Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches Show map of Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches Show map of West Virginia Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches Show map of the United States
Location	Fort Mill Ridge Rd., Romney, West Virginia
Coordinates	39°19′28″N 78°47′37″W / 39.32444°N 78.79361°W / 39.32444; -78.79361
Area	201 acres (81 ha)
Built	c. 1861 (1861)-1862
NRHP reference  No.	13001121 [1]
Added to NRHP	January 22, 2014

The Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches are battle trenches in West Virginia that were originally dug between 1861 and 1862 to be later used in 1863 for the civil war. ^[2] These trenches lined with chestnut logs by the Confederate artillery during the American Civil War to defend the approaches to Romney on the Northwestern Turnpike and the South Branch Potomac River. The trenches were then refurbished between March and June 1863 by the 54th Pennsylvania Infantry and the 1st West Virginia Infantry. When Colonel Jacob M. Campbell (54th PVI) garrisoned Union forces at Romney, camps were set up at nearby at Mechanicsburg Gap. ^[3] The Confederates might have created these trenches but all throughout the war the Union had control of these trenches. ^[2]

The Fort Mill Ridge trenches are believed to be the best preserved battle trenches dating from the Civil War in existence. The trenches are located three miles southwest of Romney adjacent to the Fort Mill Ridge Wildlife Management Area off of the Northwestern Turnpike ( U.S. Route 50/ West Virginia Route 28).

A Civil War museum relating to the construction and use of the Fort Mill Ridge trenches is located within the Taggart Hall Civil War Museum & Visitors Center on the corner of High Street and Gravel Lane in downtown Romney.

This place is significant not only because of the battle that took place but also for the military engineering. The engineering style the Confederates used is an excellent example of a "rammed earth fortification" which protected transportation routes as well. ^[4] Also, this brought a new era to warfare and a new style of fighting in trenches rather than on an open field. It provided more protection and defense than the offensive strategy of fighting. The defensive method was used so the transports can pass by safely.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. ^[1]

See also

• List of historic sites in Hampshire County, West Virginia

References

External links

Media related to Fort Mill Ridge Civil War Trenches (Romney, West Virginia) at Wikimedia Commons

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