The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-04-08
W.D.VANDIVER
TELLSDARINC
WAR INCIDENT
Company Of Confederate Sol
diers Was Organized by
Captain Mcneil Of
Columbia.
TAKEN PRISONER IN 1862
Thirteen Men Kidnslp Two Gen.
erals From Headquarters
of Large Union
Army.


movie thriller could tell of no more dar-
ing or romantic capture than one earned
out during the Civil War by a young man,
born and reared near Columbia. W. ID.
Vandivcr. the new treasurer Of the White
Eagle Dairy. was small boy at the time
and recalls The incident.
Captain Hanson McNeill who lived
four miles south Of Columbia together
with his son, Jesse, attempted to orga-
nize a company of Confederate soldiers IN
Boone County. Captain Mcneil took
his wife. son. Hanson Jr.. and small
daughter to the home Of his cousin, l.
H. Vandiser. where they remained during
the war. Mr.. Nandiver was the iather oil
the W. d. Vandiyer.
In 1862 as the company was preparing
10 leave. a band Of federal troops cap
iured and arrested It's members. For a
time they we're held prisoners at the
University Of Missouri. Captain McNein
and his son were treated lenienfly and
permiiien to visit their home during the
daytime. provided they reported at night.
This did moi last long. however. Alter
two weeks they were taken to a Federal
prison at Alton, from which young Nc
Neill made his escape by bribing guard
10 give him his clothes. Lieut.. Jesse
Mcneil then succeeded in helping his
father to escape by climbing a pile OF
lumber which had been placed against
the prison wall. In their disguise they
went down the Mississippi River, up the
Ohio and across country until they reach
ed their old home in Virginia. Here they
organized the famous Mcneil Rangers,
noted for their intrepidiiy and loyalty
10 the South. This company was com
posed almost entirely of relatives and
close friends Of the McNeill family. Cap
tain Mcneil equipped the company Of
about eighty men with good horses and
complete outfits. They made their camp
and headquarters in the Blue Ridge
Mountains and often swept down on
small groups Of Federal troops, capturing
goods and supplies and sometimes hinder
ing the advance Of troop trains. Although
special squads Of Union men were sew
eral times sent out 10 take the Mcneil
Rangers. they never were successful. In
ono Of the skirmishes, however, Captain
Mcneil was killed and his son left in
command. 1t was shortly after this that
an event which histories call zone Of the
famous incidents Of the wal" occurred.
Two Federal commanders, General Crook
and General Kelly. with several thousand
Union soldiers. had established hesdquari-
ers in a Cumberland, Md.s hotel. Young
Jesse Mcneil decided he would take
these two generals without bOthering
about having a battle. Selecting Lieut..
Joe Vandiver and John Cunningham and
some ten others he started one night out
for the Federal camp.
They had previously discovered the
password and had no trouble in getting
by the guard. Boldly they rode up TO
the hotel, entered the lObbyway and with
assurance went up the steps to the gen
erals room. In three minutes they had
offered sufficient persuasion to get the
generals down the stairs and on their
horses. before the astonished occupants
Of the hotel could collect their scattered
wits
And here comes the romance. On the
way up to the mountains the little band
with their two distinguished prisoners
stepped at an inn for breakfast. The
dsughtor Of the innkeeper. being Of pro-
ysrbial beauty, so charmed General Crook
ilai he fell in love with her and, after
his parole, married her.
Young Captain Mcneil returned to
Missouri after the war. but later moved
to Illinois OF the Mcneil rangers, only
one member is living, Col. Reiman Du-
vail, Of New York.