Romney Nov^r 11^th 1861

 

Dear Marshall

                        I arrived here on the 7^th nine compy^s of the Reg^t came direct from Buckhannon we broke up camp the day after I posted my last letter. At that time there had been three days steady rain, making the roads into mires. we started at 1 P.M. and marched 31 miles to Clarksburg where we arrived next day at 10 A.M. our comp'y got new rifles at Clarksburg they are called the Greenwood Rifle they throw a ball (minie shape) of an ounce and a half weight. At a recent trial they proved to be superior to all others. we came from Clarksburg to Newcreek via B. & O. R.R. Newcreek is 25 miles from here we came through from there from 1 P.M. to 10 P.M. fording 3 rivers two of them at night. I find this fording very interesting in cold weather. When we came in here we took the court house to sleep in I took possession of three steps of the stairs and smoked a cutty pipe and slept by turns till morning.

 

            Romney is a town among the hills of Hampshire county it did contain 8 or 10 hundred inhabitants there is 4 roads (good roads I might say) leading into it through 4 gaps in the mountains. the south fork of the Potomac passes it at a distance of 500 yards it is spanned there by a fine wooden bridge. / there were about 1600 secesh in the town when Gen^l Kelly came. they had some heavy guns and mortars down at a narrow gap in the road where our troops had to come through. on the sides of the gap they had breastworks in good style and were well prepared to defend themselves, but all would not do, as soon as they saw the blue jackets coming through on the double quick they left for town and Kelly after them. At the bridge they made a short stand and threw some shells and round shot but they were driven from the bridge to the graveyard and from there into town and then out of town and then out of sight they went to winchester which is 42 miles distant. they lost 2, 12 pounders rifled 2, 6 pounders and a mortar also a large quantity of muskets and rifles, with the ammunition for them and a large quantity of men, clothes, waggons, beef cattle and some of their camp equipage. the stampede of the citizens was complete not one remained in town, except some of the contraband who wanted to be confiscated I suppose. the Union men lost one man by a shell, and had three or four wounded three or four of the secesh were found dead, two of the 4 Reg^t were poisoned by eating a pie that a woman sold to them and died in a few minutes after she is now in prison here with about a dozen others. Genr^l Kelly now has quiet possession of the town supported by 5000 counting Infantry Artillery and Cavalry. we have about 15 guns 12 and 6 pounders, batteries are erected commanding all the / roads one of them five miles out on the Winchester road A great many of the citizens are coming in again and say we are not such bad fellows as they heard we were. Genr^l Kelly reviewed his brigade the other day he is a fine looking man. he looks pale as he is just recovering from the effects of the wound he received at Grafton our Reg^t has the right of the Brigade and our Co^l is second in command. the Reg^t is quartered in houses as our tents have not arrived yet. one of the Virginia Regt^s has started to put up a telegraph to the R.R. more troops are coming on the way here and you may hear of a mus not far from here one of these fine mornings I would have sent you a few dollars to use for me but I could find no way of sending it as we passed the express office on the R.R. at night. I will try and send it from here. I wish you would see if M^cCarthy the shoemaker who kept shop under Johns store when he was in Cedar S^t. is still working at his trade. I want him to make me a pair of shoes. I want a good rubber blanket and some shirts drawers and other traps. Among the other things I want is a few yards of silk braid ½ inch wide bright sky blue or a shade darker, to sew on my sleeve. I believe I forgot to tell you that I am a sergeant, but I have never worn a stripe yet. tell me if you can get these things and if they can be sent. Ask at the Adams Express if they can send goods to Newcreek Station on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road and I can get them from there by waggons / if you can do all this tell me in your answer and then I will give you my order. I believe I have given you all the news of interest which I am in possession of but I will take a stroll around and maybe take a few notes which I will give you in my next. the scenery around here is the finest I ever saw we are about the same distance from Winchester that Genr^l Banks is we hope to meet him there soon. I am very well, and I hope yourself and Mrs H. are in the same fix. I was very sorry to hear that Aggie was so ill I sincerely hope that she has recovered her health my address is James Clarke Compy D 5^th Reg^t O.V. Romney Hampshire county Virginia.

 

To Whom it may concern

please give the best respects

of your Brother Jim

 

Mr Marshall M. Huey Esq

            43 Catharine St

                        New York City

 

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Tuesday morning Novr 12^th

I sent you $25 (twenty five)

this morning by a by a man

going to Cincinnati who will

give it in charge of Adams Express

at the first office of theirs that he

comes to I will send you

directions for use in a few days

                                    J.C

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