Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-09-29
Nv oh,ec, bovev.r i, q to write : bioxr.

Ny object, however. Is nj to write biogra- |
ply Of Col. Mosby, for a carer Of Woude al |
activity extending over about three ysarf. cccN
not be cohdeus.d into bri.f paper. saAll
spesk Of bot one or fwoiJcidsnis n his career
and one shall be his Surprise OF Brig. General
Stough,on, at Fairfax Court Hons, in the win
ter OF 1862. IVA. affair excited unbounded in |
dignstiop on The part Of many excellent people, |
though President Lincoln made q jest oft. Let |
u we If il Vas not legitimate partisan OPP
eraiion.
Ii Was in November, l believe. that Aosby re- |
ceived the information Leading 10 MS movement. |
The federal frcts at THAI rirne occupied the re-
gion between fredericksburg and Alexandra,
aud as General Seuzrt's activity and energy were
just causes OF tolicitude. strong body Of ,nfan-
10y. csvsiry and artillery, was posted in the
neigbborhood Of Fairfax Court House and Cen
rreyille. Colonel wyndham was in command Of
the cavalry, and acting Brigsdier General
Stoughton. young officer from West Point.
commanded the whole district. with his head
qlsi,ers II the small village Of Fairfax. Mos
BY formed the design of capturing Gen. Slough
ION, Colonel Wyndham, Colonel johnson, and
other officers; and sent scouts 10 the Deighhor-
hood TO ascertain the force there. They brought
word that n strong holy Of infantry and artil-
l.ry ~ Centrevills; Colonel Wyudhams
brigade Of cavalry at Germantown, y mile from
Fairf,x; and toward the railroad station snoih-
er bri g,de Of infantry. Fairfsx thus appeared
10 lie mex sei within n coidon IF arms, rend,r-
ing II wholly impossible even 10 approach il. -
Taose who know the ground, as mary Of my
readers dtubrles. do. will easily understand how
desperate the undertaking appeared OF penetrate
Ing 10 the town, and safely carrying 1T the fed
eral comman1snt. IL Was one of those schemes.
however. whose very boldness s apt TO cause
them 10 su;;eei Men r,rely & usrd against
dangers which they do not dream il possible
threaten them. hlosby. doubles, basel his cal
culations upon this fact; at any rate, he decii-
ed upon the movement, and with twenty nine
men, set out one dark and drizzlng November
night, for the scene Of operations. Newspaper
writer's OF the day stated that the party were
dressed in federal uniforms, This Is not true
There WAS no sort of advantage IN any such
precaution. The party had to steal off with
their captures, if any were made. or cut their
way through. snd on that black night. no uni
form Was discernible.
Mosby approached Germantown by the Little
River turnpike, but fearing Wyndham's cavalry,
obliou.d 10 the right, and took TO the woods
ssirting the Wsrpnton road. Centrville was
thus, wrh it, garrisln. on his right and rear,
Germantown ON his left, and Fairfax, winged
with infantry camps, in bis front. 1t was now
/ raining heavily, aud the night was like pitch
The party advanced by bride paths through the
woois, thus avoiding the picke's On the main
avenues Of approach and the incesssnt patter of
the rain drowned the hoofstrokes Of the horses
a mile from Fairfax the glesm of tents greeted
| them IN front. and finding the spproac es bar
| rid in that direction. they silently obliquel to
the right sgain, crossed the Warrenton roal,
and gradually drew nesr the town on the south
/ ern side. A gam the woods aud the rain SER ell
! them. Their advance VAS undiscovered, and at
last they were close upon the place An Infint-
~ picket sas the only obstacle. but this was
soon removed. The SLEEPY vidette found pis
: tol NJ his breast. and the picket was complied
10 surrender without firing shot. The way
WIS then clear, and Mosby entered tie town at
! gall p.
! His object was to capture the federal officers
known TO be in the place, hurn the public stores
and carry off many horses as poss bic His
party accordingly divided tor these pur-
poses, and NJ shy himself proceeded to General
/ SiOUghion's residence IL was afterwards SAID
that young lady II the place Mrs Ford, had
supplied hlm with information, aud now led him
p-rs nally, 10 the house This, Colonel Mosby
stated TO The present writer, entirely mis-
take; he received Information neither from Mss
Ford or anyb' dy else, except his own scouts, TO
/ accompany him, however. in his visit 70 Gener-
al Stuughion Ie found an orderly NJ the door,
then mounted TO the Generals belchamber, the
occupant of which was fast asleep. At Mosby's
uncep monious Get up, General and come
with me 80 the sleeper started erect and demand
/ I'll Do you know who | am. slr p apparently
I ind gnzht at such waht Of ceremony. ''Do YOU
know Musby, General - was The reply. "Y,s."
was the eager response, 'haye you got the -
rascal p "Nn, Tut has 70, you - Aud to
the startled VITA; does ihs mean. sir - Of
General S'oughion. Mpsby replied. 1T meaus
'bai General Stnart's cavalry are in p e--ion
If the court house. SIR, ant THAI ruu are my
| prsorer" Ths dis1g,eeatle state # ah,'r.
.lu"l dawied upon the aroused sleeper. ard h.
80 II mud himself dressed, maunJsi aud ready
10 set ,u'--a prs ner.
Sry,rai staii tiiesrs had AFRO been captured.
snl coI derhble numbvr uf horses [, louels
! Nyudhsm and johnson elud.d the search for
them ltcij'ng no, 70 burn the public sore
which we're IN the housts, Misty then mounted
all his prisuueT--sOme thiriy-ive, | believe IN
number. inoh ding about half dozen offi,ers-
cautiously retrsced hi. st,p-, passing over the
very same ground. and stealing along about
dawn, under the muzsles Of g1ns in the works At
| Centreville, 20 close that the sentinel haiel the
party, swan Cub Run, struck southwark, and
at sunrise, was safe beyond pursuit.
We happen to lie Of those who know the
ground, and the circumstances attending
that capture, also. ard We know that it was
by no means the desperate undertaking."
which this eulogist OF Mosby makes it out
to he. The military force nearest to Fairfax
Court House. at the time, was the cavalry
in camp mile 0f tire next nearest. three
regiments of Gen. Stoughton's brigade. four
miles III. at Fairfax alton A cavalry
IatTol of half a d, zen men which passed
through the streets two or three times IN the
night. was the sole guard of the village Of
Fairfax Court iloUsc. An infantry sentinel
had been posted regularly in front Of Gen.
StOughton's quarters but, with tic general
sia okn'ss Which lTevnil,d there at the time,
had been allowed 20 come indoors wien il
rAIned, and finally TO take his post re-. ularly
inside in al! weathcrs, ami ,lcrp cImfjriably
! through the night. Ii was an easy matter
Tor VI shy To- elude the cavalry pick.'s, ride
into the village, where most Of thusc who
were walked by tie sound supposed Iis par
" TO he the cavalry Iatrol, take Gencral
Stoughton from his bad and having learned
the count cIsign iIom llisuuors TO pa.s out
un'arrned The unguardrd condition of
Gen S'oughton's headqu rters We remarked
upon and his eaptore predicted 10 letters
4 from f's brigade written weeks before hIs
capture. and when it Happened the common
est remark among those who knew the state
Of tie case IN his command was, Just as We
expected" Col. wyndham was in Wash
ington that night Had he been taken It
might lave gone hard with him. for he had
not spared the gu,rrilas. Lieut. Col JOHN
son. Of the 5sh Y. Cavalry. the officer
next in rank IN tie village. was roused by
tls vile cravltd under "A harm in cxtr.mc