The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-03-18
RA[sCOOKANDKELLY
CAPTUREOF|FTY YEARS AGO
HOtellnCumberIand Was Headquarters
Of Staff Of 9Th Army Corps

On midnight February 21st, 1866
just fifty years ago, Major General
Benz. F. Kelly and Major General
Geo. Crook, and Col. Thayer Melvin,
adjutant of the staff of General Kelly,
were captured in Cumberland, Md,
by Captain Jesse McNeill's Company
of Partisan Rangers, G. S. A. In the
capture of the officers, some valuable
horses were also taken, including the
bronco pony of Col. Sam B. Harrison.
of Piedmont. The town of Cumberland
had at the time of this capture 5000
men in the garrison, all in winter
quarters on the hill in rear of the
Rolling Mill grounds, or to the North
of Black Hill. Captain Wahle's Ohio
Company of Cavalry was on duty on
the New Creek road near the two
mile water station, when they were
approached by a squad OF cavalry
when halted replied, was a squad of
Ringgold Cavalry of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, returning from scout
without either the countersign or
parole" When they crowded up and
effected the capture of the outpost
the second outpost was near the Rob-
ert Read place and consisted of a
small squad of lnfantrymen. The
Whale cavalry was forced to disclose
both the countersign and parole, then
it was an easy matter to take the
town. At the Baltimore street bridge
the guard was so badly frightened
that he threw his gun into the Wills
Creek. and escaped through the DR..
Smith building. General Kelly and
Col. Melvin were captured IN the
Barnum Hotel CWindsor) which was
headquarters of the 8th Corps; and
General Crook was taken a prisoner to
the Revere House then under the
management of his father-ln- law to- be,
the late John Daley. and by the way
he was captured by his brother in-law,
Jim Daley, and our old friend Johnny
B. Fay. The most amusing thing Of
the capture was a performance was on
the 22nd day of Februay at Belvidere
Hall for the benefit of the Episcopal
church. 1t consisted of songs, Mrs
Jarley's wax works, and many tabeauX
~ivar NJ 3-... rre. trHs
the wife Of Uenerai b. f. Kelley, was
on for several songs. The hall notwIth-
standing the capture of the general
officer of the preceding night, was
crowded and most of the audience was
officers and soldiers. When Miss Mary
Clara. daughter of Col Robert Bruce,
commenced to sing popular song of
those days, like the present song of a
Long Way to Tipperary" entitled
loft He Kissed Me When He Left
Me-" which came with the refrain, a
soldier in the audience cried out mo
Kelly didn't for I'll be damned if he
had time to do it"
Miss Mary Clara almost tainted and
could not be induced to complete part
of the program.
The late Robert Shriver of the First
National Bank had charge of Mrs.
Jarley's Wax Figgers." Capt. Chas.
J. Harrison of Somerset, Pa. was in
the "Three jolly Pigeons" and the
writer was in the piece from Dickens
in the hit of the Yorkshir Schools of
Nicholas Nickleby as Mrs. Squiers."
Going back to the capture, the big
guns in the fort doomed out that there
was something unusual taking place.
Cavalry had been ordered to intercept
the raiders, from Winchester, Va, and
others from New Creek and Cumber-
land, started in pursuit but it was all
for nothing as the famous generals and
Judge Melvin were landed in due time,
as the guest of the Confederacy at
Libby Prison.
General Kelly has often written and
told the writer of his famous ride with
out even a saddle blanket, towards the
SUNNY south as the involuntary guest
of McNeill's KangeIs who he always
said treated General Crook and himself
with great consideration and kindness.
1t is now over and many of the fig
ures in this war history have for many
years answered the last roll call.
Piedmont, w. Va. J. F. H.