Kelley issued his "Address to the People of Hampshire County and the Upper Potomac". For a time after this, Federals under the command of Col. Samuel H. Dunning of the 5th Ohio Infantry occupied Romney. 1862 On January 7, an advance guard of Confederates was defeated by about 2,000 Federals under Colonel Dunning at Blue's Gap. On January 10, Federal troops under Frederick W. Lander evacuated Romney and Confederate cavalry under the command of Captains George F. Sheetz and E. H. Shans occupied the town; Brig. Gen. William W. Loring was placed in command and "Stonewall" Jackson returned to Winchester. This set the stage for General Jackson's resignation, which was declined. On February 2 – 4 Confederate General Loring evacuated Romney. On February 7, after General Jackson had been forced to withdraw his units to Winchester, Federal forces under General Lander reoccupied the town and later broke up "the rebel nest at Bloomery Gap." Following apparent occupation by Confederates in the spring, Union Lt. Col. Stephen W. Downey of the 3rd Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home Brigade took command of Federal troops at Romney on March 3; in early May, Downey left his troops there and received a new command in Pendleton County. From April 24 – 28, the Federal Ringgold and Washington Cavalry were stationed in Romney. During early 1862, Blenker's Federal division marched through Romney. On June 13, the Federal Army occupies Romney after a brief skirmish with the Confederate Army. From September 13 – 15, Confederate Col. John D. Imboden occupied Romney for several days after a Federal withdrawal; he used the opportunity to set a successful ambush for Federal troops about two miles out of town. On October 2 the 1st New York Cavalry passed through Romney. On December 1 the Ringgold Cavalry skirmished with Confederates in Romney. Captain Keys of the Ringgold cavalry was reported to have left Romney on December 22 for Winchester. One week later, Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy and his cavalry escort passed through on his way to take command of Federal forces in Winchester. 1863 On January 6, Col. Jacob Campbell's 54th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment moved to Romney in pursuit of Imboden. On January 8 (or 11), Col. James Washburn had been ordered by General Kelley to fall back to Romney with his entire Union force; by January 20, Washburn was in Romney with a force of about 1,400 men. Some