The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-19
HOW CROOK AND KELLEY
WERE KIDNAPPED
Daring Exploit Of McNei's Rangers " ithout
Firing a Gun the Deed Was Done.
Commended by Lee

WARDROBE, they both jumped Tor the
generals ncd glasses. Daley claim
ing 10 be the iirs, 10 touch them,
G;uasman yielded. but appropriiltcs II
pair 81 corduroy PANTS and d cap. As
Gassmhn's trousers were about cX-
hauatcd IN the Confederate service.
wore the generals pants with com
mendablc pride for 81 least two years
fter the war closed ana concluded he
never lad a better pnIr it Was all
that could be dcsircd.
Crook was soon hustled downstairs
and out Of doors. when one Of the sol
dicrs very CALAMITY relinqu,shed his
saddle 70 him and he rode behind
Crook with his arms around the gen
era 70 keep him warm, as there was
Ice and snow on tho ground. All
| nartics now started for Dixie by the
nearest possible route, but not the ono
BY which they had entered the city for
fear OF the pickets they had captured
and had to abandon. Bailey's father
was asleep In tho hotel, and though
they had not acen each other for gone
!! fimc. tho son dared not go TO the
fathers room Fay and lialler had
been commissioned TO cut all telegram
wire entering and leaving tho city. but
failed cutting one wire. which came
near proving their undoins. as Gen
eral Sheridan at Winchester. Va. was
soon notified of tho affair, and sent the
NHsgold Cavalry 10 Intercept them
near Romney. They had sea rcely left
the city when the negro Bill Cooper
gave the alarm. Il cannon was fred.
aronsing tho soldiers. and a cavalry
pursuit., was started On leaving the
city. some OF the Johnny Itebs entered
a livery stable and appropriated sew
era fine horses. One Of them proved
10 he "Philippi." owned by General
Kelley. and presented TO him by tho
citizens OF West Virginia for what they
| thought was his gallantry In "A fight
a Z tile town OF Philippi. which was q
mere skirmsh. and which under a
more skiiful general may have proved
quite disaster. a Shetland pony be-
longing to kclley's son was also cap
turnd and brought a short distance
the Confederates were Obliged to
maintain, so he was paroled and left
on the side OF the road.
The horse "Philippi" was captured
By soldier named John Arnold, OF
Company +, Seventh Virginia Cavalry.
Rosser's Brigade. AS soon as Rosser
laid eyes on the horse he broke the
private his own horse. 1000 in Con-
federate money and sixty days fur
Tough for "Philippi" a bargain was
struck there and then. and for the
balance OF the war Rosser rode that
West Virginia horse presented to Gen
eral Kelley But this was not the end
OF "Phiilippi." When that admira BILE
soldier. John Arnold. returned home
after the war had ended. he found that
most ubiquitous law requiring all
property taken from Union men dur
ing the war TO be paid for by South
,ern sympath izers. Poor John had TO
reimburse Gen eral Kelley for the loss
OF "PhilippL" SO the sixty days FUR
Tough cost him very dearly in the last
analysis. Among the trophies brought
off by Jacob Gassman were about fifty
letters, found lying or General Crook's
table. which Gassman gathered up.
thinking they might be Official and
would be OF service to the Confederate
leaders. Among The letters were some
from young LADY. daughter Of the
proprietor Of the hotel and sister OF
one OF the captors. She afterwards be-
came the wife OF General Crook, and
was doubtless his fiancec at that time
MIR. Gassman destroyed the letters
without allowing any one to read
them. After the war Mr.. Gassman
got quite q mild scolding from the
nissives TO her lover. On General
Crooks table when the Rebs entered
his rooI, was found the half Of a
fruit cake, which was supposed to be
Maryland made, bu, their pockets were
so fun they had no way Of carrying
II OFF one of them TO this day says
his mouth waters whenever he thinks
OF that cake. Just think Of 1t! They
came away leaving It untouched, Poor
hungry Rebs. McNeill's men rode on
their way. every now and then catch
Ing sight Of their pursuers who did
not seem overanSioua to approach too
near. When reaching the A1ooreneld
Valley. the Ringgold Cavalry sent by
Sheridan came i'll sight. but on The
opposite side Of the river. Before
eachlng Moorefeld. MCNEIL realizing
owing to the freshness Of their horses.
the enemy would reach tho town first
led his troops into the woods and by a
Well known trail passed through the
ridges cast OF aIoorefield to n point OF
security seven miles beyond, where
he cncamped for the night. having
ridden ninety miles in the last twenty
tours hours, including stops. Here Nc
Ncill and hlS men gained we'll earn
cd reposc, which even his eaptives on
joycd after their strenuously enforced
journey. The next day they proceed
ed unmolestcd to IInrrisonburs. where
an event occurred which Is interesting
enough to relate. While resting for a
few hours In lfarrisanburg. q box Of
cigars was handed General Kelley by n
Union citizen. an freshman by nativity.
which had concealed In It IL 500 Con-
fcdcratc bill. After tho war this Irish
man was appointed postmaster In liar-
A'isonburg. another Illustration or the
Casting Your bread on the waters. 1t
vii, return after many days The
prisoners were then taken to Staunton,
then to General ltarly's headquarters,
and turned over TO him Jesse NIcNeilI
received HIS we'll earned commission,
but tho war ended too soon afterwards
for him TO enjoy t.. The following
arc verbal Inn copies OF the only of
-iicial rNpOrla on record In tho War Do