The Washington herald., 1914-11-29
Of the Great Struggle Graphically Described

to him how he had fired Barnum's Mu-
scum. Another OF the party had started
a fire in the Metropolitan Theater, and
the hotel Of the same name, next door.
Another had broken q bottle Of the Greek
FIRE in Niblo's Garden, and In the La
Fargo Hotel next door. In all three
places OF amusement large audiences
were assembled, but happily panic and
loss OF life were spared.
One ConspIrator Hanged.
Kennedy was the only one Of the eight
taken. He remained In New YORK two
days, reading in the newspapers accounts
of the fires and the search for the In
cendiarles. Then he went to Canada with
another Confederate. In attempting to
return to the United States he was ar
rested at Niagara Falls.
Taken to New York for trial. Kennedy
freely confessed his share in the plot TO
destroy the city. He had set four fires
CThe confession may be found in the war
records, series 2 vol. 8, page I2sD
Kennedy declared that IL all the eight
men in the arson group had done their
work as well as he did I'VE would have
had thIrty-two fires. and played q huge
joke on the fire department"
When reproached for attempting the
lives OF women and children, Kennedy
Hdld cu "oS
the last thing thought Of We wanted
to let the people OF the North understand
that there are two sides to this war. and
that they can't be rolling in wealth and
comfort while We at the South are bear
ing all the hardships and privations.
In retaliation for Sheridan's atrocities
in the Shenandoah Valley we desired to
destroy property, not the lives Of women
and children, although that would. of
GzNN-
Kennedy was given a military trial on
the charge OF being a spy. and making
irregular warfare. He was hanged at
Governors Island. March q, 1855.
Jacob Thompson's Position.
When news became public OF the at
tempt to burn New York friends OF the
Confederacy Indignantly denied that the
conspirators had any connection with the
Confederate government.
Evidence to the contrary mot then
svailablel is contained in the letter OF
Jacob Thompson to Mr.. benjamin.
Mr.. Thompson designated the attempt
OF his agent as most daring" but de-
plored the dependence of the incendi-
aries on chemicals. which had proved
a misfortune as the chemicals cannot
be depended on as an agent in such
work"
Mr.. Thompson closed with a review Of
his expenditures OF moneys intrusted to
him by the Confederate government, and
warned the Richmond authorities not to
pay out money to persons claiming to
have set fires in the North without proof
Of their claims. This letter will be found
in full in the war records. series l. vol
g.
BY II. SAYS Mr.. James Rhodes. the his
tOrian, Jacob Thompson. forever black
ened his reputation" One must come to
the conclusion. says Mr.. Rhodes, that
Mr.. Benjamin must have sympathized
with these projects Of Thompsons
There is nothing TO show that Jefferson
Davis approved OF the campaign of in.
cepdiarism. Nevertheless" says Mr..
Rhodes. ''it is for his sake an occasion
OF regret that the instructions he gave
Thompson were verbal. and not a mat
ter of record. The historian classes the
attempted arson in New York as a dark
episode in the last desperate months OF
the Southern Contederacy."
Fifty years ago today. a Confederate !
cavalry command. under Brig. Gen
Thomas L. Rosser. left the Shenandoah ,
Valley on a raid that was to result
in the capture OF two Federal cavalry
regiments at New Creek. W. Va, a we'll
fortified military post on the Baltimore ,
and Ohio Railroad. twenty miles south
west OF Cumberland. Md.
Rosser's command embraced the best
OF the cavalry that had been left to
Gen. Jubal A. Early after his campaign !
with Gen. Sheridan. Being short of sup .
plies and in need OF fresh mounts, the
Confederate troopers would have been !
justified in going into winter quarters. |
They preferred riding to inaction and
hunger. and 10 their indomitabIe spirit
in adversely was due the brilliant sue
cess Of this raid
In order to reach the scene Of action
Rosser was obliged to ride over the icy ,
barrier Of North Mountain. a lofty ridge
OF the Alleghanies. his first objective !
point being Moorefeld. w. Va. in the
valley Of the south branch of the Po-
tomac River
1t CHANGED that on the day Rosser set
out on his ride. Gen. BENJAMIN F. Kelley.
commanding the Federal forces on the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, west OF
Md. with headquarters at Cum
oerland. decided to send two detach-
ments of cavalry from New Creek to
Moorefield to clean OUT certain bands
OF Confederate cavalry that he had
heard were operating in that neighbor-
hood.
One detachment OF 100 men. under Lieut..
Col. Rufus f Fleming. OF the Sixth
West Virginia Cavalry. proceeded by the
direct road from New Creek. and one of
l55 men, under Mai. Peter J. Potts. by
way Of Romney.
The two attachments were ordered to
meet at Mooref1eld: but on their arrival
there they found Rosser In charge of
the town and were defeated by him In
turn.
DisEuised as FederaIs.
Having scattered these FederaIs. Rosser
planned swift march on New Creek |
He moved so expeditiousIy that the men
Of the two Federal commands that he
had defeated were unable to reach the
post ahead OF him and give an alarm
The post at New Creek, which was
we'll fortified, was garrisoned by about
700 artillerymen and 500 cavalry, mostly
1ismounted. commanded by Col. George
R. Latham, OF the Fifth West Virginia
Cavalry Regiment. It had a battery Of
,our siege guns and also four field guns
he latter belonging to the First Illinois
Artillery
Apprehending trouble. Col. Latham had
sent his pickets out on the roads south
ward fully eight miles. About II 30 a.
n. on November 2S. the pickets farthest
'ut saw squad of cavalry in blue uni
'orms coming down the road, which they
ook for the men under Mai Potts re-
urning from Moorefeld.
When too late they found themselves
confronted by the enemy. who had
AIKEN the precaution OF assuming a dis
suise as Federals. Through this ruse
Rosser's men were enabled to gather up
he pickets all along the road to New
creek, without an alarm being given.
md to ride into the works without q