A Skirmish Over Hancock

The Battle of Hancock a part of Jackson’s Romney Expedition was fought January 5^th and 6^th 1862.

Confederate General Thomas J Jackson led his men on January 1^st 1862 from Winchester, Virginia to Bath, Virginia for an attack on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.  They arrived on the Potomac River on January 5^th 1862 across the river from the town of Hancock, Maryland.

There was a skirmish with the Union soldiers garrisoned in the town.  Jackson had artillery moved to Orrick’s Hill, and they opened fire on the town.  The garrison commander Union Brigadier General Frederick W Lander refused to surrender his position.  Jackson continued the bombing of Hancock for two days.

Jackson withdrew his men on January 7^th 1862 and they moved on to Romney, Virginia.

Hadn't Planned on the Winter Weather

The Romney Expedition was part of a Confederate Army military expedition into the Shenandoah Valley and was begun January 14th 1862.

The bulk of the action of the Romney Expedition was conducted by forces under Confederate Major General “Stonewall” Thomas J Jackson and Federal Major General Nathaniel Banks. An unusually warm December ended as Jackson issued orders to move into the valley. Stonewall was able to occupy the town of Romney, Virginia [now West Virginia] on January 14th 1862.  From here he planned his advance to Cumberland,Maryland, but the weather became severe, and he had to cancel any further movements. Jackson left William Wing Loring’s division behind to occupy Romney while he returned to Winchester.