The National tribune., 1894-05-24
WHO THE CAPTOR WAS.
Incidents OF the "Scoop" q Johnny Inquired
AhOuf

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of the Sd inst appeared very inter
esting article entitled "Scooped," and signed
Captured" The article referred to the
capture of the Confederate forts, together
with large lot of commissary and ordnance
stores, at Stony Creek Station, Va, Dec. l,
| 1864
The regiment referred to was the 4th Pa.
Vet. Cav, Second Brigade, Second Division,
Cavalry Corps, commanded by Gems J. Irwin
Gregg and ID. Mem. Gregg respectively and
/ believe the brave soldier referred to was
| Serg't VIM. S. Keller, Co. /, but as l have
not the address of the Sergeant, and know
ing that l. B. Gilmore, member of the
same company, was indirectly interested in
the matter, addressed him on the subject,
and received the following reply:
when our regiment crossed Stony Creek,
on the left of the railroad, and charged the
fort and up to the station, and when we
were engaged with the Confederates, WHO
were guarding the latter, noticed a squad
of the enemy back of the fort running for
the woods. | started after them, and called
10 Serg't W. S. Keller to follow me and we
would capture them. The Confederates had
considerably the start of us, but as l was for
tunate in having swift horse, / was soon
close in their rear; and, looking back, / saw
Serg't Keller was but a short distance In my
rear. / then urged my horse to his best
and ran past the squad, who were making
a desperate effort to get to the woods.
| noticed a very tall man, who had got
quite a distance in advance of the balance of
the squad, and my chief object in running
past the squad was to capture the leader,
which | did when he was but a short dis
lance from the wood. He was very tall and
straight, being well dressed in the gray uni
form, and as sprinter was success
"As l started back with my prisoner, saw
that Serg't Keller had captured quite num-
Der of the squad. There were five or SIX
Confederates between Keller and me who
fell in with my prisoner as l brought him
back. Keller and / were the first to start
after the escaping ConfedeIates, but after we
had them headed off and turned back, there
were others OF our command who joined in
and returned with us. / hope our Confed-
crate friend can pick up something from this
that may be of assistance in gaining the i'll
formation he desires"
Bates's History of Pennsylvania VOlun-
teers contains the following in reference to
this engagement:
Eat Stony Creek, Dec 1, 1864, Gregg's
Cavalry and a battery were engaged, in which
tlS ttil q. ptIiOILltu BdllaDb scINiCt. III
was led by Maj. VIM. B. Mays. fort near
the point where the railroad crosses the run
stood in the way of further advance, and it
was necessary to capture it. This duty was
assigned to the 4th Pa. Plunging into the
stream it crossed above, and, making detour,
came in upon and attacked the rear of the
works, while the front, facing the creek, was
held by the 10th Pa. (dismounted). Assailed
thus in front and rear, the garrison was soon
compelled 10 surrender. Two hundred pris-
oners, three cannon, with arms, equipments,
and stores, were captured. The loss was con-
Siderable" etc.
Lieut.. Tobie, in his most excellent His
tory OF the 1st Ne. Cav, relates the following
of this encounter:
Reveile at 2 o'clock in the morning of
Dec. l, 1864 Our dream of rest in camp
vanished, and, cross and sleepy, the command
marched via McCann's Lees Mills and he
Jerusalem Pla k Road for Stony Creek
Station, the point on the Weldon Railroad
from which the COniederates wagoned their
supplies around the left of the army. The
rebel pickets were found al R0wanty Creek.
The brigade pressed rapidly forward %
Stony Creek Station, some two miles from
the Rowanty Bridge, and reached there
early in the day.
"The encmy's works consisted of two small
forts with several pieces of artillery in posi-
tiOn on the south side Of Stony Creek, and
both sides OF the railroad, with lines of
works extending on the flauks Of the forts.
Gen. Gregg ordered the 4th Pa. TO cross he
creek below the Notifications without delay,
and attack the rebels in the rear 1t did
so in the most gallant style, under a heavy
fire from the enemy who had perfect range
Of the ford. Hating moment to reform,
the regiment charged, under command of
Maj. VIM. b. Mays, in the rear of the rail-
road and then directly down to the railroad
to and between the forts, where they dis
mounted and actually charged with pistol
and saber in hand over the works, forcing
the enemy to surrender Internationally and
at once. The regiment captured more men
than it numbered, burned all the rebel
stores, which were numerous, and the sta
ton and high bridge over Stony Creek, and
in 20 minutes time returned with the
prisoners.
"Gen. Hampton's Headquarters were only
four miles from the station, and the dashing
engagement took place almost in the suburbs
Of his camp and haste was necessary, for on
the heels OF the boys in blue came Hampton,
who was obliged to hottie his anger while
longer, as the battery of TIE Third Brigade
poured canister through their columns.
The 1st Me. destroyed the bridge across
the Rowanty. The command reached camp
at midnight" etc
Maj. Mays, who led the regiment in this
engagement, was most gallant soldier and
Christian gentleman. He lost two brothers
in this engagement, one killed and the other
mortally wounded, and while leading
charge at Farmvile, Va, April Z, 1865, he
gave up his noble life.
Comrade Gilmore is deserving of special
mention for gallant and meritorious conduct
in this and other engagements. He is now
prosperous merchant at Chicora, Butler
County, Pa, and is held in high esteem by
his many acquaintance.
Serg't VIM. S. Keller is one of Gods noble
men; brave as the bravest, courteous, kind,
and gentle to a fault. He was severely
wounded at Harrison's Landing in 1862, and
again at Dinwiddie Courthouse, Va, March
81, 1865. The writer was wounded while
STOPPING over Keller's PROSTATE form. We
were placed in a vacated house at Dinwiddie
Courthouse, and on the following day were
removed to the Cavalry Corps Hospital at
City Point, and sometime after Sergt Kel-
Ter was transferred to the United States
Hospital at Philadelphia. The Surgeons in
charge Of these various hospitals pronounced
Kellers wound fatal, and so informed him,
but | am pleased to state he recovered and
some years since moved West The writer
will make special effort to learn the address
of Serg't Keller, and if successful will be
rhln tn Ia l.