Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-26

''have you got the - rascaI?" "No, but
he has got you" And to the startled "What
does this mean, sir 2" Gen. Stuart's cav
airy are IN possession of the court house,
sir, and that you are my prisoner" This
disagreeable state of affairs slowly dawn
ed upon the aroused sleeper, and he soon
found himself dressed, mounted, and ready
to set out-a prisoner. Several staff off
GERS had also been captured and a consid-
cradle number of horses. Coils Wyndham
and johnson eluded the search for them
Deciding not to burn the public stores which
were in the houses, Moseby then mounted
all his prisoners--some thirty-five, Il believe
IN number, including about halfa-dozen
officers cautiously retracing his steps, pass
ing over the very same ground, and steal
ing along, about dawn, under the muzzles
OF the guns In the works at Centreville, 50
close that the sentinel hailed the party,
swan Cub run, struck southwark, and at
sunrise was safe beyond pursuit
The skill and boldness exhibited in the
conception and execution Of this raid con-
ferred upon Moseby just fame as partisan
officer I: and the regular organization Of his
command commenced He was made cap
tain, then major, then leutenant-colonel,
and colonel, as his force and his operations
increased. From the solitary scout, or
humble partisan operating with a small
! squad, he had grown to be an officer of
rank and distinction, intrusted with impor-
tant duties, and eventually with the guard
ianship of the whole extent of country north
Of the Rappahannock, and east of the Blue
Ridge. The people of the region speak of
it with laugh, as "Moseby's Confederacy,"
| hob i -
the popular mind. for many years to come.
Let us pass to these latter days when "Col-
onel" Moseby gave the Federal forces SO
much trouble and aroused so much indg-
nation in General Custer, General Sheridan,
and others, whose men he captured, and
whose conveys he so frequently cut off and
destroyed,
Moseby was born to be partisan leader,
and as such was probably greater than any
other who took part in the war He had by
nature all the qualities which made the ac-
cOmplished ranger nothing could daunt
him his activity Of mind and body-call
it, if you choose, restless eternal love of
movement-was something wonderful :; and
that untiring energy which is the secret of
half the great successes of history, drove
him necessarily to plan, to scheme, to con-
ceive, and to execute. He could not rest
when there was any thing to do, and scout
ed Tor his amusement, charging pickets so
luS by way of sport. On dark and rainy
nights, when other men aim at being com
fortably housed, Moseby liked to be moving
with detachment of his men to surprise
and attack some Federal camp, or to run
in" some picket, and occasion CONSERVATION,
if not infct injury.
The peculiar feature of his command was
that the men occupied no stated camp, and,
in fact, were never kept together, except
on an expedition. They were scattered
throughout the country, especially among
the small farm houses in the spurs of the
Blue Ridge ; and here they lived the mer-
riest lives Imaginable They were subject
ed to none of the hardships and privations
Of regular soldiers. Their horses were III
comfortable stables or ranged freely over
excellent pastures the men lived with
their families, slept in beds, and had moth
ing to do with "rations" of hard bread and
bacon. Milk, butter, and all the house
hold luXurles OF peace were at their com
mand and not until their chief summoned
them did they buckle on their arms and
get to horse.
While they were thus living on the fat
Of the land, Moseby was perhaps scouting
off on his private account somewhere down
towards Manassas, Alexandria, or Lees
bnrg. If his excursions revealed an open
ing for successful operations, he sent off
a well mounted courier who travelled rap
idly to the first nest of ranges thence a
fresh courier carried the summons else |
where few hours twenty, thirty, or fifty
lu tal
pearance at the prescribed rendezvous
The man who disregarded or evaded the |
second summons to a raid was summarily |
dealt with he received a note for delivery |
to Gen Stuart, and on reaching the cavalry |
headquarters was directed to return to the !
company in the regular service from which |
he had been transferred.
This seldom happened however. The
men were all anxious to go upon raids, to
share the rich spoils and were prompt at
the rendezvous. Once assembled, the ran
gers fell into column Moseby said g Come
on" and the party set forward upon their
appointed task-to surprise some camp,
capture an army train, or ambush some de-
taChed party of Federal cavalry on a for
aging expedition.
Such a life is attractive to the imagin-
alton, and the men came to have passion
for it, But it is a dangerous service. 1t
may with prOpriety be regarded as trial
of wits between the opposing commanders
The great praise of Moseby was that his
superior skill, activity and good Judgment
gave him most uninterrupted success, and
invariably saved him from capture. An at
tack upon Col Cole, of the Maryland cav<s
airy, near Loudon Heights, in the winter of /
1864, was his only serious failure, and
that appears to have resulted from a DISC
bedience of his orders. He had here some
valuable officers and men killed
He was several times wounded, but new
er taken. On the last occasion, in 1864, he
was shot through the window of no use
in Fauquier, but managed to stagger into
a darkened room, tear off his stars, the
badges of his rank, and counterfeit per-
son mortaly wounded His assaiants left
him dying, as they supposed, without dis
covering his identity, and when they did
discover it and hurried back, he had been
removed beyond reach of peril After his
wounds, he always reappeared paler and
thinner, but more active and untring than
than ever. They only seemed to exasper