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| Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print | | Near Romney in Hampshire County, West Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic) |
Engagement at Romney
Lew Wallace Storms the Bridge
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By J. J. Prats, July 5, 2010 | |
| | | 1. Engagement at Romney Marker | | |
Inscription. On the night of June 12, 1861, Col. Lewis Wallace
led his 11th Indiana (Zouaves) Regiment from
Cumberland, Maryland, by train across the
Potomac River and into present-day West Virginia. He had learned that “several hundred”
Confederate troops were in Romney, as he wrote
in his official report, drilling and forcing Unionists into Confederate service. After detraining and marching across the mountains before dawn,
Wallace and his men neared Romney about 8 A.M.
on June 13 and encountered pickets who fired
and ran into town to give the alarm.
As Wallace approached the covered
wooden bridge that spanned the South Branch
of the Potomac River in front of you, he “could
distinctly see ... a battery of two guns, planted
so as to sweep the road completely. I directed my
advance guard to cross the bridge on the run,
leap down an embankment at the farther entrance,
and observe the windows of a large brick house
[Sycamore Dale, across the river and upstream].
... A warm fire opened from the house, which the
guard returned, with no other loss than the
wounding of a sergeant. ... I led a second company across | | | | 
By J. J. Prats, July 5, 2010 | |
| | | 2. Engagement at Romney Marker | | |
the bridge, and ... soon drove the
enemy from the house.” Wallace and his regiment
set off in pursuit, but the Confederates fled
together with most of Romney’s civilians. After
searching the town for weapons and supplies,
Wallace marched his men back to Cumberland,
arriving at 11 P.M.
(sidebar) Lewis “Lew” Wallace was born in Brookville, Indiana, on April 10, 1827. He served in the Mexican War, left the army for a political and legal career, and raised the 11th Indiana Infantry regiment when the Civil War
began. On July 9, 1864, he delayed Confederate Gen. Jubal A.
Early’s army at the Monocacy
River in Maryland, giving the
defenders of Washington, D.C.,
time to organize. After the war, he served as governor of New Mexico (famously offering Billy the Kid a pardon) and as minister to Turkey. He is best known as the author of the novel Ben Hur. He died in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on February 15, 1905.
Erected by Civil War Trails.
Marker series. This marker is included in the West Virginia Civil War Trails marker series.
Location. 39° | | | | | | 3. “Engagement at Romney,” Sycamore Dale at Right | | |
20.333′ N, 78° 46.783′ W. Marker is near Romney, West Virginia, in Hampshire County. Marker is on U.S. 50 near the South Branch of the Potomac River, on the left when traveling west. Click for map. It is at the western end of the bridge. There is a pulloff that can hold two or three cars at the marker. Marker is in this post office area: Romney WV 26757, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Indian Mound (approx. ¾ mile away); Fort Pearsall 1754 (approx. ¾ mile away); Captain George W. Stump (approx. one mile away); Fort Mill Ridge (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Civil War in the South Branch Valley (approx. 1.2 miles away); Construction of Fort Mill Ridge (approx. 1.2 miles away); Old Literary Hall (approx. 1.3 miles away); Romney in 1861–1865 / “Stonewall” Jackson (approx. 1.3 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Romney.
More about this marker. A large color photograph of a house captioned “Sycamore Dale” is reproduced on the lower left of the marker. In the center is an illustration captioned “Engagement at Romney, Sycamore Dale is at right.” from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, June 29, 1961. The sidebar in the right column includes a portrait of General Lewis Wallace.| | | | 
By J. J. Prats, July 5, 2010 | |
| | | 4. Current Bridge to Romney | | The South Branch (of the Potomac River) flows beneath it. | | |
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This is the Major General Lew Wallace marker in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Also see . . . Romney in the Civil War. “Col. Lewis (Lew) Wallace in command of the Eleventh Indiana (Zouaves) occupied Romney for a few hours on June 13, 1861.
The next day Col. A.P. Hill occupied the town.” (Submitted on July 22, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia.)
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By J. J. Prats, July 5, 2010 | |
| | | 5. New and Old Route 50 Bridges | | When the new bridge is complete the old bridge will be dismantled. This is a popular wading and fishing spot. | | |
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Credits. This page originally submitted on July 22, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia. This page has been viewed 882 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia. 3. submitted on July 22, 2010. 4, 5. submitted on July 22, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia.
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