USA > Virginia > Henrico County > Henrico County > A history of the Laurel brigade, originally the Ashby cavalry of the Army of northern Virginia and Chew's battery > Part 23
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A HISTORY OF THE LAUREL BRIGADE
important incidents except that, being in midwinter, and the weather exceptionally cold, the suffering of the troopers was intense. A deep snow was on the ground, and this was drifted in the mountain passes, in some places, to a depth of twenty-five feet.
While the direct road to Beverly was probably not over seventy-five miles, the route followed by Rosser was much farther, as his plan was to attack the Federal position from the north, it having been found that the road in that direc- tion was not so well guarded, and also because the Federals would be cut off from their line of retreat. Beverly is loca- ted in Tygarts Valley, through which winds the Tygarts Valley River, and the mountain streams across Rosser's line of march flow into that river.
The night of the 10th of January the command bivou- acked on a mountainside in Devil's Hollow, the road follow- ing the meanderings of a run that flowed into Tygarts Val- ley River, and intersected the Philippi turnpike in the rear of the Federal camp.
The attack was made before daylight on the morning of . the IIth, most of the command being dismounted.
A thin line of battle was formed enveloping the encamp- ment, and advanced over the frozen snow, the noise of the troopers' feet breaking through the crust being the first intimation of the approach of a hostile force. A sentinel near the encampment of huts and tents cried, "Who goes there?" several times. The only response to his challenge was the steady tramp of the advancing line. Thinking that he would fire and alarm the camp, a charge was ordered by the whole force. The mounted squadron dashed through the line and rode boldly up to the tents, demanding the sur-
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render of the occupants. Being utterly surprised there was not much resistance, but some of the more resolute Federals fired at the men entering the doors of the tents, killing one and wounding several Confederates.
In a few minutes the place was in the hands of Rosser's force, and was quickly sacked by the half-starved Con- federates.
The capture, however, did not turn out to be as valuable as General Rosser had hoped. The troopers indulged in the bountiful supply of the usual food and luxuries to be found in a Federal garrison; among them an abundance of liquor which, as may be supposed after the severity of the march, was freely indulged in.
The captures, according to the report of General Ros- ser, were 580 prisoners, which is corroborated by the Fed- eral report, which admits 572 men and eight officers taken prisoners, six men killed and thirty-two men wounded ; also 100 horses, about 600 arms and equipments, and 10,000 rations.1
The Federal force consisted of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry and the Thirty-fourth Ohio Infantry, about 1,000 in all.
The following is the report of the incident by the Federal general, George Crook, commanding that department :
1In a private diary preserved by Capt. Jno. S. Blackburn, ordnance officer of Payne's brigade, who attended the expedition, it is mentioned that Colonel Cook, a gallant officer commanding the Eighth Virginia Cavalry, lately attached to Payne's brigade, was left at Beverly, badly wounded in a leg, which was amputated. This is the only casualty men- tioned, except the killing of private Hite.
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"HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,
January 25th, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded to Headquarters Middle Military Division.
Upon hearing of the surprise and capture of Beverly, I sent two trusty staff officers to examine into and report upon the affair. Their report has been forwarded. I herewith forward the report of Colonel Wilkinson, and recommend that Lieut .- Col. R. Yourt, Eighth Ohio Cavalry, and Lieut .- Col. L. Furney, Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteers, be dismissed the service for disgraceful neglect of their commands, and for per- mitting themselves to be surprised and the greater portion of their commands captured, in order that worthy officers may fill their places, which they have proved themselves incompetent to hold.
GEORGE CROOK, Major-General Commanding."
The return of the expedition to Swopes Depot, which was necessarily slow on account of the large number of prisoners on foot, was attended with great suffering both to the troopers and to the prisoners, but particularly to the latter, who were taken many of them without overcoats and only partly clad. The frozen feet and hands of quite a number necessitated amputation.
Genl. Robert E. Lee reports to the Secretary of War as follows :
"HEADQUARTERS, January 15th, 1865.
General Early reports that Rosser, at the head of 300 men, surprised and captured the garrison at Beverly, Randolph county, on the HIth instant, killing and wounding a consider- able number and taking 580 prisoners. His loss light.
To Hon. J. A. Seddon."
R. E. LEE.
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The irony of fate is strikingly illustrated in an incident connected with the affair at Beverly.
Fontaine Hite, a private of Company D, known as the Clarke Company, of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry, being without a horse, followed the expedition all the way on foot, with the hope of capturing a mount for himself from the Federals at Beverly. He was killed while entering the door of a tent, the only Confederate reported to have been killed in the attack.
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CAPTURE OF MAJOR-GENERALS CROOK AND KELLY
CAPTURE OF MAJOR-GENERALS CROOK AND KELLY
CHAPTER XIII
February, 1865
The capture of the Federal Major-Generals Crook and Kelly, in the City of Cumberland by McNeil-The capture proposed and planned by John B. Fay, formerly of Company F, Seventh Virginia Cavalry, but at the time a member of McNeil's partisan company-Fay with Ritchie Hallar reconnoiters in the neighborhood of Cumberland- They locate the sleeping apartments of each of the generals, and the outpost and reserve pickets-The hazards of the undertaking -- The surprise and capture-Two future Presidents of the United States narrowly escape-A future judge not so fortunate-Federals pursue but give it up-Prisoners transported to Dixie.
While this chapter is something of a digression, it con- tains an interesting item of history which, though it cannot properly be claimed as belonging exclusively to the Laurel Brigade, can be claimed in large part by members of the brigade who participated in it, and contributed in a con- spicuous way to its success; and the chronological order of the history is best preserved by introducing it here.
The capture of two distinguished Federal generals- Crook and Kelly-from their quarters in the center of a city of 8,000 inhabitants, guarded with an army of 6,000 to 8,000 men, by a handful of Confederate cavalry, was an event that excited the North with astonishment at its audacity, and the South with admiration for its boldness and exultation over its success.
The account is given in the words of John B. Fay, who planned the enterprise and assisted in the execution of it. Fay was a private in Company F, Seventh Virginia Cav-
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alry, Laurel Brigade, from August 21st, 1861, until 1863, when he entered the partisan command of McNeil.
The account was written by him not long after the war, when his memory was fresh as to the details. Mr. Fay's account is corroborated by the Federal reports as far as they relate to it, and the accuracy of it is fully attested by his comrades in the enterprise.
Says Mr. Fay :
"Towards the close of the war, about an hour before day- break on the cold, frosty morning of February 21st, 1865, a troop of Confederate cavalry, sixty-five in number, under Lieut. Jesse C. McNeil, having forded the Potomac and sur- prised and captured the pickets, quietly rode into the heart of the City of Cumberland, Maryland, then the headquarters of the military district of West Virginia, captured Major-Gen- erals George Crook and B. F. Kelly, together with the latter's adjutant-general, Thayer Melvin; and without the loss of a man carried their distinguished prisoners back with them into the Confederate lines.
"Being a somewhat prominent actor in this affair, and to some extent responsible for its inception and success, and for the special purpose of subserving the truth of history, already violated by several erroneous accounts, I have undertaken in this article to narrate as fully and concisely as my memory will permit, the main incidents of the expedition.
"To enable the reader to properly understand the condition of affairs at the time, a slight retrospect at the outset will be necessary.
"The debatable ground which lay between the opposing armies in northern Virginia, both east and west of the Blue Ridge, covered an extensive territory running parallel with the Potomac, and embraced sometimes the breadth of two or more counties southward.
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"During the latter part of the war this region was dominated by three famous partisan leaders, Mosby, Gilmor, and McNeil. Their forces sometimes intermingled, but the operations of Mosby were ordinarily confined to the country east of the Shenandoah, those of Gilmor to the Valley of Virginia ; while McNeil's special field of action lay to the westward along the upper Potomac and the courses of the South Branch.
"McNeil's command was composed principally of volun- teers from Virginia and Maryland, though nearly every South- ern State, and not a few Northern States, had representatives in its ranks. Aristocrats of the bluest blood and their rough, unpedigreed comrades, lawyers, preachers, doctors, clerks, mechanics, sturdy farmer lads, college graduates, and hardy mountaineers, mingled in harmony.
"Moorefield, in the rich valley of the South Branch, was the principal headquarters of this command, and Harrisonburg, in the Shenandoah Valley, its reserved base of operations. In a daybreak attack on a camp of Pennsylvania cavalry at Mt. Jackson bridge on the Shenandoah, in the fall of 1864, Cap- tain McNeil received a dangerous wound and died shortly afterwards. His son, Jesse C. McNeil, an officer of great courage and gallantry, though somewhat excitable and lacking the discretion of his father, was next in command. Some time in February, 1865, Lieutenant McNeil sent for me and, after alluding to a suggestion I had made his father a year before, to capture General Kelly in Cumberland, informed me that Generals Kelly and Crook were then in that city, and if I thought it practicable and could obtain the necessary informa- tion, he would make the attempt to secure them both as prisoners of war. As my home was in Cumberland, I was per- fectly familiar with the place and its surroundings, and had found no difficulty in getting into it on several previous occa- sions, once remaining a week. I entered zealously into his project and gave him every assurance of success in case it was properly managed. I was then deputed to take someone, in whom I reposed sufficient confidence, and to go at once to
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Cumberland or its vicinity and procure certain information deemed vital to insure complete success. Selecting as my com- rade Ritchie Hallar, a lad from Missouri, not yet out of his teens, we started at once upon our mission. The understand- ing was, that McNeil should have twenty-five well-mounted men prepared to follow us within a day or two, making their way leisurely down the South Branch; while, in the meantime, I was to secure accurate information as to the situation at Cumberland, and the exact location of the sleeping apartments of Generals Crook and Kelly.
"Cumberland, which had then a population of 8,000, is sit- uated on the north bank of the upper Potomac, at the con- fluence of that river and Wills Creek, and on the site of old Fort Cumberland. At the time of which I write, six or eight thousand troops were quartered in and around the city, under the immediate command of Brigadier-Generals Hayes, Light- burn, and Duval; the former since President of the United States.
"Sheridan's army lay at Winchester, and a considerable force of Federal troops were strongly entrenched at New Creek, now Keyser. The first-named point is southeast, and the second southwest, of Cumberland. These facts show the hazard of a trip to Cumberland, and the liability of being cut off, to which any force of Confederates would be exposed if discov- ered in that vicinity.
"Hallar and I proceeded with all due despatch, and a few nights after our departure found us about five miles west of Cumberland, on the south bank of the Potomac.
"After reconnoitering the ford we crossed and sought the humble home of a Celtic friend, which was close at hand. I had implicit faith in this man, and engaged him to procure what information we needed. We then recrossed the river, and by daylight were twenty miles away, taking breakfast near Romney. Selecting that point as a rendezvous, I sent Hallar to intercept McNeil and bring him there that evening. He arrived in time, and in addition to those of his own command
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had a number of men, probably a dozen, belonging to Com- pany F, Seventh Virginia Cavalry, and Company D, Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, of Rosser's brigade. The men and horses were fed and rested, and the shades of evening saw us on our eventful journey.
"Our route lay over Middle Ridge and across the valley of Patterson's Creek, through the ridges beyond to the base of Knobley Mountain, where, taking a northeasterly course we came to a narrow gap, seldom used, leading up to open fields on the mountain-top. Over a road encrusted with ice we passed up this gap, and found the fields covered with snow- drifts of uncertain depths, causing us to dismount and lead our struggling horses.
"Having reached the road passing through a lower gap to the Seymour Farm, we descended the mountain into the Potomac Valley, made our way to the river, and this, our rubicon, being crossed, we found our faithful friend on hand with all needed information. At this juncture Lieutenant McNeil led the men into the middle of a neighboring field, and calling together a number of us, proceeded to the residence of S. S. Brady, where we held a little council of war. After stating that there was not sufficient time, before daylight, to enable us to reach Cumberland and carry out our designs there by pursuing the route laid down by me, McNeil proposed that that part of our expedition should be abandoned; but to pre- vent the trip from being an entire failure, he suggested that we surprise and capture the large picket at Brady's Mill near by. This proposition met with emphatic and almost unani- mous dissent. The prizes for which we had traveled so far were estimated by quality and not by quantity, and we consid- ered a company of infantry but poor compensation for the chance of capturing two major-generals. The attempt to pass quietly through two lines of pickets promised but doubtful results, but that being the only satisfactory alternative we determined to proceed.
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"Lieutenant McNeil and Sergeant Vandiver, followed by Sergeant Kuykendall and myself, rode ahead as an advance guard. The rest of the troops, under Lieut. S. S. Welton, keeping close behind.
"A layer of thin, crusty snow was on the ground, and although it was about an hour and a half before dawn, we could see very well for a short distance. The New Creek or Cresaptown Road skirts the base of Wills Mountain, the rail- road and river being on the right, and all three come close together at the mouth of a deep glen, about two miles from Cumberland, where the road deflects to the left, and winds up through the glen and over the hills to the city; the railroad reaching the same point along the river bottom. A mounted picket was stationed at the mouth of the glen, and as we reached this point, a solitary vidette was observed standing on the roadside. Upon noticing our approach he gave the formal challenge, 'Halt ! Who comes there?' We responded, 'Friends from New Creek.' He then said, 'Dismount one, advance and give the countersign.' When, without a moment's warning, Lieutenant McNeil, putting spurs to his horse, dashed towards the vidette, and as he passed, unable to check his horse, fired his pistol at the man's head. We had nothing to do now but to follow rapidly and secure the picket, whom we found terribly alarmed at the peculiar conduct of his pretended friends. Two of his comrades, acting as a reserve, had been making them- selves as cosy as possible before a few smouldering embers in a fence corner, about 100 yards in the rear, but hearing the commotion in front they hastily decamped, making towards the river. They got no farther than the railroad, for we were soon close upon them, and in response to our repeated threats of shooting, both halted and gave themselves up. They belonged to Company D, Third Ohio, and from one of the pickets, a German, the countersign for the night, 'Bulls Gap,' was extorted under menace of instant annihilation at the end of a halter. Mounting them upon their horses, which were
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found hitched to the saplings just off the roadside, we took these men into Cumberland.
"Naturally, our troops had been greatly provoked at the independent action of Lieutenant McNeil in firing, as he did, a shot which might have caused a general alarm and forced us to abandon our project. Sharing in this feeling, I insisted that Sergeant Kuykendall and myself should take the advance in the approach to the next and inner post. This was assented to, and we moved on determined that no more firing should be done on our part unless absolutely necessary.
"The inner post was fully a mile away, over the high inter- vening hill, and located at the intersection of the road we were on with the old Frostburg turnpike. The picket consisted of five men belonging to the First West Virginia Infantry, who were comfortably seated in a shedlike structure, a blazing fire in front, and busily engaged in a friendly game of cards. As we drew near the circle of light one of the number was observed to get up, reach for a musket, and leisurely advance in front of the fire to meet us. To his formal challenge, Kuy- kendall answered, 'Friends with the countersign.' We kept moving up in the meantime, and when the demand was made for one of us to dismount, noticing an impatient movement among our men behind us, in order to deceive the picket and enable 11s to get as near as possible before our intended dash was made, I shouted back in a loud voice, 'Don't crowd up, boys. Wait until we give the countersign.' We did not find it necessary to give it, however, as there was an open space around the picket, allowing them no chance to escape, and we were close upon them. In another instant a swift, forward dash was made and, without a single shot, they were surrounded and captured. The guns and ammunition of these men were destroyed, and they were left unguarded at their posts with strict injunctions to remain there until our return. On its face, this would appear to have been a very unwise thing, but it was the best we could do. We had no intention of returning that way, and we rightly trusted, that before the men could realize the situation and
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get where an alarm could be given, our work in the city would have been accomplished.
"We were now inside the picket-lines, and before us lay the sleeping city. We halted for a few minutes whilst Lieutenant McNeil hastily detailed two squads of ten men each, who were charged with the direct capture of the generals. Sergt. Joseph W. Kuykendall of Company F, Seventh Virginia Cavalry, Lau- rel Brigade, a special scout for General Early, a man of great courage and coolness, who had once been a prisoner in Kelly's hands, and had a personal acquaintance with him, was placed in command of the men detailed to secure that general. To Ser- geant Vandiver, a man of imposing figure, a brave and gallant soldier, was given charge of the capture of General Crook.
"An interesting fact in connection with this latter squad is that among the number were Jacob Gassman, of the Laurel Brigade, a former clerk of the hotel where General Crook had his headquarters, and whose uncle then owned the building, and Sergeant Charles James Dailey, whose father was landlord at the time, and whose sister Mary is now Mrs. General Crook, and was probably then his fiancée.
"The duty of destroying the telegraphic communication was placed upon me, and Hallar was detailed as my assistant. These preliminaries being arranged, we moved briskly.down the turnpike into Green Street around the Court House Hill, over the Chain Bridge across Wills Creek, and up Baltimore Street, the principal thoroughfare of the city, the men whistling such Yankee tunes as they knew, and occasionally bandying words with isolated guards and patrols whom we passed. Some of our men were disguised in Federal overcoats, but in the dim light no difference could be noted in the shades of blue and grey.
"Part of the command was halted in front of the St. Nicholas Hotel and Barnum House, now the Windsor Hotel. In the latter General Kelly slept. The rest of the command rode on to the Revere House, now the Lindell, where General Crook reposed in fancied security. Sentries paced up and down
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the pavement in front of the respective headquarters, but took little notice of our movements, evidently taking us for a scout- ing party coming in to report. Sprigg Lynn, of Kuykendall's squad, was about the first to reach the pavement, where he cap- tured and disarmed the guard, who directed the party to the sleeping apartments of General Kelly. Entering the hotel, the hall of which and rooms occupied by the officers, they found lighted, the party first invaded a room on the second floor. This proved to be that of Adjutant Melvin, afterwards Judge Melvin. They soon aroused this officer, required him to dress and indicate to them the room occupied by his chief. Being informed they immediately entered the General's room, awakened him, told him he was a prisoner, and desired him to make as hasty a toilet as possible. With some nervousness the old general complied, inquiring as he did so to whom he was surrendering. 'To Captain McNeil, by order of General Rosser,' Kuykendall replied. He had little more to say after this, and in a very short space of time he and Melvin were taken down to the street and mounted upon horses, the owners of which gave them the saddle and rode behind.
"While these things were being done, an almost identical scene was being enacted at the Revere House. The guard there being taken and disarmed, the capturing party ascended the stone steps of the hotel and found the outside door locked. After knocking awhile the door was opened by a small colored boy and the party entered. The boy was terribly alarmed at the brusque manner of the unexpected guests, whom he evi- dently suspected of improper intentions. When asked if Gen- eral Crook was in the hotel he said, 'Yes, sah ; but don't tell him I tol' you !' And he afterwards made the inquiry, 'What kind o' men is you-all, ennyhow ?'
"While Vandiver and Dailey were getting a light in the office below, Gassman went up to No. 46, General Crook's apartment, and thinking the door was locked, knocked at it several times. A voice within ased, 'Who is there?' Gassman replied, 'A friend,' and was then told to 'Come in.'
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"Vandiver and Dailey had arrived by this time, and all three entered the room. Approaching the bed where the General was lying, Vandiver said in an authoritative tone, 'General Crook, you are my prisoner.' 'What authority have you for this?' inquired Crook. 'The authority of General Rosser, of Fitzhugh Lee's division of cavalry,' said Vandiver in reply. Crook then raised up in bed and said, 'Is General Rosser here?' 'Yes,' said Vandiver, 'I am General Rosser. I have 2,500 men with me, and we have surprised and captured the place.' That settled the matter as far as the bonafide general was concerned. He was intensely surprised at the bold announcement, but knowing nothing to the contrary, accepted Vandiver's state- ment as the truth, and submitted to his fate with as much grace and apparent cheerfulness as possible. Speaking to me afterwards of his sensations at the time, General Crook remarked, 'Vandiver was such a looking person as I supposed General Rosser to be, and I had no reason to doubt the truth of what he said. I was very much relieved, however, when I found out the real situation, and that the city and garrison had not been captured. In a few hours more I would have been on the train going to join Sheridan at Winchester, and I would have preferred being captured en route, and not taken out of bed as I was. But it is one of the fortunes of war. I expect to meet some of my old schoolmates of West Point in the Southern army, and I know I will be treated well.'
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