The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-14
From the Wheeling IntcIligcnccr.1
A Strange but true Narrative

Major X. V. Whalry, member of Congress
from the Wayne District Of whose arrest by
the jenkins Cavalry, at the attack on the
village of Gnyandottc, and subsequent escape,
mention has been made. reached the city yes
terday from Ceredo. 1t would be hard to
Invent piece of fiction to surpasS, in the
strnngcncss Of its details, Major Whnlcy's
simple ard truthful story Of his escape from
the Rebels. Jenkins ana ClarkSon attacked
Guyandotte with twelve hundred cavalry, and,
after capturing the place. intended to make an
alta k upon Ccrcdn, but We're deferred by the
approach of a steamer supposed to be hurry
ing troops to Whalcy's rescue. The Rebels
numbering in all fourteen hundred were left
upon the road to secure the retreat Of the
main budy.
Ma ur Whalcy was taken prisoner in the
streets of Gnyandotte, by the notorious Henry
Clay Pate, Of Kansas notoricty, cummon y
known as Mud Head, who is now a Captain in
jenkins Cavalry Regiment. As Major Whalcy
and the balance Of the prisoners were leaving
Guyaltdottc, in charge of the cavalry, some
twenty Secession women appeared in the
streets in their Secession aprons, and indulgcd
in demonstrations Of rrjoincng, although
they had pretended to be very friendly to the
Federal troops previous to that time. Some
of the men OF that place, who had been
treated with great Kindness by Mai"r Whalry
and his men. also cXultcl over the capture.
and some it is said, fired from the windows of
their houses upon our poor little bcsicged
garrison.
When the Cavalry reach Barboursvilc, on
Monday morning, Major Whaley heard the
booming of cannon, and knew that Col. Icighr
had arrived at Guyundottc from Ccrcdo. As
they passed through BarboursvlIe, the Major
saw Il large number OF Union men tied along
., Id l,,,1 Il
dent ScccssiouSts, who We're waiting Tor the
approach of the Cavalry. The Cavalry left
Guyand"tte on Monday morning and during
| that day marched distance of forty miles.
without il monthul Of anything to eat. Many
| of the prisoners tainted, owing to the inhuman
manner in which they were forced along upon
foot, and Major Whalyy begged Jenkins to
take them and himself out into the fields and
shoot them, as that would be infinitely
more preferable to the slow torture
which they were compelled to endure. The
prisoners were then mounted upon horses
and managed to get along without so mncl
suffering and fatigue During Monday, jew
by the name OF Becknlan overlook the Cavalry
and informed the commander that Coone
| Iciglcr had killed several ofthe Scccssionists
in Guyaudottc aud fired the town. This sc
cnragcd the Rebels that they rushed mady
| upon Whalry and his men. crying 'kill thl
id Abolition scoundrcls - and it was onl,
through the cXertons of Colonel GARRISON
who seemed to be second in command. tina
the lives Of the prisoners were preserved
On Tuesday they marched distance o
twenty miles, and stopped at point nea
Chapmansvle. At this point the cavalr!
separated and moved in different directions
tol the purpose of gathering corn leaving
Major Whaley in charge Of Capt. Wicher''
company, the rest being in the front and il
the rear. Night coming on, Major Whalcy
after hanging NJ his coat and hat by the fir
to dry, went to bed in another room will
Capt W icher. In this room there were eigh
men, one of whom acted as guard. Abou
three O'Clock in the morning Major Whale.
awokc, and finding the guard noddng in from
of the fire, and all the rest in deep slumbcr
determined to effect an escape. Leaving hi
bed as quietly as possible, he approached tn
guard, and asccrtainng that he was asleep
took Captain Wiclcr's hat picked up his ow
shoes, raised the latch of the door, and scein
all clear outside, ran with all his might abou
two hundred yards down the Guyandott
river Here he put on his shoes and looke
about for some diilt-wsod upon which t
, cross the stream, but finding none. CONCLUDED
to swim the river, which he did with consid
ereable case.
He then proceeded down the river abo,l
a mile and Il half, and commenced to asccn
Il mountain, the summit Of which he rcache
Just at daybrcak, and just as Wicher was firm
his guns as signal Of the escape. The firin
was answered from all directions Maio
Whaley. knowing it would be fatal to attcmT
to travel in daylight, sought thickct of re
oak brush, in which he found sort. of Il patti
To and fro over this path he walked all day.
: When night came on he started down til
, Guyandotte Valley tracing the foot of tn