The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-03-14
HOW TWO YANKEE GENERALS WERE
CAPTURED.

/ The Yankee Major Generals Crook and Kelly,
and the Adjutant General of the former. one
Thayer Melvin, arrived in Richmond on,Sabbath
viously stated, these officers were captured in
/ Cumberland Md by Lieut. McNie aud thirty
gallant Confederate cavalry. From one of the
party engaged in this dashing and brilliant enter
prise, the Enquirer learns the following incidents
Of the capture:
The party crossed the Potomac in front of the
town at late hour on the night of the event, and
capturing the Only sentinel to be seen, induced
him to divulge the countersign. The main body
of the detachment then posted in a convenient
position, and the Lieutenant commanding with
several, of the men, boldly rode into the town,
which was garrisoned by over four thousand Fed
eral troops The headquarters Of General Crook
were at one hotel and those Of Kelly at another,
and, their locations being duly made known by
tie captured sentinel, the daring partizans made
their way to those of the former arriving first in
front of which the Lieutenant halted and inquired
of the seutinel If the General was IN. Receiving
an affirmative reply, he said be bad important dis
patches for him, and dismounting, followed by his
men, advanced to the sentinel, gave the counter
sign and passed 10. Upon entering the hotel, the
squad was received by an old negro woman, who,
it appears was the Fsnight clerk of the establish
ment, and upon making known their desire to be
conducted to the room occupied by General Crock,
the old domestic looked at them with kind OF
Humorous suspicion and remarked "Well, you all
is the strangest sojers, | decar-you-you-y
must take de light yorselves and go frst-Ill pint
de room out to you | wont carry you dar, dough,
no how" 1t did not make any difference to our
bold cavaliers, which method the old woman pre-
ferred; they took the light and the lead, and In
moment two were in front of the door, where the
old woman hastily left them, -
After several Intellectual raps, a response from
within obtained, and the visitors were ordered
to enter.
rs this General Crook" asked the Lieutenant,
holding the light to give him full view OF
the General as he drowsy looked at them from
his bed.
eyes; what do you want?" was the reply.
81, said the Lieutenant, Sam General Rosser,"
and drawing pistol and presenting it, added: Il
have some very important business with you, Gen.
Crook, and will give you precisely two minutes to
get up and put on your clothes"
The bewildcred General did not know how to
reply and did not dare to resist. He saw at a
glance that it would be as useless dangerous to
attempt to escape by raising an alarm, and he did
not stop to solve the mystery Of so unexpected
call. He obeyed at once, and gentle suggestion
as to the propriety of his keeping quiet being
whispered In his ear he passed out with his escort
mute mummy. On their egress the party
persuaded the sentinel on duty to follow them, by
inducements similar to those submitted to the
General, and making their prisoners mount behind
them, rode back to the main body
In the meantime second detachment rode up
to the quarters of Gen Kelley, where similar
scene occurred, and that officer was, in due time
under guard.
/ But the party not content. Ascertaining
the quarters of the Adutant General, they gave
hin a passing CALL found him in bed with his wife,
who happened, oh, pity him ye Benedicts! to be a
blushng bride-and as peremptorily but gently
as possible, under the circumstances, succeeded in
"mutating" him from a blissful bridegroom into
miserable poor devil Of prisoner. This Gaping
the climax Of the nights sport, the rendezvous
was r2aaincd, aud with their prisoners riding be-
hind hem the command recrossed the river, and
sped away through Hampshire.
BY some means, the affair was discovered soon
after they left and whole regiment pursued them
to no purpose for fifty miles.
Upon being presented to Gen. Early at bis
headquarters in the Valley, the prisoners were
celved with the homely, but doubt acceptable
greeting: "Take seats, gentlemen, presume you
are tired after your ride, and then added the hero
OF brilliant victories and stunning defeats, with an
intensiGcaion Of that fne tooth comb popularity
Of his enunciation: Il expect some enterprsiug
Yankee will be stealing off with me in the same
way some Of these days"
Whether the prisoners relished the joke or not
our informant failed to depose They were doubt
less IN no humor for jokes. They are now in the
Libby Prison. where it is hoped, they will be kept
until our gallant men, arrested by them as "guer-
rlllas and confined in chains and dungeons upon
that pretence, are released.
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