Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-10-05

THE FIRST DRANEsvILLE-oR THE FIGHT AT
MlsKEL's uoUsE-AN APRIL FOOL.
x * At his next meeting, which was
on the 31st of March, 1868, Major Mosby
mustered command of sixty nine men, the
usual proportion Of which was composed Of
volunteers from the regular cavalry, at home
on detail and furlough. Taking the direc-
ton of Dranesville, he left the Little River
Turnpike at Mat. Lees house Herndon
Station, where he paused on his route, he
found to be no longer a Federal outpost, nor
did he find the cavalry camp which he pro-
posed to attack still at Dranesville for the
| fight at Chantilly had induced the enterpris-
ing Gen. Stahl to draw in his line Of out
posts behind Difficult Run, a stream which
well deserves it-name, for it is narrow and
deep, and rolls over a broken and rocky bed.
Its steep banks are moreover, heavily skirt
ed with, timber, which had been felled in or
der to strengthen this barrier of nature against
the assaults Of the all-seeing and ever-p pres
ent Mosby ....,..., ea3bpa sao eaf,aiuaqi)
Mosby hadnow redeemed his promise, Civ
en- to Gen. Stuart as the inducementl for that
officer to lend him fifteen men-that in two
mouths time he would compel the Federal
/ commander in Fairfax to contract his lines.
4 The means Of fulflment was the detail Of IF
/ teen men, but reinforced BY such auxiliaries
as his genius, enterprise and brilliant success
had attracted to his standard
In Dranesville two suffers were found who
had net yet removed their stores, but the
men were prohibited from interfering with
! them. aa Disappointed Of his expectations,
Mosby marched his command several miles
up the Little River Turnpike, and caniped
for the night at Miskel's house, which is on
the northern side of the road, and is Situated
on the summit of a hill at the northern base
of which, at the distance of half a mile, rolls
the Potomac .ssAE4 446AE9A i
From this point could be plainly discerned
/ the highlands on the opposite side, of the rly-
! er, and cantonment of Northern troops. -
On the southside of the House, and between
it and the turnpike road, are first an enclo:
sure of cultivated land, and then a consider
able body OF wood. The barn-yard, in which
the command was encamped is surrounded
by high fence, and connects with the mar
ROW enclosure. which surrounds the house ;
, and it opens through a plantation gate, into
the field of cultivated land through which the
road runs leading to the turnpike. There is
a fence between this field and the body of
wood already spoken Of, in which is a high
and strong gate where it is crossed by the
road; and along the side of this road, anoth-
er fence runs back to the barn-yard gate
From the position of these enclosures it will
be seen that Mosby was etfectually cut OFT,
in case of a sudden attack, from a retreat in
the direction Of Dranesville; whilst Broad
Run empties into the Potomac at short dis
lance from Miskers. house, and is all effectu-
al barrier to all egress in the direction o.
Loudosn and Fauquier. This was the spot
which Mosby had been compelled to select
for the ght's encampment, for 1T was the
only place where forage could be procured ID
the country around. The men slept IN the
barn, and in the dwelling, which was an or
binary farm house, whilst their horses were
fastened to the fence. f#.
( On account Of the temporary and precan-
GUS nature of his control over the conglomer-
ate body which he commanded, Mosoy dc
2 not, in such Indictment weather, send ou
pickets; but kepton' duty, as camp guard
I only one sentry at the barn.
1 As the command marched from Dranes,