National Republican., 1883-03-09
How Gen. Whitaker Managed to Take the
DaShing Csvalryman by Surprise.
Caught Mapping and Carried Away
Under Fire Of His Own Men,
And Detained Prisoner by Strong Guard and .
Poor Horse.
An Interesting War story--The Man who
Captured Mosby.

half street, just above Pennsylvania avenue,
was in 1866 lieutenant colonel commanding
the 1st Connecticut cavalry. He Is tall,
commanding looking man, Of large and hand
some figure. His face denotes determination,
but his pleasant blue eyes and kindly mouth
relieves IL Of hauteur. Altogether, Gen.
Whitaker 10 q very handsome man, and
greeted the reporter cordially.
II will give you the story willingly" said
the general in reply to the reporters ques-
tions. "Sheridan's winter quarters were at
Winchester, and Gen. Clusters division, the
"old third" was In camp on the Romney
pike Feb. 4, 1855, enjoying rest, the latest
engagement and raid having been made five
or six weeks before, in December, when an
order came to Gen. Custer through Gen.
Merritt, corps commander, from Gen. Sheri-
dan, designating me to take regiment and
start on an expedition into the enemy's coun-
try on an important raid was directed to
report to 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
three hundred men a few miles south of
Moorefeld, Va, or about seventy-five miles
away, thirty of which was practically within
the lines OF the enemy, over aud beyond
desolate snow covered range, or spur of the
Blue Ridge mountains. preferred a smaller
command than regiment, and selected three
selected from the whole division, and we
started in light marching order, with sharp
sabers extra ammunition for the navy revolv-
ers, of which each man had one Twenty
seven men were armed with Spencer's breach
loading carbines. / also took an ambulance,
surgeon, and the necessary supplies.
After march Of twenty-four hours
over the mountain range, where the
heavy crust on the snow cut the
horses feet in q cruel manner, down through
Moorefi d, the scouts from Gen. Sheridan's
headqua tiers led us directly to Gilmors camp
at the dawn Of light on Sunday morning,
Feb. 5, 1865. Harry was in o house under the
bluff of the bank Of a creek, over which his
men were in camp. i had run in" his
picket post at a gallop for over mile, so he
and his men had no warning and were com
plctely surprised. Gilmor was in bed with
his nephew, young man, who had runaway
from college and Joined him at Baltimore on
the raid during the summer before. Their
pistols were in their reach, but were in the
hands Of Maj. Young of the scouts, before
they could take them.
No time was lost in mounting the prisoners
during which the camp ON the bluff had been
reused and Gilmors men commenced to pour
hot shot into my command. l discovered
Gilmor's horse was a very fine black animal
and for safety transferred him to a common
cavalry horse. While so doing his men were
firing into us, and under heavy fire was
compelled to reverse my column in a narrow
road with high fences on elther side, by
giving the command 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 SO much excited
he mistook the apparent confusion
for a rout Of my men and shouted
to his men to give us hell, &c. He afterward
told me he would have escaped from me there
by jumping the high fence with his horse had
] not dismounted him and put him on the
horse that could not jump. He said the ladies
Of Baltimore presented that animal to him at
the time of the recent raid into Maryland.
Well, his men followed me for thirty or more
miles, and l was compelled to retire on a route
to the northward of Moorefeld, striking the
Romney pike at point west of Cacapon
bridge. / halted once for food, the major, as
was the case with my entire command, having
had no breakfast. In fact, my command had
been two days and one night in the saddle
without food or rest His men took advan-
tage of the halt, and, charging on my rear
guard, nearly succeeded in recapturing my
prize. This was late in the afternoon.
About 2 a. m. the following morning, hav-
ing passed gap or mountain pass, at which
could safely post a rear guard, halted until
day light to give my worn down command
the rest they much needed All the long
march / required my gallant friend--he was
very sociable-to ride by my side. reached
Winchester and turned over my prisoners to
Gen. Sheridan, little over forty-eight hours
after had started, after marching over $50
miles without losing single man. The few
wounded ! brought in the ambulance.
The assistant secretary Of war, in reply to
letter giving information of the success of
my raid, wrote me, Feb. 13, 1865, this reply
which prize very highly:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsHISGroS CITY, FEB. ls.
lse5.-My Dear Colonel: am greatly obliged %
you for your favor OF the seventh instant, which
arrived yesterday. Its information is svaluable,
and will not be overlooked. Harry Gilmor, upon
whose capture most heartily congratulate you,
has been safely stored at Fort Warren, aud think
that Il will be some time before heis let loose.
Lieut.. Col. L. W. WHirAKER, coYnmanding Isl Con.
necticut cavalry. near Winchester, Va.
81 was anxious that Glmor should not be
exchanged, as Mosby was after his capture by
me in 1862"
"Did you capture Mosby, too?"
"Yes. l got him at Beaver Dam station
on the Virginia Central railway in 1862.
Well, think expressed myself to Dana as
being opposed to Gilmor's exchange. Gill
NOR was most brave and dangerous man.
learned that Sheridan's desire to capture him
was due especially to the information that he
contemplated and was organizing for another
destructive raid on the Baltimore and Ohio
railway.
While Gilmor was in Fort Warren he wrote
his -Four Years in the Saddle" in which he
speaks of me as Col. "Whittington," and tells
of his frequent attempts to escape from me-
He was noble specimen of a cavalry officer
never saw him after the war, although liv-
ing so near him for ten years. / frequently
intended going over to Baltimore and renew
ing the acquaintance, but time passed ON, and
now | extremely regret that never met him.
The notice of the attendance at his funeral
and the feeling shown there reminds me that
when marched through Mooreheld early that
cold Sunday morning there were many ex-
pFessions of sorrow at his capture. Many
people would not believe the news that the |
yankees had captured Gilmor," but when |
they saw him by my side many ladies burst
into tears, and were loud in their exclama-
tions of grief. This scene strongly impressed
me, and although his men were following aud
charging me at every favorable turn in the
road, concluded not TO ask GilmOr to give
his parole not TO try to escape, nor put him
under guard. In fact, / felt that he was
too bg-hearted and brave a man to
put under guard Of q file of men with drawn
pistols, and furthermore thought / could not
risk him out of my sight. Gen Pleasonton,
in talking over the matter last evening, said
to me that made a mistake; that l should
have paroled him, but believe | was right,
having been sent out for him especially, in
holding him under my own eye. / turned
his horse over to Mai Young, of the scouts.
He had a beautiful English saddle that had
been brought through the blockade expressly
for him at a cost of $50, lie asked me
TO preserve II for him until the war was oyer.
It was beauty. i sent il to Washington by
a newspaper man, who promised to keep IL