A Raid That Netted Two Generals

Ginter Park Veteran Was With McNeil's Rangers
On Thrilling Dash Into Cumberland
Which Ended For Him In Federal Prison Camp

By Jay-Bee

Jangling sword by his side, with the echo of school books slamming shut in his ears, a young Richmond man, a senior at Washington College, Lexington, strode forth from the cloisters of learning one day in April, 1861, to hew his way through thrills that shame the text of even a Rider Haggard.

Today in a rambling old Colonial residence at 3207 Seminary Avenue in Ginter Park the student-warrior of 74 years ago, now silvered and glad to rest in his easy chair before a fire, reviews those stirring days of his youth with a mental relish undimmed by the passing time. But of all the epochal events of those four years of war the one that burns brightest in his memory is that least recorded by historians, yet paradoxically acclaimed the most daring feat of either side--the capture of two Union generals within their own lines--the Cumberland raid of McNeil's Rangers.

Few of McNeil's boys are left to sing the praises of their gallant leader, and strangely, too, J. L. Sherrard, the Ginter Park Veteran, was not a Ranger, although with the troop, when it made history on its famous ride, and so supplies the saga that so many histories of the struggle between the States fail to record.

Modestly this dignified Southern gentleman and soldier will detail for his listeners thrill after thrill that makes his hearers feel they are creeping with him through enemy picket lines or that they can hear the whine of hostile lead as it sings its death song over head. Mr. Sherrard begins:

"My service in the Confederate Army began in 1861 while a senior at Washington College, Lexington. Abraham Lincoln had been elected President the year before. The John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry had occurred and there was a general feeling that trouble was coming. South Carolina had seceded December 25, 1860, soon followed by other Southern States, and a Confederate government set up, February 4th. So all through the South preparation for actual war began to be made; volunteer companies were formed and drilled and the old militia regiments mustered. Of course the young men entered into all this with great alacrity, glad to lay aside books for the musket and the sword. Companies were formed at Hampden-Sydney and Washington colleges, and began drilling. Our company offered its services to Governor Letcher, but was advised to remain at its books.

*          *          *

"The State of Virginia was the last to secede April 17. Immediately all was changed. The services of our company were accepted, and reorganized under Professor J. J. White as captain, John Lyle as first lieutenant and myself as second lieutenant. We were ordered to to report to Colonel T. J. Jackson at Winchester as soon as possible. So there was great hurry to get ready. We had gotten some old muskets from the Virginia Military Institute and a few words; many of us had large knives made to take along, but they were never used except to cut tough beef or bacon. Those who could got uniforms. Through the kindness of Captain White, Lyle and I were provided with gray uniforms, and when all was ready we marched over to the main street, where a beautiful silk flag, inscribed "Pro Aris at Focis," was presented to us, and after an impressive prayer by old Dr. White we marched back and took stages for Staunton.

"In Staunton we were mustered into the army of Virginia by Major Bell and took train for Gordonsville and on to Manassas and Front Royal, marching then to Winchester, where we were assigned to the Fourth Virginia Infantry, Company I, Colonel T. J. Jackson's brigade.

"While there some of the boys developed measles and other diseases, so our number was reduced to about 45. It was over 50 when we left Lexington. Not all were students, some had joined us from outside, all young men. The roster of the company as it left is now on a bronze tablet in the memorial hall or chapel at Lexington.

"July 19th orders came to General J. E. Johnston to move with most of his army across the Blue Ridge to Manassas. We left Winchester about noon, marched to Shenandoah River and forded it waist-deep at places, and laid down about daylight to rest. After daylight we marched on to the railroad and took train for Manassas, and went on to the front at Bull Run.

"The battle of Kernstown was over when I came back from a furlough and recruiting trip. Captain Morrison and Lieutenant Lyle had been taken prisoners, one man killed and two wounded. Not long afterward the whole Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized and its ranks filled up from a draft of militia. The college company, called "The Liberty Hall Volunteers,' though not all Rockbridge men, was rated as a Rockbridge company and was filled up with Rockbridge men. All companies being allowed to elect their officers again, a Rockbridge man, a member of the old company, was elected captain. I declined to become first lieutenant and left the company, soon after joining a cavalry company from Hampshire County under Captain Ed McDonald, which became Company D, Eleventh Virginia Cavalry.

"The McNeil raid into Cumberland, Md., in February, 1865, was the end of my service in the Confederate Army. Prominent officers on both sides have said this was the most daring thing in the war. It happened this way:

"In the winter of 1864 and '65 a force of about 5,000 Federal infantry lay in camp on the north side of Cumberland, which lies on the north bank of the north branches of the Potomac River. These troops were commanded by Major-Generals Crook and Kelly, who had their headquarters in two hotels, on the same street, not far apart.

"On the south branch of the Potomac around Moorefield, in Hardy County, now West Virginia, there was a company of Partisan Rangers, commanded by Captain Jesse McNeil. Scouts from this command were well acquainted with the position and movements of the Federals.

"There was very little doing during the wintertime, and just to keep their hand in, it occurred to Captain McNeil that they might see what they could do to entertain their friends around Cumberland. It might be possible to make a short call on the two generals some night.

"So the command rode down into Hampshire County and one night in February started across the ridges toward Cumberland. The group numbered about 80 men under Captain McNeil and Lieutenant Isaac Welton and included myself and a few other members of Rosser's cavalry brigade who were on furlough in the neighborhood. It was McNeil's plan to circle Cumberland and enter the city from the west, but snow on the mountains had delayed him and the night was too far gone to permit of that plan.

"We had not gone far before a picket was encountered. Before his 'Dismount one, advance and give countersign' could be obeyed, Captain McNeil fired at him. Rushing forward we captured him and a bit farther on two other sentinels. They were forced to give us the countersign and thus provided we went on. Some distance more was traveled when we found a strong infantry picket. The countersign gave us an open door and the guard was easily captured and disarmed. Much elated, our command pressed on into the streets of the sleeping city, passing a few soldiers having good times in various ways.

"Two details of four or five men each had been told off to enter the two hotels and pay their respects to the generals. The sentinels at the doors were ordered to conduct them to their rooms and to announce messages brought in by a scouting party. The doors being thus opened, the generals were briefly informed of the mission of their callers and given five minutes to get ready to leave their comfortable quarters. With a staff officer who was found in an adjoining room, they were brought down to the street and mounted behind some of the men, and the command moved out quietly in the direction from which it had come.

"General Crook, during his stay in Cumberland, had been attentive to the beautiful Mary Daily of Oakland, Md., perhaps was engaged to her at the time, and afterwards married her. Her brother was one of the party that carried him off.

"A large stable on the street, as we went out, where the staff officers kept their horses, furnished mounts for our prisoners. Among the horses gotten was a fine animal belonging to General Kelly, which afterwards came into the possession of General Rosser and was killed under him in one of the last battles of the war.

"By a better and more direct route the old town of Romney was reached in the morning, after having traveled 30 miles since the evening before.

"The command, with its prisoners, Generals Crook and Kelly passed through Romney on its way to Moorefield about 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning. Not being a member of the Rangers, I had arranged with John Poland, belonging with me to Rosser's cavalry brigade, to stop off near Romney and visit our homes. So at the house of Mr. Stump on the river Road about two miles above Romney we left the command. Poland went in to Stump's barn to get some corn for our horses if possible.

I stayed in the road to keep a lookout behind. I didn't have long to wait to see something. Several dark objects were moving about the abutment of the bridge which had been burned some time before. They moved rather fast for cows; could they be Federals in pursuit? It soon became evident they were. I called to Poland to come back to the road and we would hasten on to notify McNeil that he was pursued. Poland objected because he knew his horse could not be trusted for a race, but I insisted and he came. My mount was a fine horse I had captured not long before on Rosser's raid to Bexerley, W. Va.

"By this time we could see our friends coming as they rounded the turns in the road below, and they could see us and were evidently bent on capturing us. There seemed to be 20 of them. Horses had been found somewhere in Cumberland. For us it was evidently a 'time to run' and run we did as best we could. I soon saw that Poland's horse could not keep up. So at a gap in the fence on the left we turned off and up the hill towards the woods. If we could get into the woods we would be safe.

"But soon I heard Poland calling to me and looking back saw that he was on the ground, his horse having given up the race. He begged me to stop and take him up. It was clearly a poor chance, but as I felt somewhat responsible for him, I drew up and let him climb up behind me. They were not far behind and had seen us turn out of the road. Soon they began to fire at us. Pistols cracked like a Fourth of July and there was an ugly sound on bullets in the air. The prospect of escape seemed slender. And now it began to occur to me that there was in my pocket what would mean a rope's end and the limb of the nearest tree, if found on me.

"Somehow I had gotten the latest timetable of the B. & O. Railroad on the trip. The woods were full of Confederate cavalrymen seeking food for themselves and their horses, which was growing scarce in Dixie. I had intended to get together a number of those men and capture a train on the railroad. Mosby had done this some time before and the Federals had sworn to hang any one found disturbing their trains. Evidently my time-table meant nothing but this; it was not for a pleasure ride.

"The mind works fast under such circumstances. This paper must not be found on me. Pulling off a glove, I got out the paper and held it close in front. There were patches of snow where there were brush and bushes on the hillside. Through one of these I drove my horse and leaning well over his neck, threw it down under his feet. Our friends were so busy shooting at us they did not notice it. But I have felt since that a kind Providence watched over me. A little further and Poland cried out he was shot. A bullet had struck him in the calf of the leg. Though it made only a flesh wound, I stopped to let him off and found myself surrounded--a prisoner now myself.

"Here the pursuit stopped. It had not been quite in vain for they were satisfied to go back, no doubt to do so. Poland was left in Romney, and by night I was back in Cumberland, having ridden about 90 miles in 24 hours.

"An angry crowd of soldiers awaited our coming back. It looked as if they would pull me off my horse, but after being brought before officers in command and closely questioned, I was sent to the guard house where I spent the night among a lot of bounty jumpers, deserters and a very hard crowd. The next night I was given a free ride on the B. & O. to Wheeling and duly landed in Camp Chase, an army prison near Columbus, Ohio, where an older brother and several acquaintances were enjoying the scant hospitality of Uncle Sam.

"While there news of the assassination of President Lincoln, a cowardly and regrettable affair, was received. Great excitement and indignation was aroused among the troops camped outside the prison, and it was reported that they meant to break in that night and kill us. Probably there was no foundation for the rumor, but many of us kept awake all night, not a hard thing to do as we had no feather beds to induce sleep. Morning came without any disturbance.

"On the 12th of June my residence in Camp Chase terminated. It was winter when I went in, summer when I came out. The war over. Never had the trees and grass looked so beautiful for a blank whitewashed board wall had shut out all view except the heavens. Uncle Sam placed a freight train of open flat cars at our disposal in Wheeling, and in due time we were back in the good old County of Hampshire.