The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-06-24
From the Banner of the South
Capt. McNeill's Partisan Rangers.
Capture of Generals Kelley and Crook,
U. S. A., at Cumberland, Nd,
. February 22d, 1865.
BY os wALD,

Great battles fought by immense armies,
toward them, and, however stupidity conduct
ed, are the pets upon which history bestows
its admiration. A distinguished man dies,
and forthwith all the writers and poets in the
land commence to sing praises over the dead.
The rarest heroisms Of life, performed by the
noblest Of men, seldom claim much attention
from the press. The public thirst for excite
ment must be sasiated, and, as our American
world goes now, with large draughts. the
quality being secondary or forgotten con-
sideration.
Occasionally, however, few gallant spirits
loom up before us, in deeds Of valor, so splen-
didly and daringly accomplished, that we in
stinctively turn to read of and admire them
and we recollect of no incident that occurred
during the four fearless years in which we
wore the the grey, that comes to us with
brighter memories than the one we now re
late. It is sketched exactly as it occurred
Old McNeiil,' as he was familiarity called,
the first commander of the troop which af-
forwards bore his name, though native Of
Hardy county, Virginia, had, for years previ-
Gus to the war, resided in Missouri, where,
upon the commencement of hostilities, in 1861
he organized company Of mounted rifemen,
and at Carthage and Lexington did good SER
vice in behalf Of his adopted State In his
Western career, he .wassingularly unfortunate,
having lost his eldest son who was killed on
picket duty early in the war, and himself
having been, with another son, Jesse, captur-
ed and confined in the military prisons Of AL
ton and St. Louis They, however, effected
an early escape, aud reached the Confederate
lines in safety.
Having obtained authority at Richmond in
1862, he set about raising an Independent
company of Partisan Rangers, and in a very
short space of time was in command Of as
gallant band as "eyer drew blade in fight.
It was composed mainly of Virginians and
Marylanders, but from nearly every Southern
State representative might be found in the
ranks.
F The daring achievements Of these Border
Rangers soon made them famous as a terror
and scourge TO the enemyj and, as The; ac
knowledged champions Of the Western Dor
der Of Virginia, they became endeared to thu
hearts Of the people whom they endeavorel
so zealously to defend. In this Western sec
ton Of the State, the, counties of Hardy ane
Hampshire, hemmed in BY high mountains
which surrounded it like a grand amphithca
ire, lies the beautiful and fertile valley 0
Moorefeld, watered by the South Branch Q
the Potomac and its tributaries. Here dwell
an Independent, hospitable race, who never
in the darkest hours of trial and danger
sweryed from their allegiance to the o..
Dominion" and, through her, to the Confed
eracy. Among them, during the greater par
of the war, the Rangers camped, men an
horses being sustained upon the abundance Q
their rich estates, while the wild Businesses G
the mountains near by afforded a secure re
treat when the overpoweriag numbers Of tn
enemy rendered resistance vain.
| Beyond this valley, and above the narrol
gap through which the river flows, lies anoth