Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-28

,fysirs became known3b Lieut.. Jesse u McNcini,
anon whom has devolved the command o, McHeii
HlOn msO .inc the death of his fstheI the lament
"a IN csutain he resolved to risk an attempt 10
s,ruriSe aud bring OF those two generals.
II ,yiua posted himself thoroughly N regard To
lie situation a affairs in and around Cumberland,
the night OF Monday, 2Oth instant, he, WITH sixty
trbst, men. crossed Huobby Mountain 20 the north
branch OF the Potomac. Reaching this stream at
point below the list picket post that overlooked
M, >elected.rOute of ugTess into Cumberland, he
crossed aud in a few minutes the Y anEees ON duty
were relieved s'YOuT cOunte rsigu," demanded
Lieut. MeNeillto burly Dutchman, win such y
comps nmentS seemed TO impress the fellow
with the notion that 10 divulge 1t was matter OF
sell pre- ServHtion ''3oors kaab' (meaning ''BulFs
Sapn) was tic quick response.
Then on.brN6ly down the county road towards
town ne, 2 tive mi es distant, he novel As the
i,t, hand struck what is known as the old pike, 500
shalt. who comes there" rings out on the ar
FRIENDS with countersign, Is the response IDS
mount one advance and give The counterNgn, Is
the pickets next order TO the lieutenant. hANlhg
lateiyhad his ankle crushed, the Lieutenant Was
moi in condition 10 obey, and 50 urging hi$horSe
,oryr ard he quickly heard from the astonished
ncket Don't shoot, surrender
an they rushed and tbs reserves were gatheted
IN Tie first picket captured was cavalry, the next
infantry The former were brought along, the lat
ter we're disarmed, their guns smashed, ana 'hey
were paroled 10 remain where they were untll
morning: were told that the town was surrounded,
and It would-be impossible for them 90 escape.
Entering town on the west side, they passed an
other picket on the right bank OF the North Branch
A. this picket they were not halted. Crossing
WiTs Greek (which flows through the town. at the
Iron Bridge c0oily and deliberately up Baltimore
street thew ride some whiStllng, soue laughing aud
t,Ikinr a, if they werS Yankees at home among
friends To and fro on the street by the gas light
are seen walking Yankee guards. "helloa, boys
whose command Is thar" Scouts tsom New Greek,
i the response.
Presently here they are, between two and three
oclcck in the morning ia front OF the ST. Nicholas
Ho ell Kelley headquarters; DoWnSpTlng, quietly
ard cglmly, the meu who, by previous arrangement,
are 10 visit ReIey'S room, Inc! en'e. ~, 'nf r n.
and having procured light, they enter the Gene
rails room The General, aroused by the KNOCK,
v-rssting on one elbow. You know me, Generab
4 suppose /" SAYS Joseph ". Kdykendall, who had
charge Of this party. n do" said the Ge1eraLs-
You are - giving his name, General" You had
inc once il is my honor 10 have You now. You are
A prisoner" "But" says the General, "%hOm
am surreRderiug to ," ITO me, sir, was the EN-
phatic response. "NO place or time Tor ceremony
SO you will dress quickly" The order was obeyed
While this wasgoing on at the ST Nicholas, anoth-
r scene was tTanspiring at the Revere House.
Tliiher went promptly portion of the men, as per
Arrangement, under Lieut.. Welton. Reaching II,
they halt-iv. men, in charge Of Joseph L. VAN
diver dsmount and ''halt % is the greeting OF the
sentinel standing in front otthe entrance flends,
with countersign bearing important dispatches ior
Gen Crook" Is Vandiyer's answer Advance.
.ne " SC In a moment Vandiver had the senti-
nels gun and ordered him TO stand aside under
guard. The door Is raped at-a voice from within
asks "Who is you III don't know YOU " Open
the door; must General Crook" The door
is openea aud there stands small darEey. Il
General Crook in ?" ''Yes, sir" ''Show me his
room" srm af erd TO; hut will If you don't tell
on me" Crooks room IS reached; rap gwen
'.Come in" In obedience TO the invitation, tall
aud stalEart form, with light IN one hand and PTS
tol undsplayed in the other stands erect, cool and
deliberate, before the General. "Gen. Crook,
presume /" says Vsndiyer. II am, SIR r IL am
Gen. Rosser, sir; you are IN my power; you have
two minutes TO dress in" Then the General rub
red his eyes, il be thought he dreamed. "Come,
G neral, there are your clothes-you can either
put them on or 60 as you are The GenelaI quick
ly arose and dressed.
The prisoner and hS.CaptOrS make their exit 10
their yigilant comrades without. The General Is
made 70 mount behind NdndveI. Oh they start,
soon reoin the ST. Nicholas party with their prize,
Il then they all commence u ''evac uate" The city
Jaetly. coolly and IN good order. Reaching Wills
eel, bridge, they turned to the left and proceed
"a down the tow path. On the opposite side OF the
canal encumpei on the hills around the town, az 9
suauy OF Crooks aud helly'S soldiers, who dream
not Of the surprise the morning shalt bring them
the sentinel too as unconscious their Slumbering
comrades Of he proximity OF a foe. A few are
awake and with curiosity aroused by the sound OF
horeemen moving rs it We're, in midnight review
rfore them inquire, ''whOSe command - 'ScOuts
going out is the careless response.
At length they are about five miles below the
town. where they intend 10 recross 10 ''old Virgin
IA" \ .'hat' grectS the advance. "FriendS with
The picket gives the usual command
Bulls Gap" SAYS Mcneil, "no time 10 diSmouut
IRE in a hurry the enemy are reported close, we
re sent ont by Gen Crook to watch his move
mouts." go on, thcu-cod night boys 70 be out.'
Yes, pretty cold" Give the Iohnnies h-ll boys.
d. oh YES We are the boys 10 do that - some of
he words interchanged as Mcneil and his boys tle
l1st the unsuSpecting Yankees. moment or two
more, and McNeili is in Virginia.
..McGregor is on his native heath
With McGregor's clan around him."
On he pushes briskly. Without any report OF
Yankees pursuing in the rear, TO WHICH a strict
watch Is kept, Romney, twenty.seven miles from
Cumberland, is reached; the rear guard report
about ~ Yankees in sight, with some OF whom
,hey exchanged few Shets, but the Yankees eX-
ihited no disposition 20 push on very fast. At
about > o'clock in the day, Mcneil is seen near
Nooreheld, moving up the South Branch Of the PO-
toInaC, while up the pike on the opposite side move
the Yankees, about zoo; strong thSlr horses the
worse for having loped from New Greek station,
some thirty-d miles OIL, from which point they
started about : O'Clock IN the morning, as We al
forwards learned. Tuesday night McNeill camPed
on the South Fork OF the South Branch, with his
prisoner, all safe Int, like their captors, all tired
The next nothing SOD iaukce cavalry entered
Aooredeld a large force was also reliably report
ga to Lieut. Mcneil going up Lost river to inter
ccpt him, but they didn't as the Generals reached
this city Sunday morning about O'cockSi in charge
OF Lieut.. j. S. Welton, who rendered prompt, ac-
1--WE aud efficient service in efiecting the capture.
Ii Is proper 10 "a that the entrance into Gener-
IlI keily's room was through his Adlutant Generals
,partment. An eve was kept 10 this gentleman aud
ne was broug hi oil with four head quarter colors.-
His name is Major Melvin.
TO have entered Cumberland city OF or 1000
ia majority of whom are bitterly hos
tici with, according to our boS information, OF
Z, OUO troops gncamPed in aud around, is very strong
. whence that Lieut.. Jesse g.. Mcneil is chip OF
the Old block d worthy son Of his gallant old sire,
Capt John Hanson Mcneil who with his eldest
on has already laid their lives upon their cOun-
try's altar.
We understand that Gen Esfly Immediately on
the receipt OF the news of his exploit, advanced the
-. ~ III .r Ln lie ralik nf Eantain I'm