomac be attacked, I would be at once prepared to re-enforce it with my present volunteer force, increased by General Loring's. After repulsing the enemy at Manassas, let the troops that marched on Romney return to the valley, and move rapidly westward to the waters of the Monongahela and Little Kanawha. Should General Kelley be defeated, and especially should he be captured, I believe that by a judicious disposition of the militia, a few cavalry, and a small number of field pieces, no additional forces would be required for some time in this district.

I deem it of very great importance that Northwestern Virginia be occupied by Confederate troops this winter. At present it is to be presumed that the enemy are not expecting an attack there, and the resources of that region necessary for the subsistence of our troops are in greater abundance than in almost any other season of the year. Postpone the occupation of that section until spring, and we may expect to find the enemy prepared for us and the resources to which I have referred greatly exhausted. I know that what I have proposed will be an arduous undertaking and cannot be accomplished without the sacrifice of much personal comfort; but I feel that the troops will be prepared to make this sacrifice when animated by the prospects of important results to our cause and distinction to themselves.

It may be urged against this plan that the enemy will advance on Staunton or Huntersville. I am well satisfied that such a step would but make their destruction more certain. Again, it may be said that General Floyd will be cut off. To avoid this, if necessary the general has only to fall back towards the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. When Northwestern Virginia is occupied in force, the Kanawha Valley, unless it be the lower part of it, must be evacuated by the Federal forces, or otherwise their safety will be endangered by forcing a column across from the Little Kanawha between them and the Ohio River.

Admitting that the season is too far advanced, or that from other causes all cannot be accomplished that has been named, yet through the blessing of God, who has thus far so wonderfully prospered our cause, much more may be expected from General Loring's troops, according to this programme, than can be expected from them where they are. If you decide to order them here, I trust that for the purpose of saving time all the infantry, cavalry, and artillery Will be directed to move immediately upon the reception of the order.* The enemy, about 5,000 strong, have been for some time slightly fortifying at Romney, and have completed their telegraph from that place to Green Spring Depot. Their forces at and near Williamsport are estimated as high as 5,000, but as yet I have no reliable information of their strength beyond the Potomac.

Your most obedient servant,

 T. J. JACKSON,

 Major-General, P. A. C. S.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS,

Centreville, November 21, 1861.

Respectfully forwarded. I submit that the troops under General Loring might render valuable services by taking the field with General Jackson, instead of going into winter quarters, as now proposed.

 J. E. JOHNSTON,

 General.

_______________

¹ General Kelly was then at Romney with a force reputed to be five thousand men, to cover repairs on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

* See Johnston to Cooper, November 22, p. 966, and Benjamin to Loring, November 42, p. 968.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 965-6; Mary Anna Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson), p. 218-21

General Joseph E. Johnston to General Samuel Cooper, November 22, 1861

HEADQUARTERS,

Centreville, November 22, 1861.

General COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

SIR: I have received Major-General Jackson's plan of operations^† in his district, for which he asks for re-enforcements. It seems to me that he proposes more than can well be accomplished in that high, mountainous country at this season. If the means of driving the enemy from Romney (preventing the reconstruction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and incursions by marauders into the counties of Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan) can be supplied to General Jackson, and with them those objects accomplished, we shall have reason to be satisfied, so far as the Valley District is concerned.

The wants of other portions of the frontier – Aquia District, for in-stance – make it inexpedient, in my opinion, to transfer to the Valley District so large a force as that asked for by Major-General Jackson. It seems to me to be now of especial importance to strengthen Major-General Holmes, near Aquia Creek. The force there is very small compared with the importance of the position.

Your obedient servant,

 J. E. JOHNSTON,

 General.

_______________

^† See Jackson to Benjamin, November 20, p. 965.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 966-7

Judah P. Benjamin to Brigadier-General William W. Loring, November 24, 1861

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, Va., November 24, 1861.

Brigadier-General LORING, Greenbrier River:

SIR: I inclose you herewith a copy of a letter* just received from General Jackson, which explains itself.

I have for several weeks been impressed with the conviction that a sudden and well-concealed movement of your entire command up the valley towards Romney, combined with a movement of General Jackson from Winchester, would result in the entire destruction, and perhaps capture, of the enemy's whole force at Romney, and that a continuation of the movement westward, threatening the Cheat River Bridge and the depot at Grafton, would cause a general retreat of the whole forces of the enemy from the Greenbrier region to avoid being cut off from their supplies; or if the farther movement west was found. impracticable, a severe blow might be dealt by the seizure of Cumberland. The objection to this plan is obvious: It throws open the passes to the enemy in your front, and gives him free access to Monterey and Staunton. But it is believed, and I share the conviction, that he cannot possibly cross his army at this season and remove so far from his base of supply. He would starve if dependent on supplies to be drawn from the valley or on supplies to be hauled across the mountains. It is quite too late in the season for him to move over to Staunton and then go back across the mountain, and it appears to me that General Jackson is right in saying that his crossing to Staunton would render his destruction more certain.

In opposition to all this we have the views of General Lee and yourself, impliedly given in the recommendation to guard the passes through the winter. We do not desire, under such a state of things, to direct the movement above described without leaving you a discretion, and the President wishes you to exercise that discretion. If, upon full consideration, you think the proposed movement objectionable and too hazardous, you will decline to make it, and so inform the Department. If, on the contrary, you approve it, then proceed to execute it as promptly and secretly as possible, disguising your purpose as well as you can, and forwarding to me by express an explanation of your proposed action, to be communicated to General Jackson.

The enemy at Romney is not supposed to exceed 4,000 or 5,000, very imperfectly fortified, and wholly unsuspicious of such a movement. General Jackson's forces I suppose to be about 4,500 disciplined troops and 2,000 militia, the latter very good militia. Of course, if you make the movement, it will be necessary to leave behind you, in charge of a good officer, a few troops of cavalry to protect the country against any mere marauding or foraging parties that might be thrown forward when the enemy ascertain that your army has been withdrawn.

In arriving at a conclusion on the subject you will not, of course, forget the extreme difficulty of keeping open your communications in the coming winter if you adhere to the plan of guarding the passes, and thus wintering some 6,000 or 7,000 men in the severe climate of that mountain region.

I am, your obedient servant,

 J. P. BENJAMIN,

 Secretary of War.

_______________

*See Jackson to Benjamin, November 20, p. 965.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 968-9; Mary Anna Jackson, Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson), p. 221

Flood in the Potomac

FREDERICK, Md., Jan 23. – Officers from Hancock yesterday report the Potomac as having risen nearly twenty five feet within the past few days.  There is no possibility of crossing at present.

Jackson is supposed to be still at Romney.

Lander has fallen back to the mouth of Patterson creek near Cumberland.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4

Gen. Lander and Gen. McClellan

The subjoined statement, respecting facts not hitherto generally known, says the N. Y. Tribune, reaches us from a highly respectable source:

“Gen. Lander arrived at Hancock by express from Washington at 3 a. m. on Sunday, the 5^th, to take command.  He found there about 2,700 troops, two of the regiments having received their arms but the day before.  He was there attacked by Major-Gen. Jackson, commanding the Army of the Valley of Virginia, 16,000 strong, with 22 pieces of artillery.  Jackson demanded an unconditional surrender of the town, Government property, &c., stating that if he defended it he would burn it and take the unusual military vengeance.  Lander replied that the responsibility of burning the town lay with Jackson if he was able to do it, but the responsibility of defending it was his, and he should not accede to his proposition.  The enemy commenced shelling the town at 10 a. m., but the Union Infantry, posted behind a hill and under cover of brick buildings, suffered no loss whatever.

“The regular artillery, in charge of Lieut. Muhlenburg replied so efficiently to the enemy’s that it was soon withdrawn, with loss of officers and men, and after changing their position the result was the same.  The inhabitants had left the town prior to the shelling, which continued  during Sunday and Monday, doing some damage to buildings and warehouses, but with no actual result in the enemy’s favor.  On Tuesday afternoon three contrabands appeared on the Virginia bank, and proper precautions being taken against surprise, a boat was sent for them.  One of them proved to be the servant of Gen. Anderson.  He reported that the enemy’s infantry had absolutely refused to enter the ford in the face of the cover afforded by the brick warehouse on the landing to our forces; also that the main body of the rebels had retired in the direction of Romney, with the intention of cutting off Kelly’s force at that point.  Lander at once established a horse express across the mountain, and informed Kelly of the movement, in consequence of which he threw forward a force, engaged 1500 of the rebels who had been holding a pass known as Blue Gap, dispersed them and captured their artillery.  Kelly requested Lander to cross the river at Hancock and harass the rear of the enemy, while he attacked in front.  Lander prepared to do it at once. – He, however, repeated the request he had urgently made by telegraph on Sunday to the Commander in Chief, that Gen. Banks might be allowed to cross the river further east, Capture Martinsburg, and fall on the rear of the enemy, while he kept him occupied at Hancock.  Neither the plan of crossing, nor the language in which orders were asked, met with the approval of Gen. McClellan, who at once reprimanded Lander, stating it was utter folly for him to cross the river, and ordering him to start at once for Romney, which he did.

“Further information has been received from Gen. Lander, by which it appears that having been re-inforced, he marched on Thursday, at the head of between seven and eight thousand men, upon the enemy at Romney.  The rebel forces were about equal to his own.  They declined fighting, and retreated across the river, destroying the wire bridge in their rear, and running off, probably to Winchester.  As heretofore stated, Gen. Lander is in possession of Romney.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, February 15, 1862, p. 2