The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-11
MosBy. THE PARTISAN LEADER.
HIS PERSONAL ADVENTURES
HOW HE BADGERED BURNSIDE.

HOW HE BADGERED BURNSIDE.
R:amond Cores pondence Philadelphia Ipouire,
The famous guerilla chief was visible or
the streets of Richmond yesterday. Some
body has described Mosby as handsome
man in personal appearance, but he is no.
thing of the sort. OF ordinary height
his build is good enough, but his face il
very commonplace, and his light brown
hair, worn unkempt, adds nothing to it's
attractiveness. Mosbys features and ex-
preston would impress you as those of
man ress.ute and cunning. not cautiously
honest nor viciously cruel, and I suspect
that in the stories of bis cruelty he has
been somewhat belied.
His business in Richmond is to regain
possession of some tobacco he claims, and
l was sorry to hear him remark that it is
all that he has in the world, for know he
will not gefit, and he owes the Inquirer
for horse and divers other articles, taken
from me by some of his band last summer,
and imagine our chance for restitution to
be small. In another sense it was pleasant
to hear him admit his poverty, for if he
told the truth, it shows that be was grew
ously swindled at the final division Of the
spoils on the breaking up of his command,
and further, 1t controverts the uncomfort-
able axiom concerning honor among
thieves.
When the life of John Singleton Mosby
comes to be written, it will show a sue
cession Of startling personal adventure un-
surpassed by those of any partisan chief
on record. That Mosby was always hang
ing on the outskirts of our armies, cutting
off our trains, capturing our stragglers,
and harrassing US in every possible way,
the people generally know; but they do
not know that he went in and out of our,
camps at pleasure, and was never once de-
tected. 1t is said (and undoubtedly truly
that while Burnside lay opposite FEEDER
icksburg, in the winter of 1852, Mosby
dined with him in the character of Union
farmer from across the river, and gathered
with his shrewd cunning from the general
table-talk, much valuable information, with
which he regained the rebel lines without
molestatiOn.
One of the best things told of him oc-
CURED that same winter and in the same
neighborhood. Burnside that winter was
literally badgered by Mosby. He seemed
ubiquitous, and at last it became danger
Gus to 60 from camp at all, as the least
ramble was sure to result in capture by
Mosby. At last Burnside became wearied
out, and determined to capture the parti-
san, and to this end sent detachments of
cavalry to scour the country thoroughly,
and bring him in dead or alive. One day,
one OF these detachments, led by lieu
tenant colonel, was going up the Dumfries
road, when, from house in sight of the
Federal lines, man emerged dressed in
the uniform of Federal captain, and at
tended by one orderly dressed in our cav
airy blue. At the gate were two horses
marked u. s., and furnished with our reg
ulation saddle and bride, and mounting,
the captain rode up and accosted the colo
mel, who was still marching up the road.
The colonel informed his new companion
that be was in search of this - Mosby,
and asked if he had heard anything of
him.
The Captain had heard and knew to
certainty that an hour before Mosby had
been at Jones, four miles up the road.
Visions OF promotion and newspaper para
graphs dancing before him, the Colonel
ordered "trot march," while the Captain
with his orderly dashed across field to
farm house to get some milk, he said,
before returning to camp. Arrived at
Jones, the Colonel found that Mosby had
indeed been there, but also found that he
had departed in the direction of Burnsides
camps. Back the Colonel beat in haste,
making inquiries everywhere, but finding
no trace. Arrived again at the house
from which the communicative Captain
had appeared, the woman accosted him.
and this colloquy ensued:
Woman-''Kurnel, who was that ere
tother way ?"
COlonel-sI don't know his name, but
he belonged to Massachusetts, regiment"
Woman-"Yeas, well, kneow amt you
sold? that air was John Mosby."
Colonel-"H-l!"
And he rode back to camp and said
nothing whatever about his mornings
work, except to report that he had not
captured him. Some of his men did.
however, and that story floated about the
army during the rest of the war.
Many such things as this are told of
Mosby, and his power for mischief was SO
sensibly felt in the Valley last summer and
autumn, that Phil. Sheridan used to swear
at him in his most hearty style. Mosby
now is citizen Of the United States, no
better and no worse than the thousands
OF other Virginians who have laid down
their arms.
The sElaieA Ror8.saa.s