March 16, 1863 - Union moves in to Fort Mill Ridge Trenches
Spring 1863
Fort Mill Ridge Trenches
Romney, West[ern] Virginia
Colonel Jacob M. Campbell: 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, the 1st (West) Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Battery E of the 1st (West) Virginia Light Artillery, and the Ringgold Cavalry (Co. A, 22nd PA Cav.)
* Despite its relative obscurity, this site is repeatedly referenced as something like "the best preserved battle trenches dating from the Civil War in existence."
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Fort Mill Ridge is a Union fortification constructed between March and June, 1863, to defend the Mechanicsburg Gap and South Branch Potomac Valley. The remains of the fortification have been undisturbed over the past 135 years and are among the most intact and best preserved Civil War earthworks.
The Fort Mill Ridge Foundation in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources has undertaken the preservation and interpretation of Fort Mill Ridge. A trail system with interpretive signs explains the fort's design and construction and highlights the Civil War events related to its occupation.
Signage along an easily accessible pathway into the center of the fort outlines the general history and establishment of the fort. A continuing trail loop around the fort includes signage discussing related historical events. Please allow approximately 40 minutes for the entire loop.
The earthworks at Fort Mill Ridge are extremely fragile. Please remain on the pathways at all times. Walking or climbing on the earthworks is strictly prohibited. Hiking in the woodlands outside the fort (beyond the outer entrenchments) is permitted.
The 1st National Flag of the Confederacy.
54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regimental Colors
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The Civil War in the South Branch Valley
At the time of the Civil War, the South Branch Valley was comprised of many small, independent farms. The mid-19th century was a golden age of agriculture in the eastern United States, and the valley was among the most agriculturally productive areas in Virginia. With the coming of war the valley found itself part of the newly created northern state of West Virginia. However sympathies of the people of the valley were mostly with Virginia and the South, and many of their husbands and sons served with Confederate units.
Romney and the South Branch Valley held strategic significance because of their proximity to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The B & O Railroad was a vital transportation link for the North, linking the eastern and western states. Throughout the war, Confederates fought to disrupt traffic on the B & O Railroad. By controlling Romney and the South Branch Potomac Valley, the North could protect a critical stretch of railroad from Confederate raids.
Union troops under the command of Colonel Jacob M. Campbell were ordered to Romney in early March, 1863. Col. Campbell's command included the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, the 1st (West) Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Battery E of the 1st (West) Virginia Light Artillery, and the Ringgold Cavalry (Co. A, 22nd PA Cav.)
Well Anne, We left North Mountain a Friday eaving on the cars, got to Green Springs a Satterday morning, staid thair till Sunday then started for Romney. we go this place at dark. the rodes was vary muddy and it was raining byt we got our knapsacks hauld. we ar campt in the same field we was in when we was hear before. it is a hard looking place. I was over in Romney yesterday and as I was goin down the windays like they did when we was hear befor I seen mules and horses asricking their heads out of the windays of sum of the best houses.
March 11, 1863 letter of Private Joshua Winters, Company G, 1st (West) Virginia Volunteer Infantry, from Civil War Letters and Diary of Joshua Winters edited by Elizabeth Davis Swiger.
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Construction of Fort Mill Ridge
On March 16, 1863, Col. Campbell ordered his command to move their encampment from Romney to the fields adjacent to Mill Creek immediately west of Mill Ridge. Sheltered between the mountain to the west and the ridge, the camp was less vulnerable to surprise attack, which could come from any direction at any time. The fort atop Mill Ridge was constructed by Campbell's troops between March and June, 1863 to protect the encampment and dominate the Valley and the Gap.
Fort Mill Ridge consists of an outer ring of entrenchments and a small, central redoubt, with infantry in the surrounding entrenchments. You are standing just within the outer entrenchments at the north end of the fort. The fort is oriented in part to defend against a surprise attack down the ridgeline from the south.
Mon 16. clear, the ground is white with snow. we moved our camp today three miles from Romney on the New Crick rode at the end of MacCanickvill Gap. Tues. 17: beautifull day. I washed mi clothes tody.
Diary of Joshua Winters,
March 1863.
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https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=25244The Central RedoubtThe central redoubt house the fort's artillery. The square structure is approximately forty feet wide inside. The fort's entrance was located on the north, its least vulnerable side. Two artillery positions were constructed on each of the other three sides. There is no evidence of a magazine or any other structure having been located within the redoubt. A redoubt is a small enclosed earthwork used to fortify a position from attacks on all sides. The square is the most common form for a redoubt in part due to the ease with which it is constructed. The weakest point of a square redoubt is the corner, or salient, as only a limited amount of fire can be concentrated in that direction. The corner projections, or traverses, of the central redoubt are intended to help overcome that weakness. With these projections, the redoubt has the form of a miniature bastion fort. The central redoubt is specifically positioned along the crest of the ridge to dominate the gap in Mill Creek Mountain to the west. The east side of the redoubt dominates the river valley, while the south side defends against potential Confederate infantry attack down the ridgeline from the south. At the time it was constructed, there were few trees on the ridge. What trees existed were probably cleared and used in the construction of the redoubt. Tues 24. I was on gard at the battery tonight. it rained all eaving and all night. the Countersine was Romney. Wed 25. pleasant day. we was hauling timber off the hill to fix our tents. Thurs 26. clear and winday. we raised our tent up on prickkets today. Diary of Joshua Winters, March, 1863. |
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Interior of the Central Redoubt
The central redoubt consists of a square earthen platform or rampart, and earthen walls, or parapets. Cuts in the parapets, or embrasures, provided openings through which cannons could fire. The remains of the embrasures can be seen on the southern and western parapets.
Military earthworks were constructed to predetermined design standards that were adjusted to field conditions. During the course of the war, these design standards were refined through experience, as the importance of defensive works and entrenchments were conclusively proven.
The interior of these parapet walls were probably lined with vertical logs. The cannons were set on wooden gun platforms laid on the earth. Sod was laid upon the parapets to help prevent erosion. Though the upper portions of these parapets have eroded away, the central redoubt at Fort Mill Ridge is remarkably well-preserved. The woodlands that have grown up since the 1860s help protect the earthworks from erosion.
Wed April 1. clear and vaary winday. I am on gard today three mils from camp on the Grean Springs rode. Thurs 2. clear today but raining tonight.
i com off guard today. Fri 3. clear and plesant. nuthing strange today. we drilld in the manuell of arms in the street today. Sat 4. clear and plesant. i was on furtigue today on the mountain.
Diary of Joshua Winters, April 1863.
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Control of the Mechanicsburg Gap
Federal Battery E, 1st (West) Virginia Volunteer Artillery was assigned to the command at Fort Mill Ridge. The Battery was armed with six 3-inch rifled cannons. It is believed that two of these cannons were positioned in the central redoubt.
The 3-inch rifled cannon was an accurate field piece with a range of about a miles on level ground. This range was longer when the cannon was placed atop a ridge. From the elevation of the central redoubt, the cannon could fire into Mechanicsburg Gap to control the approach from the west. This also allowed control of the area near the South Branch of the Potomac River bridge and the River Road to the east.
The Mechanicsburg Gap was an important mountain pass through which ran the Northwestern Turnpike, today's Route 50. The Northwestern Turnpike was one of the few direct east-west routes through the mountains of West Virginia. Its control was important to the efficient movement of men and supplies in the region.
Tues May 19. the wether is fair. no strnge news today. Wed 20. this has been a vary warm day. I am on picket gard on the Winchester Road. Thur 21. vary warm today. I com off pickit today. we had battelling drill this eaving.
Diary of Joshua Winters, May 1863.
Through the miracle of the internet I can tell you what used to be on this sign:
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The Ditch as a Second Line of Defense
Around the outside of the central redoubt is the ditch, a significant obstacle attackers would have to climb through to assault the redoubt. At Fort Mill Ridge, the ditch also appears to have been used as a trench from which defending infantry could fire.
From the two southern corners of the redoubt, extensions, or covered ways, connect the ditch to the outer ring of entrenchments. The east-west line created by the covered ways and the ditch of the redoubt provided a second line of defense from attack down the ridge from the south.
At the corners of the redoubt are projecting earthen mounds, or traverses. These projections had several defensive purposes. They strengthened the corner by providing a location in the ditch for fire from the corner as well as a crossing fire along the face of the redoubt. The traverses provided protection for men in one segment of the ditch from explosions in an adjacent segment. They also helped prevent attackers from firing directly down the line of the ditch from the side. Additionally, the traverses could have been used as an additional earthwork from behind which to fire at attackers.
Tues 26. fair wether. I was wagon gard today. we went 8 mils after hay. thair was a drill this eaving. Wed 27. pleasant day. we had drill this eaving. Thur 28. pleasant day I was on furtigue today a diggin refell pits. thair was drill today. Fri 29. the wether is pleasnt we had dress parid today.
Diary of Joshua Winters, May, 1863.
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An Outpost in Enemy Territory
From the protection of the fort and their encampment along Mill Creek, Union soldiers were stationed at picket posts throughout adjacent valleys at key junctions, fords, and approaches. Patrols were sent through the country-side to feel for the enemy, investigate rumors of Confederate activity, and gather hay and other provisions for use at the camp.
Eastern West Virginia was a hotly contested guerilla area during the Civil War, and Fort Mill Ridge was an isolated outpost. Surprise attack could come from any direction.
While patrols and picket duty were usually tedious and uneventful, sudden attack by raiding parties or bushwackers could occur at any time. The rugged nature of the terrain made ambushes easy and pursuit difficult.
During the period that Fort Mill Ridge was occupied, the primary base for Confederate operations was Rockingham County in the southeastern Shenandoah Valley. From this base, Confederates launched raids into West Virginia. Two primary raids were undertaken in the spring of 1863.
Well Anne I have just com off of dress praid and I will finish your letter. we drill one hour every morning before breckfist. we ar on gard every third day. I guess they ar about dun with the fort and the intrenchments, then our deuty wont bee so heavy.
June 6, 1863 letter of Private Joshua Winters.
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Engagement with McNeill's Rangers
In early April, 1863, a Confederate force led by Captain John H. McNeill's Rangers and four additional companies of Virginia cavalry left Rockingham County for West Virginia. At Moorefield [See Feb. 5, 1863], 20 miles south of Fort Mill Ridge, the force divided into several smaller units.
On April 6th, McNeill's Rangers surprised a Union foraging train near Burlington, 10 miles west of Fort Mill Ridge, capturing 5 wagons and 11 soldiers. A contingent of 50 Union cavalrymen sent to assist the foraging party headed south toward Moorefield by today's Route 220, west of Mill Mountain. A second larger Union cavalry force followed them.
The smaller Union force ran headlong into the Virginia cavalry and bid a hasty retreat back up the road. Near Purgitsville, they met with the larger Union force, which prepared to receive the Confederates. A hand-to-hand melee ensued before the outnumbered Confederates broke off the engagement and retreated south toward Moorefield.
Union infantry and artillery were sent to reinforce the cavalry. On the morning of April 7th, they surprised the Confederate encampment 5 miles south of Moorefield. After scattering the Confederates with artillery shells, the Union infantry crossed the swollen South Branch of the Potomac River in small boats and burned the camp. The Union forces then returned to Fort Mill Ridge, and McNeill's Confederates returned to Rockingham County.
A munday our wagon train went out after hay tords Morefield, our Cavary went out to gard them. four or five hundred Secesh Cavary made a dash on them and took five of our teams. Thair was som more of our Cavary went out. thay had a little fite.... Thair was a hundred of us on our regement and a Company of the 54 Pennsylvania started out at three in the eaving.... in the morning we started on. we went through Greanland Gap on to the river. then we shelled them out of thair camp. then about one hundred and fifty of us went across the river in shifts and went up the hollow into thair camp. thay cut the tung out of the wagon and left them. we burnt them, then crost the river back safe.
April 9, 1863 letter of Joshua Winters.
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Abandonment of Fort Mill Ridge
The Union troops at Fort Mill Ridge continued their duties until June 14, 1863. Then, in response to Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, Campbell's command was ordered to concentrate with the rest of their division at New Creek (Keyser). Confederate General Imboden's Northwestern Brigade had left the Shenandoah Valley on June 9th, occupied Romney on June 16th, and freely roamed through the countryside taking an unoccupied Cumberland on June 17th before moving east, destroying the railroad as they went.
With Lee's defeat at Gettysburg on July 3rd, the Union troops at New Creek were ordered to move eastward along the Potomac River toward Martinsburg. On August 15th, Campbell's command returned from the east and reoccupied the encampment at Fort Mill Ridge.
Throughout the remaining summer and fall, the Union troops resumed their duties of picketing, patrolling, and drilling. Military activities in West Virginia in the fall of 1863, however, were generally quiet. On November 6, 1863 Campbell's command was ordered north to Springfield. Their departure ended the Union occupation of Fort Mill Ridge and Romney for the remainder of the war. The region continued to be a contested area, however, with forces of both sides passing through the area on various raids and missions until the ending of hostilities.
Fri 12. we had grand revew today. we sent our knapsacks and all of our baggage to New Crick today. Sat 13. vary warm. I am on battery gard. it is a litening tonight. Sun 14. warm today. we got marching orders for New Crick. we left Romney in the eaving, marched till three at night, halted in a mile and 1/2 of New Crick.
Diary of Joshua Winters, June 1863.
Thanks for keeping the diary, Joshua Winter!
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