Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-09-08

their destination, &c. Reaching the
iron bridge across Wills creek Lynn
selected John Daley, Charles Mich
OILS and Carlyle to accompany him on
foot up Baltimore street. Their
horses were led by friends i'm ( the
command, and yhurrying aheai0f The
command Lynn aud bis followers,
FASTENED to he ST. Nicholas Hotel.
ItasiDg the nJsn At the steps OF Mr..
Alpheus BeallIs, he went Alone 10
the hotel. Here he saw an orderly
seFgant leaning against. the railing
ut the eDifapceof the house. Across
Gh9Tgss street he also discovered tbe
sentinel pacing his beat II front of
General Kelly 3 headquarters at The
old Barnum House. How to Capture
the sergeant without being observed
BY tie sentinel WIS the question 10
solve. The thought then flashed isss
to his mind The advance ofgtbe COL
ufnn would naturaJly attract the SER
geant's attention, and he would adj
vance TO the curb5tOne 10 ask ques.
tions. &c. So Lynn walked TO the
curb and awaited results. Soon the
tramp Of horses was heard, and the
sergeant took up his position along
side OF Lynn, who placed his left
hand on his shoulder, covering him
with his pistol and ordered him to
surrender, which he did by saying,
II have no arms" Lynn told him to
lead him to Kelly's room, and being
joined by his companions, they pro-
ceeded across the street, walked up
To the sentinel, d sarmsd him, and
entered the hall leading to the Gen
erals room. Ascending the stairway
and reaching the top, the sergeant
said Through this door you will
enter Adjutant Thayer Melvin's
room, and through doorin his room
you will enter the Generals" Lynn
opened the door, and to the left lay
the sleeping form of the adjutant.
Stepping to his bedside Lynn caught
him by the shoulder, raised him up,
and ordered him to speedily dress !;
that he was prisoner in the hands
Of the Confederates. A guard was
left with him, and Lynn then enter
ed the Generals room and found
him sound asleep. Rousing him
up in like manner, the General in
dignantly demanded what he meant.
Lynn then introduced himself. and
taking in the situation, the Gener.
| al made hasty toilet, and the two
were guarded to the pavement below,
where both were mounted up behind
some of the men. Meantime SIM
liar scene was being enacted at the
| Revere House, where Gen. Crook
was sleeping in fancied security.
Word came that Gen. Crook was al
so prisoner, and we soon joined the
command drawn up in line in front
OF the old Barnum Hotel, and the
command was ordered to retrace
their steps down Baltimore street.
Lynn mounted his white Arabian
and rode rapidly down the street to
the stables near the bridge, where
the staff horses were quartered.
Riding into the yard he secured the
sentinel guarding the stables, and
calling to the men, they secured
fourteen of the finest horses amongst
them Gen. Kelly's horse, "Phillipi,"
presented to him by the city of
Wheeling. Taking the tow. path,
they encountered about twenty pick
cts stationed at the dam, whom they
captured Throwing their arms into
the river. Reaching Wiley's Ford,
three miles below town, they were
halted by another picket, who WIS
stationed behind stone wall lead
ing to the bridge across the canal.
The fourth time the sentinel called
upon the retreating ConfederaiesSto
halt he called to the sergeant of the
guard and said: Sergeant, have
halted four times, they wont stop
am going to shoot" The sergeant
then stepped forward and said, "Who
are you ?" "Gen. Crooks body
guard, Third Ohio calvary on scout
in a hurry rebs near town" The
sergeant replied 4: "All right go
ahead aud give them h" Pass
ing quickly under the bridge and
across the river, orders were given
to keep well closed ", and guard
placed in the rear to prevent strag-
Cling.
Shortly after the departure the
alarm was given, and company of
mounted men went in pursuit. The
fugitives were overtaken near Rom
ney, and skirmish followed, but
the prisoners, under Lynn's charge,
We're beyond recapture. Taking the
old Trough Hollow road, the CON-
mand soon came in sight of Moore
field, where they had hoped to exhib.
it the prisoners to the people of that
hospitable town and procure sup
plies. Lynn's attention being at,
tracted across the river, he discov,
cred a large force had been sent
from New Creek to intercept them,
and, If possible, to recaptuTe the gem
erals. Lynn was ordered to the ford
at the river to hold them in check
until the command, by a flank move
ment to the left, gained the noun
tain and left Moorefield far to the