Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/1168

1092 company with the command of Harry Gilmer. In order to demonstrate the young lieutenant's fitness, a movement was planned against Cumberland, Md., which was executed with great bravery and adroitness, and resulted in the capture of General Kelly, in command at Cumberland, and of General Crook, since known as a great Indian fighter, who happened to be at Cumberland on a visit to the young lady who afterward became his wife, a lady, by the way, who was thoroughly Confederate and had a brother in McNeil's troopers. This famous exploit was performed by sixty-five men, on a bitterly cold night, and four Federal pickets were evaded in reaching their destination. They conveyed the two Federal generals to Richmond and they were soon exchanged. In this and other exciting adventures Mr. Parker took part, and well earned the honorable title of Confederate veteran. He was paroled May 12, 1865, and made his way home on horseback alone, encountering no little danger in passing through the mountains. In the subsequent years he has attained prominence and influence in business and social life, conducting a wholesale grocery establishment, and holding the office of director in the Merchants and Farmers' bank, the Portsmouth cotton manufacturing company, and the Western branch Strawbridge company, and the presidency of the Air Line turnpike. In 1867 he was married to Mary Virginia Phillips, and they have eleven children living.

Lieutenant John Henry Parker, of Manchester, Va., was born at Port Royal in 1822, and left home at the age of fifteen years to enter upon a life at sea. He enlisted in the United States navy as midshipman on the sloop-of-war Falmouth, and after a three years' cruise on this vessel, attended the Naval asylum school at Philadelphia. After this he was stationed six months at the Norfolk navy yard, and then went to sea again. His career in the United States navy continued with distinction to himself and credit to the service for many years, during which he received promotion through several grades. With the rank of first lieutenant upon the sloop-of-war Dakota, Commander Radford, of Virginia, then lying in the harbor of Hong Kong, China, he first received news of the hostilities between the North and South. Commodore Stribling, of South Carolina, lay near by in the Hartford. Some exciting discussions followed between the Northern and Southern officers, and Lieutenant Parker was called before the commodore on account of expressing his opinion that the South was entitled to some of the men-of-war. The lieutenant asked to be allowed to return to the United States, on account of the embarrassment of his position, but as most of the officers of the squadron were Southern men, his request could not be granted. Commodore Stribling and Captain Radford were soon relieved from duty by Northern officers, and the vessels sailed for New York. While coaling at St. Thomas, instructions were received for the Dakota to assist in the capture of the Sumter, Captain Semmes' privateer. Before reaching Martinique, an English vessel was sighted and mistaken for the Sumter and Lieutenant Parker was in an unpleasant predicament, as the vessel prepared for action, it being his duty to fight his ship under the commander's orders, and was much relieved by the discovery that Semmes had eluded his pursuers. Returning to St. Thomas he sought, through a friend, to