ight over a mountain road, from Cumberland, in
Maryland, to Romney, where the Confederates had a battery on a bluff
near the village, guarded by a number of field-pieces. By a spirited
dash, the Union troops captured the position and drove the defenders
into the woods. Unable to overtake them, Colonel Wallace returned to
Cumberland.

This incident had important results. General Jo Johnston, one of the
best commanders of the war, was at Harper's Ferry, and, fearing for his
communications, he evacuated the post, and marched up the Shenandoah
Valley to a point near Winchester.

GENERAL McCLELLAN.

The operations in western Virginia brought into prominence an officer
who was destined to play an important part in the war. He was George B.
McClellan, born in Philadelphia in 1826, and graduated at West Point in
1846. He rendered fine service in the Mexican War, after which,
resigning from the army, he was for several years engineer for the
Illinois Central Railroad and afterward a railroad president. He was
appointed a major-general at the opening of the Civil War, and, with
15,000 troops, mostly from the Western States, he advanced against the
Confederates in western Virginia under the command of General Garnett,
also a graduate and formerly an instructor at West Point. Garnett held a
position west of the principal line of the Alleghanies, which covered
the road leading from Philippi to Beverly. Colonel Pegram was placed in
charge of the hill Rich Mountain, a short distance south of Garnett.

McClellan advanced against these two positions. Colonel Rosecrans, with
four regiments and in the face of a blinding rainstorm, followed a
circuitous path through the woods, and charged up the elevation against
a strong fire. The Confederates were driven from their position and down
the other side of the hill. Colonel Pegram, finding his position turned,
retreated in the direction of Beverly. Rosecrans pursued and Garnett
turned to the north, aiming for St. George on the Cheat River. Pegram
had surrendered with 600 men, the remainder joining Garnett, who was
hard pressed by General Morris. Despite the obstructions thrown in his
path, he overtook the fugitives on the 13th of July at Carrick's Ford on
the Cheat River. There the Confederates were routed and Garnett shot
dead at the head of his troops. The remnant of his force fled in
disorder, and succeeded in reaching Monterey on the eastern side of the
mountains.

[Illustration: G