Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-09-03

Inc death OF Mr.. j. Il. fand1Ver, IN
Clarke county last week, has hereto
fore been mentioned in the GAZETTE.
A letter from Clarke county says:
Last Friday the body of J. L. Vandi-
yer was deposited in the Old Chapel
cemetery. He had resided at Mill
wood, in this county, for the last eight
or ten years, and followed the pursuits
ola veterinarian for livelihood. Hew
tall and slender, straight as an Indian
and was well known in this and adjoin-
ing counties, and wherever he went
never hesitatcd to proclaim fervent
devotion TO the Lost Cause. In 1t he
saw the glory achieved on the field OF
Mars by brave people, and no victor
in that memorable struggle felt more
pride than Vandiver did over the PROV
ess displayed by the Coniederates, al
though in the end they were van
quished.
Vandiver was noted character, and
during the war was a member OF Nc
Neils famous Confederate rangers,
whose operations were directed chiefly
against the Federals occupying the AL
leghany mountains and the territory
lying between them and the Shenan-
doah Valley. He took Il leading part
in what was probably the most daring
raid performed during the war-the
capture of generals Crook and Kelly at
Cumberland, Md, while that city was
occupied and surrounded by about
5000 Federal soldiers. His account of
that bold and perlous adventure has
been printed in these columns. Briefly
stated, the story is as follows:
Two of McNeil's scouts, Fay and
Kuykendall, lived in Cumberland, and
thev were in the habit of making trips
to that city. After returning from one
of their visits they suggested that it was
possible to capture the Federal COM
mander, and when their plans had been
unfolded, Vandiver, with fifty-seven
men, undertook the hazardous enter
prise. This was in the month of Feb
ruary, 1864, and he stated the snow lay
on the ground to depth of two feet.
'Twenty-seven miles covered the dis
tance between the starting point of the
raiders and Cumberland. After fording
the Potomoc river, which was running
with slush and ice, Vandiver captured
the picket, from whom he exacted, by
a threat of hanging, the password,
which was "Bull's Gap" With this
open sesame in their possession they
had no difficulty in getting into the
city, and when they halted in its streets
they were supposed to be a body of
Federal cavalry. 1t was then about
$3.50 o'clock in the morning. General
Crook had been assigned to the COM
mand of the department, and relieved
General Kelly, but the latter was still
there. Kuykendall, with q squad of
men, went to the ST. Nicholas Hotel to
arrest General Kelly, which he accom-
plished without much difficulty, while
Vandiver proceeded to the Revere
House, where General Crook was quar-
tered, and seized him in bed. When
the General demanded to know who
his visitor was Vandiver proudly
Strengthened up and proclaimed himself
General Rosser, and added that his
forces occupied the city. As General
Crook was being carried out of the city
behind his captor he passed picket
posts of his own men, which plainly in
ddicated to him that his capture was Il
surprise, but the cold muzzle ola pistol
was used to deter him from avowing to
the pickets the true character OF the
men who were riding out OF Cumber-
land. Vandiver got safely back into
the Confederate lines with his two dis
tinguished officers and they were duly
forwarded to Richmond.