Romney, Jan 17th [1862] Dear Sister: I wrote a short note to you from the Cross Roads and for fear you could not get it I will write a few lines today to let you know my whereabouts. We left the Cross Roads the day after I wrote and took the road to Romney marched ten miles and halted for the night without tents, but Capt. Gardner gave me the Quartermasters tent which I slept in that night and was glad to get it as it commenced snowing soon after I got to sleep. The next morning the snow was about two inches deep and we were freezing around the fires, when an order came from the General to the Captain to go on to Romney with his baggage as fast as possible, a distance of twenty-six miles. We got ahead of the army marched twenty-one miles to a small place called Frenchburg or what was once called Frenchburg, as a day or so previous the Yankees had burnt every house in the town, where we had intended to encamp for the night but as it was snowing very hard and [Page 2] no house to go into we marched on within four miles of Romney to an old half burnt house where we staid until the next morning when we marched into Romney, the first infantry troops that got to the place so it may be said that the L.H.V's. captured Romney. We now have a very comfortable house near headquarters. This place is one of the dirtiest holes any man ever came into. The Yankees have destroyed all the fences around the place and mined every thing; they certainly got one scare when they left here as they did not pretend to take anything with them. We now see old Jacks plan in going to Bath. We tore down the bridge there across the river, then started for this place, the Yankees hearing of his coming went out in double quick time towards the bridge but nary a bridge was there and no bridge on the Potomac near here except the chain bridge. The Yankees can get away but all their stores, baggage &c. must fall into our hands as they have no means to get them across the river. When I once get where I can write with any ease I will [Added to upper margin of Page 1] give a detailed account of my trip. By the way I have been turned so completely upside down that I have not had time to answer half of your letters but when we get back to Winchester I promise you seven a week to make up for lost time. How is Peter Patton? Give him my respects. I expect Jacksons forces to move down to the river soon but expect he will keep his headquarters here. Why did you not send me Sallie's letter. Did Mr. Lepps write from this place? Maybe I can find him, Goodbye -- Ted This is the last sheet of paper in the company.