"Somehow they found out we were in the woods east of town. They took two cannon up the pike to where the Toll House now stands and fired several rounds of grapeshot among the pines." John Starnes Memoir

The road passing before you is the Old Northwestern Turnpike (US 50 today). On September 23rd, 1861 a large force under General B.F. Kelley pursued Confederate forces to near this point. Using artillery pieces of the 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry they fired at Confederate Forces of the 77th Virginia Militia, hidden in the pine thickets that can be seen on the hills beyond the campus of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

Like Napoleon in 1795 Paris when he ordered his troops to give the royalists "a whiff of grape," the Federal Troop's goal was to disrupt and disperse the enemy. There is little doubt that the experience of grapeshot left an indelible mark on the memory of John Starnes.

Grapeshot was a highly versatile artillery round designed to make a cannon much like a large shotgun. While the effective range of the smaller projectiles was limited, the close range effects were physically and psychologically horrific.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  Romney, WV  |  Hampshire County  |  26757  |  West Virginia  |  United States of America

Romney In The Civil War
W. Va School for the Deaf and Blind
Jackson's Headquarters
Old Literary Hall
Hampshire County World War I Memorial
Romney / Early Memorial
Gilbert Proctor Miller
Hampshire County Courthouse
Romney in 1861-1865 / "Stonewall" Jackson
Easton Family Homesite

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.