McNeill's Rangers, a Confederate guerrilla group led by Capt. John H. "Hanse" McNeill, started operating in September 1862. Based in Moorefield, they attacked Union troops, camps, and the important Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Sometimes they joined other Confederate forces for larger raids, like the Jones-Imboden Raid in May 1863.

In 1864, McNeill was wounded in a raid at Mount Jackson, Virginia. His son, Jesse, took over and led the Rangers until the war ended. In 1865, they famously kidnapped Union generals George Crook and Benjamin Kelley from their hotels in Cumberland, Maryland, and delivered them to Gen. Jubal Early.

The Rangers surrendered in April 1865, with only about 30 men left. Despite their small size, they caused significant disruption to Union operations during the war.