Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/262

54 to look upon the noted cavalry captain of Virginia. Colonel Ashby was conducted to the Federal officer in command, and on hearing his refusal to surrender returned and reported to General Jackson. In a few minutes McLaughlin's Confederate artillery drove the enemy out of Hancock. Thus far the expedition had attained success nearly equal to Jackson's expectations. The only reverse had been experienced by Monroe's militia, which encountered superior forces of the enemy at Hanging Rock, January 7th. Six days had passed since leaving Winchester, during which time the intrepid soldiers had endured great hardships from long marches in the severe cold over rough roads, but on the yth they were again on the march against Romney, which was reached on the 10th and occupied. The Federals in a panic had fled from the town, abandoning to the Confederates a quantity of tents and supplies.

Loring's command was now put into winter quarters near Romney, while Jackson returned to Winchester and made his report of the expedition, showing his loss in killed only 4 and wounded 28; and describing the general result of the brief affair, he says: "Shepherdstown protected from shelling, the railroad communication with Hancock broken, all that portion of the country east of the great Cacapon recovered, Romney and a large part of Hampshire county evacuated by the enemy without firing a gun; the enemy had fled from the western part of Hardy and been forced from the offensive to the defensive." It was Jackson's design to advance from Romney on an important expedition, but the enterprise was abandoned temporarily with the view of further aggressive operations in a different direction. He had disposed his forces so as to protect the territory which had been reclaimed. The regiments of Cols. A. Monroe, E. H. McDonald and W. H. Harness were assigned to the region of their homes; Colonel Johnson's regiment was with Harness in Hardy, and three companies of cavalry were left