The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-16
HARRY GILMOR.

lier Bsyard ms Well as a Doughty War
rior-That saddle and its secret-An in-
teresting "Reminiscences.
The man who captured the late Major
Harry Gilmor during the war, and put an
end TO his brilliant and disastrous raids, is
General +. W. Whitaker, who was in 1863 lieu
tenant colonel commanding the Fist Con-
necticut cavalry. He atall, commanding
looking man, of large and handsome figure.
His face denotes determination, but his
pleasant blue eyes and kindly mouth re-
lieves Il OF hauteur. Altogether, General
Whitaker is handsome man and greeted
the reporter cordially.
~ will give you the story willingly"
said the general In reply to the reporters
question. "Sheridan's winter quarters were
At Winchester, and General Clusters dlvi-
sion, the old third was in camp on the
Romney Pike, February 4, 1865, enjoying II
rest, the latest engagement and rail having
been made five or six weeks before. In De-
cember when an order came to General
Custer through General Merritt corps COM
mander, from General Sheridan, deslgnat-
ing me TO take a regiment and start ON an
expedition into tn, enemy's country on an
headquarters for instructions, and there
learned the sole object OF the expedition was
TO capture Harry Gilmor, who was reported
by scouts to be in camp with 800 men
q few miles Of Mooreiield, Virginia,
or about sevcnty-iive miles away,
thirty OF which was practically
within the line Of the enemy, over aud be-
yond desolate, snow'coyered range, or
spur OF the Blue Ridge mountains. pre-
ferred a smaller command than u regi-
ment and selected 800 men and oili-
GERS, all volunteers picked from the whole
division, and we started IN light marching
order, with sharp sabres extra ammunition
for the navy rcvovers, OF which each man
had ono. Twonty-seven men were armed
with Spencer's breech-loading carbines.
also took an ambulance, u surgeon and tho
necessary supplies. After march OF TWEEN
four hours over tho mountain range, where
the heavy crust on the snow cut the horses
feet In q cruel manner. down through Moor
field, the scouts from General Sheridan's
headquarters led us directly TO Gilm0r's
camp at the dawn Of light on Sunday morn
Ing, February 3, 1865. Harry was in house
under the bluff of the bank OF the creek,
over which his men were in camp. | had
run In his picket post at gallop for over
mile, 80 he and his men had no warming
and were completely surprised. Gimor
was In bed with his nephew, II young man,
who had run away from college and joined
him at Baltimore on the raid during the
summer before. Their pistols were IN their
rack, but were In tho hands OF Major
Young, 1.-THE scouts before they could take
them.
mo time was lost In mounting the pris-
oners, during which the camp on the bluff
had been reused, and Gilmors men com.
menced to pour hot shot into my command.
j discovered Gilmor's horse was very fine
black animal, and for safety transferred
him to common cavalry horse. While 80
doing his men were firing into us, and I'M
der heavy fire | was compelled to reverse
my column in narrow road with high
fences on either side, by giving the com.
mand to wheel by fours, which brought the
head OF the column to the rear. Gilmor,
though himself under the fire of his own
men, was 30 much excited he mistook the
apparent confusion for rout of my men,
ana shouted to his men to give us hell etc.
He afterward told me he would have es.
capped nom me there by jumping tho high
fence with his horse had not dsmounted
him and put him on the horse that could
not jump. He said the ladies OF Baltimore
presented that animal TO him ut the time of
the recent raid into Maryland. Well, his
men followed mo for thirty or more miles,
and was compelled to retire on route to
the northward Of Mooreiield, striking the
Romney pike at n point west of Cacapon
BRIDGE. halted once for food, the major,
rs was the case with my entire command,
having had no breakfast. In fact, my COM
mann had been two days and one night in
the. saddle without food or rest, His men
took advantage of the halt, and, charging
on tho rear guard, nearly succeeded la no.
capturing my prize. This was late IN the
afternoon.
About . Il. M, the following morning.
having passed o gap or mountain pass, at
which l could safely post rear guard |
halted until daylight to give my worn.down
command the rest they much needed. All
the long march requiredmy gallant friend
he was very sociable-to ride by my eide.
Reached Winchester and turned over INV
prisoners to General Sheridan, little over
forty..eight hours after | had started, after
marching over 100 miles without losing n
single man. Tho few wounded were brought
in the ambulance"
1.-THE assistant socretary.ofwar. in replv
to aletter giving information of the success
OF my raid, wrote me February 13, 1865
this reply, which prize very highly
War Department Washington City, Fob 49,
my DEAR ColoSEL Il am greatly
obliged to, you for your favor of the 7tf
instant, which. arrived yesterday. Its in
formation Is valuable, and will not be over
looked. Harry Gilm0r, upon whose captur,
i most heartily congratulate YOU. has beer
safely stored at Fort Warren, and / thinl
that II will DO some time before he is lel
loose. yours very truly, @. A. DANA.
Llcutonant,Colonel H. ". Whitaker, Command
ng ~ connecticut Cavalry, near winchcs
II was anxious that Gilmor should not b,
BY me In 1897 0'P'"''
ibid yon capture Mosby, too?"
nes. got him at Beaver Dam station
on ths virginia Genital railway in 1867
Wei, think expressed myself to Dan,
es being opposed TO Gilm1r's exchange
(unmor was most brave and dangerou.
capture him was due especially to The in.
formation that no contemplated and WA,
crganizing for another destructive raid on
the baltimore Il Ohio railway.
Whiie diimor was In Fort Warren II,
WIote ms -Four Years in the Saddle, IN
which he speaks Of me az Colonel VVbit
ungton, and tells Of his frequent attemnt,
70 escape from me-. He was a noble spcci
men Of cavalry officer never saw him
aiIer the war, although living so near him
lot leh years, frequently Intended going
over 70 Dalt,more and renewing tho &C
quaintance, but time passed on, and now
extremely regret that | never moi hin,
The notice OF the attendance at his funera
and the feeling shown there reminds ms
that when marched through Moore6eld
early that cold Sunday morning there were
many expressions Of sorrow at hi,
capture Many people would moi
pencye the news that the yam
KEGS had captured Gilmor,' but when they