The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-02
III CUMBERLAND RAID.

(From The Chatham Record. Wednes-
day. February 81, 1929
Today is the forty-seventh ami
verSary of one Of the most daring and
successful exploits ever performed in
any war. and yet very few persons
now living have ever heard Of it. We
allude to is known is the
Cumberland Raid" when Lieutenant
Mcneil. Of the Confederate army.
with only thirty men, went to Cum
berland. Nd. and captured the two
Federal generals Crook n Kelley
who were there, and brought them
into the Confederate lines.
Cumberland is a city on the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad in Maryland,
only a few miles from the Pennsyl-
vania line. and. in February, 1866,
was occupied by a considerable force
Of Federal soldiers. Lieutenant Nc
Neill. Of the Confederate army, con-
ceived the plan of going there and
capturing the highest officers in com
mand. The nearest Confederate force
to Cumberland was quite q long dis
lance away and the intervening coun-
try was mountainous n presented
many difficulties for d raid. In ad-
ditiOn to his the weather was very
cold and greatly increased its hard
ships and dangers.
Undeterred by these almost insur-
m~ountable obstacles. Mcneil and his
little band determined to undertake
the raid. They rode many miles in
the freezing cold over SnoW-cOvered
mountain trails. succeeded in eluding
the Fedora forces scattered through
out the Intervening country. and after
surprising and capturing the Federal
pickets near Cumberland they quietly
rode into that town about 8 o'clock
on the morning OF the t~wenty-nrst
of February. 1865. AS soon as they
entered they rode to the headquarters
Of Generals Crook and Kelley, send
ing a couple of men to each place to
oVerpower the headquarters guard.
A few Of them Immediately went to
General Crooks room, who was
sleeping soundly in blissful ignorance
Of the approach of any C~onfederates,
and. without disturbing anybody else
IN the house. awoke him and ordered
him to dress quickly and quietly, took
him downstairs and placed him on a
horse ready saddled and waiting.
n same treatment was accorded
General Kelley. who was in another
house with is Acknowledgement Gap
tain Melvin). both of whom were
; taken just as was General Crook.
! Having thus u their prisoners
the Confederates at once withdrew
from the town as quietly as they haC
, entered. So quietly was the capture
:. OF the generals effected that Genera
Crooks acknowledgement. in his of.
fetal report, stated tina Others Of u:
who were sleeping in adjoining room!
to General Crook were not disturbed
The first alarm was given about tel
minutes after the departure of tn,
C~onfederates by a colored watchmal
at the hotel. who could hardly hay,
:. been watching very closely. With,
an hour fifty federal cavalry starte,
in pursuit and messages were hur
riedly sent in many directions fo
other Federal forces to intercept an,
n cut off the retreat of the raiders. Al
though pursued by several hundre,
" fresh Federal cavalrymen. the DARN,
r raiders succeeded in reaching the Con
federate lines with their prisoners.
re" persons. unless they yell knev
n topography OF the country tray
teled by NJ can anproo;ato -