Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-26


N % the most prominent incidents Of his
w a life recur for general admiration.
and. perhaps, there is none Of the minor cpl
sodes in his varied experience fuller OF pleasing
"reminiscences than that remarkable surprise
practiced upon Gems. Kelly sni Crook daring
the late war BY a detachment OF McNein's
Rangers. These officers were in command of the
Federal forces in that department Of the valley
Of the Shenandoah having headquarters At
Cumberland. Nd. whose main object was 20
protect the Baltimore and Ohio railroad aud
Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and to keep in
subsection that portion Of Western Virginia in
Tested by Independent aud predatory confed-
crate organizations. II was during this time OF
his occupancy of Cumberland that Gen Crook
while engaged with his military duties
was at the same time laying siege TO the
heart OF the fair lady. the daughter
of the proprietor Of the hotel at which he had
established his military headquarters, and
whom he afterward led captive to the hymeneal
altar. This little coup de main WAS one OF those
instances where II was rather the eciat for
strategy than sectional luminosity that prompted
the enterprise, aud the fact that the brother OF
the generals fair inamorata was one Of the
party engaged in this contretemps adds some
what to the romance of the incident. The
sensational writer's SO prolific Just after the
war but Its rendition has been repudiatad as
being incorrect by those engaged in the ad-
venture. The following account is historically
correct, the notes and data for which were fur
nished personally by the parties who planned
and executed the raid and capture.
THE PLAN CONCEIVED.
During the latter part Of the month Of Feb
ruary 1865, while Lieut. Jesse Mcneil was STAY
ing at the residence Of friend near the camp
Of the Rangers, in the South Branch valley. he
conceived the idea of daring attempt upon
Cumberland. the object OF which was to cap
ture and abduct the commanding officers quar-
tered there. He first contded his project to
John Fay, dashing cavalier aud bold partisan.
whose hearty concurrence was readily assured
1t was agreed that the object of the expedition
was to be kept entirely secret while Fay was
to start of on Al independent scout to obtain
an accurate account OF the situation OF troops
and officers in and around Cumberland. In
the meantime Mcneil was to have in readiness
all of the best mounted of the company at some
point designated on the South Branch above
Romney to march at a moments notice. Fay
and one companion. Richie Halter. q gallant
member of the company from Missouri after
| scouting with great caution down the lower
valley and crossing the mountain by bride
paths, reached point on the railroad about
i've miles above Cumberland. On the oppo-
site bank of the river was the cabin OF an Irish
man known TO the Rangers a southern SYM
pathizer and from whom on former occasions
they had gained valuable information. They
crossed over the river. which was then
the Rubicon between the two gov
ernments and, after thawing their half-froZen
! limbs before the cheerful fire of their Celtic
friend. contided to him the object Of their visit
and requested his cooperation in maturing
their plans. With the characteristic zeal of
his race he not only entered heartily into the
plan. but volunteered to Obtain direct from
Cumberland the most minute information
necessary for the success of the expedition.
After thus satisfactorily arranging in detail for
the appearance Of the troop on a certain day
specified, Fay and Halter returned to the South
Branch. and reached in safety Nanse HerrIot:'s,
a famous rendezvous for confederates near
Romney, when Halter was dispatched TO Ne
Neil with the request to march his command
rapidly TO that place, whence they would Im-
medlately start on the expedition.
ORGANIZING THE EXPEDITION.
Mcneil arrived promptly at Herriott's on
time with sixty-fve men well mounted. A
number of these men belonged to Gen. Rosser's
brigade and were at tins time on furiough.
They Joined the expedition Mcneil passed
down the valley. Receiving minute account
from FAY of the arrangement with the Irish
Waterman the lieutenant at once started his
command on the march toward Cumberland,
about twenty miles distant They passed over
| Middle Ridge to Patterson's creek and then
| wound their course through the ridges to a
road running along the base of Knobly noun.
! tain. thence through one Of its gaps, toiling
| through snow and over steep hills cOvere q
| with a coating of ice until they reached the
| summit of the mountain overlooking the Poto-
mac and the Maryland bottom lands beyon !.
! Here the party forded the river and proceeded
! direct TO the cabin of the Irish watchman on
| the railroad, where they were furnished all
necessary information TO proceed on then
/ he a. 4
| was located at the mouth of a rayine near the
railroad, few miles from the cabin of their
[ friend Mcneil, Fay. kuykendal and VAN
| diver rode short distance ahead ss advance
| guard and a solitary picket halted them as they
approached.
| CAPTURING PICKETs.
The usual challenge passed, but Mcneil, dis
regarding the latter part of the formality, put
spurs to his horse and dashed forward and
fred his pistol in the face of the picket, whic b
/ had the effect of dumbfoundng him FOR the
! moment, when the advance Of the raiders Sc
cured him and two other cavalrymen who were
/ lying under little shelter before shoulder
| ing fire. This picket belonged to company ID,
| third Ohio cavalry Gen. Crooks body guard,
| from whom ii was learned that Bulls Gap
| was the watch word of the night The next
picket was encountered about one mile from
| Cumberland, and were quartered in a little
shed-like structure. and were reposlag around
cheerful fire. As the raiders approached one
| of the guard very lelsurely took up his gun,
| and. moving out from the light of the fire,
cried: Halt; who COMES thereY' Friends
| with the countersgn." replied the advance.
Instead OF obeying the subsequent demands OF
| the picket the party kept slowly advancing,
| and in order to deceive the picket, one Of the
rangers would shout in mock seriousness
| Don't crowd up, men; wait until We give the
countersign." In the mex; moment the duped
| sentinel was seized the post surrounded and
the party moved safely on toward the city. The
several duties to be performed were now as
| signed to the respective parties.
| SURPRISING THE TWO GENERALS.
| One party of ten men, with Kuykendall as
chief, we're to secure Gen. Kelley, at the st.
Nicholas Hotel; Vandiver and others, with
! Daily, whose father was proprietor, were TO
| proceed to the Revier House, to secure the
| person Of Gen. Crook. who held his head
! quarters at that house. The hotels occupied
! by the two generals were at the upper end OF
/ Baltimore street, near the railroad, over
which trains were then passing The rangers
| rode careless1y along, some OF them whlstling
or humming such Of the patriotic airs as they
had caught up from prisoners, while others
| would ask unimportant questions from soldiers
| or citizens who happened to be on the street
| at the time. The party assigned to take Gen.
Kelly, at the st. Nicholas, were successful with
out making any alarm, and, in the meantime,
| the company had moved up near to the
depot. in front of the Revier House, and the
detail dismounted and entered Gen. Crook s
| apartments. Fay, who had been
| assigned the work OF cutting off
| telegraphic communication, surprised and
! captured the operator. In few minutes the