The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-06-24

within sight of the picket-post Of the enemy
and but few miles above the city OF Cum
berland, where more than ten thousand e
Yankees slumbcred peacefully in their camps
Below the ford, on the Maryland side, lives
an Irishman, named Stanton, whose gener
GUS services in behalf of the. tsSunny South,
on many an occasion, made him deservcdly ;
pet among the Confederates. A careful re
connoissapcc proved the ford unguarded, SO
crossing the river, and coneealing thcil
horses under the bank, the two scouts
were soon before the cheerful fire o.
the friendly Celt. After consultation, in
which the feasibility of the contemplated pro
ject was discussed and determined, they par
took of slight repast at the hands OF the
kind hostess, and deputed their Irish Confed
crate to obtain certain information by day
specified. This he was enabled to obtain
through the assistance of q young man in
the neighbo1hood. This accomplished, the
scouts mounted their horses, and, rccrossine
the river, were, before .daybreak, far pas!
immediate danger. So al
From point below Romncy, Halter was
sent with the following dispatch to Lieut..
| Mcneil.
"Dear jesse; I have been across the Pc
tomac, and find all %. K Meet me here
on Monday evening. Halter will give you
all other particulars. The attempt, if car
ried out, will. certainly prove successful
~ +. ~ JB. f.
Promptly at the appointed time and place
Mcneil appeared with sixty five men, some
Of whom belonged to Rosscr's Cavalry Bri-
gade, who happened to be at home on fur
Tough, and seeing the direction in which the
Rangers were marching, concluded that there
''must be something in the wind" and prompt
ed by that love of adventure which charac-
tcrized them fell into the ranks.
After leaving this point, the band crossed
the Middle Ridge, and marched: swiftly and
silently, through the fields skirting Patter-
sons Greek, until they reached the road lead
ing to the mountain beyond. At midnight
they we're scaling the steep sides Of Knobley
mountain, being obliged to walk, leading
their horses through snew-dr,fts Of unknown
depth. Finally the mountain was passed,
and the river gained and crossed. The faith
full Stanton was on hand, and they were
speedily posted in regard to the situation
Some delay occurred at this point, from
which the party proceeded down the
Cresaptown to Cumberland. Arriving at
the outer picket. stationed at the water sta
ton, on the B. & o. r. R., in answer to the
demand for the countersign, Lieut. Mcneil
spurred forward; and, as he passed the picket,
who had halted the column, and who was
standing on the side of the road, he, very
imprudently, fred his pistol in his face. 1t
gave no alarm, however, and. the advance
charging forward, secured the picket, which
consisted of three privates belonging to s'Co.
D. I'd Ohio Cavalry" The countersign-
"Bull's Gap"-was thus obtained, and the
column again novel forward. F., and X,
a regular scout attached to Rosser's Brigade,
took the lead, and the next picket post, COM
posed of five men, belonging to West Vir-
ginia regiment, were captured without diff
Guilty.
Here Constructions" were given to the
men, and they were hastily assigned their sew
eral duties, after which the command quiet
ly entered the city at quarter past three
o'clock in the morning. Riding down Greene
street, they crossed the Iron Bridge, and
marched slowly and carelessly up Baltimore
street.-the main one of the city-thc men
whistling such Yankee tunes as they could
think Of, and jesting with the guards and
patrols as they passed. Many Of the men
were partially disguisedby Federal over coats,
but in the dim twilight no perceptible differ
encc could be observed between the blue and
grey. Part Of the command halted in front
of the St. Nicholas Hotel where Gen KEEL
| " was supposed to have rooms, while the rest
proceeded to the "Reverc House" the head
quarters of Gen. Crook. +.
s. Il, who was Of the party ordered to
secure Kelly, captured the sentry on the
street, and learned from him that the Gen
eral was not there, but in the sBarnum
House, near by. Thither the party proceed
ed, and L.; without waiting for light
dashed into room which proved to be thai
of Kellys Adjt. Gen. Thayer Melvin, and
inquired for Gen. Kelley. Being told by
Melvin that General was in the next room
he hastily entered, and, telling the Genera
who he was, demanded his surrender With
much trepidation, Kelly submitted to his
fate, and the rest of the party entering with
lights, both he and Melvin were secured.
| While these events were Transporting here
similar one was being enacted at the ere
we're House" The party under Sergeant V
having captured theguard whom they found
on duty in front Of the hotel, entered tn,
house. and finding little colored boy ii
the Office, ordered him to show them Gcner
al Crooks room. Trembling the ucgr'
obeycd, and the squad entered, whercupor
V, who was fine looking, drcssy man
demanded the surrender of the General, stat
ing that he had surprised and captured tn.
town and garrison, who were now prisoners
| Crook seemed much startled at the announce
ment, but, concluding from the circumstan
ces surrounding him, he could easily see tina
somehow he certainly was prisoner, ant
affecting a careless gaity, he hurricdly dress
ed aud gave himself up.
The wires and Railroad Telegraph Office
were, in the meantime destroyed, and, afte
capturing headquarter aud other flags tn
party quietly retraced their way down Bal
timore street to the Chain Bridge, wher
several fine horses, including "Phillippi,
Gen. Kelly's war stccd, were secured.
| Daylight was fast appearing now; tel
thousand valiant (?) Yankees lay within pts
tol shot; fifty miles through broken coun
try interposed between the Rangers and safe
ty. No time was therefore, to be lost, S
! turning down Water street, and gaining tn
canal tow path, they rapidly proceeded until
at the locks, they found dozen or NOR
T.