continuing their fire to permit her to land until she finally got as far from us in the stream as she could and escaped us. But for this I have no doubt that she would have come to after our first fire and been captured. From the confusion and cries on board the boat we must have done considerable execution. On my return I divided my command, sent part of them up Cabin Creek, and brought the remainder up Paint Creek. We succeeded in breaking up the election on both of these creeks, taking and bringing away the poll-books. We also captured a large number of disloyal citizens on both streams, including their ringleaders, and a number of horses, that we took from the Union men; brought away prisoners, including 3 Yankee soldiers, who were caught prowling on the creeks, and encamped for the night, between 8 and 9 o'clock, after having been twenty-six hours in the saddle, and having traveled a distance of 90 or 100 miles without food or rest. I gained much valuable information in the Kanawha Valley about the strength and position of the enemy, which I think can be relied on. From the falls down they have about 2,500 men in the valley, districted as follows: 800 at Smithers' Creek and Station's Run, 800 at McConchay's, opposite Lens' Creek, 500 divided between Malden and Charleston, and 400 at Winfield, the county seat of Putnam County. I feel satisfied, also, that it would require a large force of the enemy (at least 10,000 men) to guard the dif ferent approaches to the Kanawha Valley so as to prevent incursions by small bodies of cavalry into the valley. I think the expedition under my command will be productive of great good, in its moral effects, both upon our own people and upon the enemy. It will encourage our loyal citizens who are compelled to remain at home, and intimidate the traitors to feel that we are near the valley, and that we will enter it at every practicable point, and that we will avail ourselves of every opportunity to visit them. I cannot omit the occasion to testify to the loyalty and zeal of many of the people on whom we called, who received us with a cordiality and warmth that proved them to be reliable and true, and who bestowed their best wishes on us and our cause when we left them. The effect upon the enemy by this and similar expeditions will be to annoy and harass him; he will feel that his strength, his positions, and to some extent his plans can be discovered by parties penetrating his lines and following in his rear. It will also cause him to divide his forces and dissipate his strength, so as to guard, if possible, the ap proaches to the valley. I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, Gen. JOHN B. FLOYD. JNO. N. CLARKSON, Colonel, Commanding Cavalry. OCTOBER 26, 1861.-Action at Romney, West Virginia. Report of Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army, and congratulatory message from General Scott. CAMP KEYS, ROMNEY, VA., October 28, 1861. GENERAL: In obedience to your order by telegram of the 24th instant, I proceeded without delay to concentrate the available forces of my command on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at New Creek Station, 25 miles west of Cumberland, and distant from this point 26 miles. This force consisted of a portion of the Seventh, one company each of the Third and Fourth Virginia Infantry, nine companies of the Eighth Ohio, and Ordnance Sergeant Nixon and 10 men, who had gallantly volunteered for the occasion, with a 6-pounder gun. These troops left New Creek Station at 12 o'clock at night of Friday, the 25th instant, and were joined by nine companies of the Fourth Ohio Infantry, from Camp Pendleton, Md., with a detachment of infantry who had volunteered to man two guns-one a 12, the other a 6-pounder. The whole force was concentrated near the junction of the New Creek and Northwestern roads on the morning of Saturday, the 26th, and moved forward over the Northwestern road towards this point in the following order, viz: The Ringgold Cavalry, under Captain Keys, preceded the column, for the purpose of watching the movements of the enemy. The Fourth Ohio Infantry, under command of Colonel Mason, Lieutenant-Colonel Cantwell, and Major Godman, took the right of the column. Lieutenant-Colonel Cantwell, having a day or two before resigned his commission, gallantly volunteered to accompany the expedition. The Seventh and two companies of the Third and Fourth Virginia Infantry followed the Fourth Ohio, under command of Lieut. Col. J. G. Kelley and Maj. C. E. Swearingen. The Eighth Ohio, under command of Colonel Depuy and my assistant adjutant-general, Benjamin F. Hawkes. Then followed the artillery, under command of Lieutenant Jenks and Ordnance Sergeant Nixon, Captain McGee's cavalry bringing up the rear. Colonel Johns' regiment, of the Maryland Brigade, was ordered to move from the mouth of Patterson's Creek, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, at 12 o'clock at night, by way of Frankfort and Springfield, and enter the town on its eastern border, and occupy the Winchester road at 3 o'clock p. m., the hour at which I was to attack them in front. The object of this movement was to prevent their retreat on Winchester. I am sorry to say that this portion of my plan was, unfortunately, not carried out, Colonel Johns having been repulsed at the Wire Bridge, 7 miles below this point, and was therefore unable to get into position. At Patterson's Creek, 14 miles west of this point, the troops were halted, took dinner, and rested. At 12 o'clock m. we resumed our march in the same order. At 2.15 p. m., when within 6 miles of Romney, the enemy opened fire upon the head of our column, when our artillery was ordered forward and replied. We then continued our march, with the artillery in front, to the mouth of Mechanicsburg Gap, distant 3 miles from Romney, a position the natural strength of which is unsurpassed by any other in the country. Skirmishers having been thrown out on the right and left, the column was moved through the gap, without, however, receiving a shot. When the head of the column emerged from the pass, it was found that the artillery of the enemy was strongly posted on the east side of the river, in a cemetery lot, on an eminence commanding the entire western approaches to the town, and the infantry and dismounted cavalry occupied intrenchments on the heights, commanding the bridge and the ford. Our artillery was then ordered to open fire upon them, which was promptly replied to by the rebels, and for about an hour a severe cannonade took place between the artillery. Lieutenant Jenks, of Daum's battery, commanding, displayed commendable courage and gallantry, and evinced consummate skill in the handling of his guns. Finding we could not silence their guns, the order was given for the whole column of infantry to move forward and charge through the bridge and to attack the enemy in their intrenchments. At the same time the cavalry, under Captains Keys and McGee, were ordered to charge through the ford and under the bridge, which was most gallantly executed. The enemy, after firing a few rounds, now gave way and fled from their works; the infantry throwing down their arms and fleeing to the woods and mountains and dispersing. The cavalry and artillery retreated through the town towards Winchester, pursued by our cavalry. They attempted to rally and make a stand at the east end of the town, but the impetuous charge of the cavalry and the approach of the infantry on "double-quick" caused them to retreat, without firing a gun up the Winchester road and through a mountain gap similar to the one west of town, where they were pursued by the cavalry, and all their artillery and baggage trains captured. The enemy were so hard pressed that they had not time to discharge or spike their pieces, which fell into our hands all loaded. About 300 stand of small arms, a large quantity of ammunition, their camp equipage, entire baggage train, with about 100 horses and mules, fell into our hands. The officers and men of my command all displayed great coolness and courage under fire. Where all behaved so well it would seem invidious to make particular mention of individual cases. I must be pardoned, however, in calling the attention of the country to the brilliant charges of the cavalry under Captains Keys and McGee. I venture to say they are unsurpassed by any other in the annals of American warfare. As a compliment to Captain Keys, the senior officer, for his gallant conduct, I have named my camp at this point Camp Keys. The staff officers all discharged their duty with bravery and coolness; and I return my sincere thanks to my assistant adjutant-general, Benjamin F. Hawkes, for his untiring energy and watchfulness during the march, and for his gallant conduct in the action. Our loss was only 1 killed and about 20 wounded. It seems to be almost a miracle that our loss should be so small, considering that we had to advance across a causeway and over a bridge in the face of the enemy's intrenchments. Among the wounded was Dr. Benjamin Tappan, surgeon of the Eighth Ohio, who was struck by a piece of a shell. Respectfully, your obedient servant, B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Lieut. Gen. WINFIELD SCOTT, Washington. D. C. Brigadier-General KELLEY, U. S. A., Romney, Va.: Your late movement upon and signal victory at Romney do you great honor in the opinion of the President and of Lieutenant-General Scott. You shall be re-enforced as soon as practicable. In the mean time, if necessary, call for any troops at Cumberland or New Creek. By command: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. OCTOBER 26, 1861.—Skirmish at South Branch Bridge, West Virginia. REPORTS. No. 1.-Brig. Gen. C. M. Thruston, U. S. Army. No. 2.-Col. Thomas Johns, Second Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade. No. 1. Report of Brig. Gen. C. M. Thruston, U. S. Army. CUMBERLAND, October 27, 1861. COLONEL: I have the honor to forward a report from Col. T. Johns, Second Regiment Potomac Home Brigade. Though his expedition did not attain its entire object, yet it served to test the character of his troops. They behaved, to a man, with perfect obedience and entire steadiness. Mr. I. I. Grehan (whom I desire to appoint my aide-de-camp) volunteered on the expedition, and confirms Colonel Johns' report of Captain Shaw's gallantry and of the eagerness of all for the contest. Brigadier-General Kelley entered Romney about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. With great respect, your obedient servant, C. M. THRUSTON, Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 2. Report of Col. Thomas Johns, Second Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade. HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT POTOMAC HOME BRIGADE, Camp Thomas, Cumberland, October 27, 1861. GENERAL: In compliance with verbal orders, received after consultation between General Kelley and yourself, on the night of the 25th instant I concentrated 700 of my regiment at the North Branch Bridge, and on the following morning at 5 o'clock marched in the direction of Romney, passing through Frankfort. Upon arriving at a point one and a half miles from Springfield, the rear of my column was fired into by the enemy from the heights of the road, severely wounding 2 men, detaining the column about one hour, which was occupied in clearing the woods of the enemy and dressing the wounded. We marched thence through Springfield, seeing frequent signs of the enemy's horsemen in retreat towards the bridge over the South Branch of the Potomac. Upon arriving within half a mile of the bridge my flankers and skir mishers on the left and front discovered the enemy on the opposite side of the river, when a brisk fire at once commenced. About this time the guns of General Kelley's column in the vicinity of Romney were heard. After skirmishing with the enemy across the river about half an hour I determined to force a way over the bridge. The enemy, numbering, by the best information we could get, from 400 to 600, including cavalry, having beforehand prepared to defend its passage, had arranged covers for his riflemen on an eminence immediately fronting the bridge. Capt. Alexander Shaw, of Company A, who led the advance of the column to this point, was with his company directed to lead the way across the bridge at a double-quick step, supported by the remainder of the regiment. Captain Shaw promptly moved his company as directed, and when about half way across the bridge discovered that a portion of the plank flooring on the farther side had been removed. The enemy, on discovering the movement, opened fire by volley, killing 1 and wounding 6 of my men, causing the company to seek shelter behind the parapets of the bridge. After skirmishing some time from the parapets of the bridge and an eminence on our left, and not hearing the firing of General Kelley's column for the previous hour, I concluded he had carried Romney, and the object of my march-to create a diversion in his favor-being accomplished, I determined to retire, which we did in good order, to Old Town, in Maryland, arriving there about 9 o'clock p. m., after a march of 25 miles. It is with pleasure I speak of the good behavior of all my officers and men, and would call your attention particularly to the gallant charge led by Capt. Alexander Shaw. Captain Firey, of dragoons, with his company rendered very efficient service by drawing the fire of the enemy from my regiment at the bridge. I was much gratified at and indebted to Mr. Grehan, who volunteered to march with me, for his prompt and cheerful assistance. Mr. Grehan was frequently exposed to severe fire of the enemy. I am, with great respect, your obedient servant, THOMAS JOHNS, Colonel Second Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade. Brig. Gen. C. M. THRUSTON. No. 3. Report of Col. A. Monroe, One hundred and fourteenth Virginia Militia. HDQRS. ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH REG'T VA. M., Hanging Rock, November 22, 1861. SIR: After a delay which I hope under existing circumstances you will pardon I beg leave to submit the following report, to wit: On Saturday, the 26th day of October last, at 1 o'clock p. m., information was brought to me at my camp that a large force of the enemy had advanced in the direction of Romney as far as Springfield, a small village 9 miles north of the former place. My camp was on the Old Ferry road, about three-eighths of a mile from the main road, threequarters of a mile from the suspension bridge, which is 14 miles from Springfield on the main road to Romney. On receiving the above intelligence I ordered all the men there under my command to repair to the bridge as fast as possible, all our way being through fields, with the exception of a skirt of wood-land surrounding our camp about 20 poles in width. When we had reached the cleared land I saw that the advance of the enemy had reached Cain's Hill, south of Springfield, and deeming it best to send a part of my command to the ford, which is below the bridge some 300 yards, I accordingly ordered Company F, commanded by Lieut. Jacob Baker, and Company K, commanded by Lieutenant Wilbert, consisting |