, 1865-03-01

|
deaFor to ret of with the Generals. Hope is snll
&c cA1cBk11, Judge Advocate.
/ fFrom the Wheeling Register, Fob. =.
Governor Boraman yesterday received q
dispatch from Cu1nberland statln. that shout
thirty Confederate cavalry dashed into that
place on Monday evening and captured Ma.
icT General Crook and BreFet Major General
Kelley, who wcru at the time Of the incur
+ sion seated In their office headquarters .
| AS soon as the fact became known, u force
| Of several hundred cavalry was sent in pur-
suit. From passengers who left Cumberland
yesterday morning, and came here on the
baltimore and Ohio train last night, we learn
that the capture was complete surprise, and
one Of the most daring feats Of the war.
sixty men entered the town, leaving thslr
horses about half q mile from the corporate
limits. 4 squad Of four or flrc men entered
the telegraph Office and arrested the ope-
rator, and informed him that If he madsany
resistance OF attempted to give any alarm, he
seat in one corner Of the telegraph office, and
the men Immediately destroyed all tho tele-
graphic inst. umcnts, batteries, &C., and cut
all the wires: This accomplished, they
seated themselves and awaited the sig
nal for departure. While this work was
entered the Revere House, passed through
the hall ,unobscrved, and went to General
Crooks room. The General was In BED
sound asleep, when htsroom door WAS opened
and the men politely informed him thai they
had received marching orders for him, and
pare to leave for Richmond Immediately.
The General saw there WAS no use to offer re-
sistance, and hastily made Preparations for
his departure. He was escorted to tho street,
placed On horse, and taken to the outer part
OF the town, where be met General Kelley
ar1f7 f1nrf0in Tha An1pi1 rfh Is
IN like manner had been taken from the St.
Nicholas Hotel. The party were SION Joined
by the telegraph Office squad, and prisoners
and eaptors rodo off at rapid sp-ed. While
tn Cumberland, the Southern troops took
fresh horses from the Government stables,
and LIFT their jaded and worn out animals
gu the BORDERS Of the town. The tele-
graph operator was bound hand and foot.
and the door Of his Office, and all the
doors leading tncreflom were locked and
not until about an hour and a half after the
1alde1s had escaped vas the operator able to
give the alarm. He succeeded in re1eas-
and hastened' to give the Alarm A force Of
two Or three hundred cavalry were inmedt-
ately: started IN pursuit, but up to List &C.
counts. nothing had been heard from them.
Tllere were at the time between five and sir
thousand Federal troops stationed in and |
around Cumberland and that two Generals,
quartered In the heart Of the town, could be |
seized and carried of, Is one Of the stran,-ess
things ever heard Of. The Federal pickets on |
taken prisoners, thus preventing any alarm
being given. It Is supposed the force was a
portion Of Harry Gilmore's command, and
that they wished to capture Gen. Crook Is
their leader. The town Of Cumberland WAS
thrown INTO the greatest excitement when
the fact Of the capture became known.
Further Particulars,
From the Wheeling 1ntelhgencer, 25th.l
4 member Of the Legislature who Was in
Cumberland when Generals Crook and Kelley
and Captain Melvin were captured, furnishes
Us with some additional particulars. Our in
formant thinks 1t was about one o'clock On
Tuesday morning when the rebels entered
the city. They came In very quietly, with
out firing gun, and halted in: front of the |
Revere and St. Nicholas Hotels, which stand
close together, upon the same street. The
rebels, without appearing to have made q
way to the ROOMS Of Gems. Crook and KEEL
ley, about half Of the gang remaining upon |
their horses In the street. The door Of Gen.
Crooks room at the Revere House WAS not
locked, and the rebels entered 60 quietly and
those who occupied adjoining rooms knew
nothing Of the capture until 1t was all over.
The aame quiet and caution were observed in
the capture Of General Kelley and Captain
q aMelNy!n who occupied adjoining 5oems st the
intimatlon the officers had Of The pres
ence Of ~foe was the gentle nuages
OF the Johnnies signifying 10 the aieeu-
ing gentlemen that they were desired
to get mp. Horses had been provided fur the |
Generals, and they wefe thrown ast1addlc Of |
the cavalry saddles with great has:e, and
without much ceremony, and moved away to
place Of concealmeut. The rebels remained
In tho city only ahout twenty-five minutes,
during which time 8 squad OF the gang kicked
over the tables and Instruments in the tele-
graph office, and seized the operator. They t
destroyed none Of the papers at headquarters,
and made no attenpt-to capture any officers
Or men except those named. The rebels
United States soldier. The sudden appear
ance Of the rebels, at such an hour, md their
bold and contident way OF doing things put
everything in confusion, and they had secured
their prisoners and were galloping away be-
fore the officers remaining hehind had time
done. After TIE departure Of the rebels,
however, piece Of artillery WAS fired Oft to
alarm the slccpi1g people, but it WAS nearly
TWO hours before our cavalry were fairly |
started In pursuit.
Some of the gang said they belonged to
Gilmor's command, others that they were
manded BY Mcneil.
It Was, however, the common talk among
o certain class Of people in Cumberland, that
the men who took away the Generals were
Dur own soldiers, and IT is said that dfstin-
g1ished officer connected with Gen. Sheri
taa's az Sc scouts wns seen walking around among
thority. This conjecture found credence on
y among the citizens, the military authori-
ties being firmly convinced that 1t was bo-
m fde capture.