three companies and the piece of artillery rapidly to the church at the summit of the ridge, and there found Captain Sheetz, who had ordered part of his company to reconnoiter from an intermediate road. I ordered him to take the remainder of his company and reconnoiter in another direction, and report to me at a point below. I then marched the other companies to the point designated, and there awaited Captain Sheetz. In short time he returned and informed me that he had not found the enemy, and being satisfied that they had changed their line of march then they observed our movement in that direction, I marched back to Romney. At the edge of town I met the companies which I had left marching out, and was informed that you had given orders for the regiment to retire, and that the enemy was not in sight of Romney. I called a haled and proceeded to town, when I met you, and, returning with you, ordered the column to march at the summit of the ridge, 3 1\2 miles beyond, where we marched and encamped for the night.

Early the next morning I received your ordered to have the train ready to move in the direction of Romney. The quartermaster was preparing to execute this ordered when a messenger arrived from Romney, between 8.30 and 9 o'clock, informing us that the enemy had returned and was then in Romney. I then received your ordered to take command of the regiment and march against the enemy. I did so without delay. Arriving in sight of the enemy as they were marching across the brigade, I ordered the column to charge, which responded to in the most gallant manner. The enemy commenced retreating rapidly and in confusion up the mountain by the northwestern road. Passing under the fusion up the mountain by the northwestern road. Passing under the brigade we received the fire of their rear guard, but dashed on until we came within pistol an shotgun range, when we returned their fire with coolness and precision. The rear of our column filed to the left and opened fire upon their flank. In the mean time the enemy fired canister from their cannon. Fortunately for us nineteen out of twenty of their balls passed high above our heads.

The fight lasted fifteen or twenty minutes, when the enemy were again put in motion. Lieutenant Lingerer, who had been detained by one of the weeds of his rifled cannon coming off, came up at the time the howitzer and opened a spirited fire on the retreating enemy, and with a telling effect, as I have since learned. In this engagement our loss was trifling, in consequence of their bad aiming amounting to the wounding of 2 men and the killing and wounding of 5 or 6 horses.

I the ordered the officer in charge of the rifled of the cannon to move his gun to an eminence in front of Mechanicsburg Pass and to shall the enemy from it. This order was handsomely executed by Lieutenant Lionberger, who came up in the mean time, and a few well-directed shells opened the pass to us, and broke the line which the enemy had formed above its mounth, when we again commenced the pursuit. I then sent Captains Winfield and Sheetz forward with their companies to skirmish the and bring them to a fight. A Gilbert's, about 3 miles beyond the pass, these companies came up with the rear of the enemy and opened a spirited fire on it, but had not the effect of checking the speed of the flight of their main body. The fight continued for some minutes, when they again main body. The fight continued for some minutes, when they again got out of our sight. At Sheetz's Mill, 2 miles beyond, we again came in reached of them, and fired on their rear and flank and gave them two or three shells from the rifled cannon.

At this point Captain Sheetz rode up and informed me that he was