Major Funsten, October 8, 1861

: Romney, Va., October 8, 1861. GENERAL: On the night of the 23d September last, about 11.30 o’clock, the intelligence was received by me that our picket, stationed in by the advance guard of a large force of the enemy moving upon Romney. I at once sént an order to Major Funsten, commanding that portion of the cavalry regiment under my command at this place, to detach the companies -of Captains Sheetz, Bowen, Miller, and Harper to the Mechanicsburg Pass, with orders to occupy it and hold it against the approach of the enemy, and to order Captain Myers’ company to the Hanging Rock Pass, to co-operate with Col. E. H. McDonald, commanding the Seventy-seventh Regiment of Virginia Militia, in charge -. of this pass, in holding it against the enemy. At the same time Lieutenant Lionberger was directed to proceed to the Mechanicsburg Pass with the howitzer, under command of Major Funsten.

I learned upon return of my aide, Lieutenant McDonald, that my orders had been anticipated so far as the sending of Captain Myers with his company to the Hanging Rock Pass and Captain Sheetz to the Mechanicsburg Pass. Colonel Monroe, commanding the One hundred and fourteenth Regiment Virginia Militia, was ordered to march his regiment (then reported to be 140 to 150 strong, and encamped at Church Hill, 3 miles east of Romney, on the Northwestern turnpike road) to a point just east of Romney, and, as a reserve, there to await

^ further orders. Captain Jordan was ordered to deploy his company along the eastern base of the mountain in which are the above-named passes, so as to give timely notice should the enemy attempt the passage of the mountain between them. The rifled 6-pounder and the 4-pounder were not removed from camp, retaining them until subsequent events – should demonstrate what position for them would be most advanta- — geous. Captains Winfield and Shands’ companies of cavalry were also

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directed to remain in camp, which is about 200 yards back of and on the inland slope of Cemetery Hill, awaiting orders. ; It is proper, in order to give you an understanding of the ground upon which the main attack was expected, that you should have before you a brief outline of the positions occupied by my command. The town of Romney is situated upon a plateau elevated some 150 feet above the level of the South Branch, which washes the base of a high bluff. The western terminus of the plateau, 1 mile west of Romney, is the South Branch Mountain, in which are the Mechanicsburg and Hanging Rock Passes; the former 3 miles southwest, the latter 4 miles northwest, from Romney. After having made the disposition of. my forces as above detailed, I proceeded to the Mechanicsburg Pass. Before arriving there I heard several volleys of musketry, which proceeded from the western entrance. Arriving there, I found the detachment under Major Funsten; a portion of it’ strongly posted behind a breastwork formed of rock, and a dam across a mill creek, which flows through the pass, whilst another portion of it was deployed as skirmishers upon both sides of the pass. Whilst here sharp firing occurred between the advance of the enemy and our skirmishers. ur At about 6 o’clock in the morning, the firing having ceased at the Mechanicsburg Pass, I returned to town. In the mean time we had been quiet at the Hanging Rock Pass. At about 6.30 several volleys of musketry were distinetly heard coming from this pass. I had been confident up to this time that the attack which had been made at the Mechanicsburg Pass was only a feint to mask the main attack, which was to be made at the other. At this time the fog was so dense as to obscure completely every object beyond a distanee of 50 yards and so continued until 10 or 10.30 o’clock. : Immediately upon hearing the firing from the Hanging Rock Pass I sent an order to Colonel Monroe to leave 50 of his men as a reserve, and with the remainder to move without delay to the support of Col. – E. H. MeDonald. Captain Myers had deployed his company along the east bank of the river, stationing piekets at the ford at the west end of the pass. As the enemy advanced across the ford the pickets halted them at a distance of 40 yards, so dense was the fog, supposing them to be friends. After parleying for some moments they were fired upon by the enemy. This part of Captain Myers’ company returned the fire, and retired to their reserve station at the east end of the pass. The enemy then advanced between the river ànd the rocks, which at points overhang the road. When their cavalry had advanced under these rocks, and the position occupied by Col. E. H. McDonald, whose command, owing to the company of Captain Inskeep being upon detached service, consisted of only 27 men, a destructive fire was opened by this force upon them. Without waiting to reload their guns, the men were ordered to throw rocks upon them which had been previously collected for the purpose. This unexpected and novel attack produced the greatest confusion ; the cavalry, stampeded, were driven back upon theinfantry, many of whom jumped into the river; some managed to escape to the other side by swimming, but many were drowned. Owing, however, to the dense fog which still enslirouded and obscured everything, the effect of this attack, repulsing the enemy and driving him back out of the pass and across the river, was not discovered, and the vedettes of Col. E. H. MeDonald, posted in his rear, giving him the incorrect information that the enemy were crossing upon his right in the attempt to outflank him, he returned with his command towards Romney. About 7 o’elock I received information from Captain Myers that the

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enemy were advancing with a large force of infantry and cavalry up the river. Lieutenant-Colonel Lupton, who had been left by Colonel Monroe with 50 men as a reserve, was then ordered to support Colonel Monroe, which order was promptly executed.

Waiting anxiously upon a point upon the river. bluff, Cemetery Hill, which commanded a view of the valley between the two passes, for the clearing up of the fog, so as to be able to ascertain the position and force of the enemy, at about 8 o’clock I received a second dispatch from Captain Myers, informing me of the advance of the enemy from Hanging Rock Pass in overwhelming force. Confirmed then that the main attack was to come from this point, I immediately dispatehed an order to Major Funsten, directing him to withdraw the force under his command from the Mechanicsburg Pass to Cemetery Hill, and there await further orders.

From this time until about 11.30 o’clock there was no appearanee of the enemy either above or below us. At about 11.30 o’clock the enemy made their appearance on the mountain side just below the Mechanicsburg Pass. Major Funsten was directed, with the companies of Captains Bowen and Miller, together with the howitzer given in charge of Captain Bowen, to take position in some woods opposite the bridge, so as to command the bridge and ford. The rifled 6-pounder was then put in position on Cemetery Hill, under charge of Lieutenant Lionberger, so as to command additionally the bridge and ford-and the road leading from these points to Romney. Tle enemy, however, instead of attempting the passage of the river at this point, after saluting us with a few harmless rounds from his cannon, directed towards Major Funsten’s command, retired out of sight.

About 12 m. I again received information that the enemy were ad- -vancing from the Hanging Rock Gap. Major Funsten was directed _to withdraw the detachment under his command from the position commanding the bridge, except Captain Bowen’s company and the howitzer, and with all the force of mounted men, together with the 4-pounder, to go to the support of Captains Myers and Jordan, the latter having previously moved to sustain Captain Myers.

Shortly after this order was given the enemy appeared on the hill about 14 miles north of the town, but seemed to hesitate to attack. At about 3.30 o’clock p. m. a movement was made by the enemy as if he designed to get possession of the Winchester road. This movement was observed also by Major Funsten, who promptly took the steps. detailed in-his report to prevent it.

By about 4.30 o’clock the enemy had disappeared. I then supposed they were moving in the direction of the Winchester road, and fearing lest the baggage train of the regiment should be cut off, which 1 had before understood had been removed some two miles from town, and which by my orders had been further removed through a narrow defile to Church Hill, in order to obtain ground upon which the train could be turned if necessary, I gave the order for the cavalry regiment to . retire by. the Winchester road, and to the commandants of militia who were in the rear of the cavalry to retire to Hanging Rock, 16 miles – east of Romney, on the Winchester road, the latter order being coun- — termanded when the command reached Church Hill. Before reaching the church, and when about 2 miles from town, we were overtaken by a messenger, informing us that the enemy had retreated and recrossed the river. ` Arrived atthe church, and having understood that the baggage train was 3 miles farther down the road, at Frenchtown, where it had

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by order of Major Funsten, in order to secure it against