The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-02
Death of a Noted Veterinarian.

WILDWOOD. CLARKE Co.. Sept 1.-ISpe-
cial. Last Friday the body Of Mr.. j. l.:
Vandiver was deposited in the Old Chapel
cemetery. de had resided OF Wildwood, IN
this county. for the last eight or ten years,
and followed the pursuits OF a veterinarian
for livelihood. He was tall and slender.
straight as all Indian and was well known in
this aud adjoining counties, aud wherever
he went never hesitated 10 proclaim fer
vent 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 proves displayed by
the Confsderates, although in the end they
were vanquished.
Vandiver was a noted character and dur
ing the war was member OF MckelPs
famous Confederate rangers whose opera
tions were directed chiefly against the Fed
erals occupying the Allegheny mountains
and the territory lying between them and
the Shenandoah Valley. He took 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 sur
rounded by about 5000 Federal soldiers.
His account Of that bold and perilous adj
venture has been printed in these columns.
Briefly stated. the story IS as follows:
Two of McNeil's scouts Fay and Kuyken-
dali. lived ia Cumberland. and they were in
the habit of making trips to tina. city. After
returning from one of their visits there they
suggested that 1t was possible 10 capture
the Federal commander. and when their
plans had been unfOlded, Vandiver, with
fifty-seven men, undertook the hazardous
enterprise. This was in the month Of Feb
ruary, 1864. aud he stated the snow lay on
the ground to depth of two feet Twenty
seven miles covered the distance between
the starting point of the raiders and Cum
berland. After fOrding the Potomac river.
which was running with slush and ice. Van
diver captured the picket, from whom he
extracted, by threat of hanging, the pass
word, which was Bulls Gap" With this
open sesame in their possession they had no
difficulty in getting into the city. and when
they halted in Its streets thew were supposed
to be body of Federal cavalry. II was
then about $3.50 O'CLOCK in the morning.
General Crook had been assigned to the
command of the department, and relieved
General Kelly, but the latte- was still there.
Kuykendall. with a squad of men, went TO
the st. Nicholas Hotel TO arrest General
Kelly. which he accomplished with
out much difficulty, while Vandiver
proceeded to the Revere House, where
General Crook WAS quartered. and
seized him in bed. When the General de-
manded to know who his visltOr was Van
diver proudly Strengthened up and pro-
claimed himself General Rosser, and added
that his forces occupied the city. AS Gen
eral Crook was being carried out Of the city
behind his captor he passed picket posts of
his own men. which plainly indicated 10
him that his capture was "A surprise; but the
cold muzzle of pistol was used to deter
him from avowing 10 the pickets the true
character of the men who We're riding out of
umberland Vendiyer got safely back into
the Confederate lines with his two distin-
guished officers and they were duly for
wardec TO Richmond.