Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-10
Miseellameaas geading.
SOME NOTABLE PRECEDENTS,
Funston's Capture Of AsulnaIdo Recalls Pre-.
vious Similar Incidents.

| vlouS Slmlldr Incidents.
Gen. Funston's achievement in CAP
turing Aguinaldo recalls earlier at
tempts made by officers of other arm
les to make prisoners Of the leaders of
hostile forces. The first attempt at
selling a general was never carried
out. 1t involved too many persons,
and the plotters engaged in it worked
from the inside, not from without, as
Funston did, and their plans were
overheard. This was the attempt in
June, 1777, to seize Washington in New
York. The plans Of the conspirators
were overheard by woman, who dis
closed them to the. American authori-
ties, and as a result the men implica-
ted were captured and punished, one
of them, Private Thomas Hickey, of
Washington's bodyguard, being hang
ed.
After Arnold's treason and his flight
to the British, the Americans made an
attempt to seize him. This undertake
ing was like General Funston's ex-
plot. Sergt. Champe, Of Lees Le-
gion, was the principal actor in the
scheme. His plan was known only to
the chief in command; so when he de-
serted to the British his late comrades
fired upon him, and he reached the en-
emy's lines under shower Of bullets,
narrowly escaping with his life. This
was an excellent introduction to the
British, and Champe was received with
open arms. But he was unsuccessful;
Arnold moved his headquarters the
day on which Champe had arranged to
capture him, and Champe had finally
to desert from the English and return
again under fire, to our lines. When
Washington wished soon after to pro-
mote him for his gallantry, he found
Champe had died Of disease.
The capture of the British general
Prescott, in July, 1777, was perhaps
the first successful attempt Of this
kind. General Prescott commanded
the British forces in Newport, r. l.,
and went for the summer to a fine
house some five miles out of the city.
Colonel William Barton, knowing this,
decided to capture him If possible;
and on July 10, 1777, with Al comrades,
rowed across from Warwick Point, on
the west shore Of Narragansett bay,
and reached the house undiscovered.
The door Of his house was burst in by
a Negro, who used his head as a bat
tering ram; Prescott was asleep and
awoke to find himself a prisoner. He
was not allowed to dress, but in his
cloak, with captor carrying his
clothes. was forced to the boat, and
taken within the American lines and
then to Washington's headquarters in
New Jersey. He was exchanged later
The successful capture of General
Stoughton by Mosby and his Rangers
in March, 1863, was the result of a
carefully made plan. Mosby, with 20
men entered Fairfax Court House,
passing themselves off as belonging to
the Fifth New York cavalry, and while
some of the band attempted to capture
Colonel Wyndham, the leader went to
the house where the general was sound
asleep. At the name Of Mosby, Gene
raj Stoughton sat up In bed, wide
awake in an instant. Have you got
him?" he asked. He's got you," re-
piled Mosby. The prisoner was taken
to General Fitzhugh Lees headquar-
ters, from the very midst Of a camp in
which lay several thousand troops.
The attempt to capture Sitting Bull
was not made by strategy or trick;
our Indian scouts went openly to the
old chiefs tent, and when they tried to
arrest the famous Sioux were met with
bullets; they returned the fire and kill
ed him, losing some of their own num-
ber Funstons capture Of Aguinaldo
was marked by well-devised plan,
involving more danger than that Of
any other. plot except Sergt. Champe's
and requiring longer time and more
careful work, with the same excep-
tion.-New York Sun.