Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-23
COL. JOHN $. MOsBY.
The Valley of Virginia During the
War - Misrepresentation OF
Union SOIdierss Corrected.

The Valley of Virginia During the
War MisrePFescntatiOns of . a
Union soldier, Corrected.
The New York Sun having lately pub
lished communication from Union
soldier, commenting on the conduct OF
Col John S. MOsby in the Valley of Viz
GINA during the war, that gentleman has
replied through the same journal 10 the
following effect:
Sir: ] am really amused at the piece
in your valuable paper from q A Union
Soldier" for il shows how hard pressed
my enemies are for something TO say
against me, when they can find nothing
worse than tae stuff he has published. |
viii notice them in their order. First
The capture of the train in October, 1864,
on the road between Harper's Ferry and
Martinsburg, Va This was on a military
road, and used by the Federal army
which was then in the Shenandoah Val
ley-for Transporting troops and supplies
l was in command of about 300 men, and
was charged with the duty of impeding
the advance of the Federal army by in
tercepting their communication.
If | opposed Sheridan in front, my
small force would count for nothing but
by throwing it in his rear and on his
communication il became q tremendous
power, because 800 men under skillful
commander, operating in the rear of an
army, are equivalent to 10000 in front.
II Was just as legitimate for me TO attack
Sheridan in his rear as for Early to at
tack him in front; and Sheridan, in his
"a. la on no conduct
of the war, has testified to the efficiency
of my command, for he says that after
the defeat Of Early he could have gone
on to Richmond, but that he had TO de
tail two-thirds of his force to guard his
communication against my attack.
The train | captured was on the way 10
supply Sheridan's army 1t had on il,
besides a number of officers and soldiers,
a considerable number of passengers.
Among the officers were two paymasters
with $l75,0 00, going TO pay off Sheri-
dams troops. OF course il was just as
legitimate war 10 capture and destroy this
train as to kill or capture Sheridan and
his men. / penetrated far in rear of the
Federal army, and captured this train
within mile of large camp, and burned
IT, III OblNNt VI iilS NblliiAAilliu W d. AAoe
80 much TO capture trains as to compel
Sheridan 20 deiach heavily from his front
to guard the rear. If Mrs. Tolles and the
other passengers ontllis train 'were turned
out destitute and unprotected as this
Union soldier AYERS, ii was Sheridan's
fault, and not mine, for he ought to have
had it properly guarded.
Again: These female passengers only
suffered q little inconvenience, mo VIC
lence was Offered them,) and if they
choose to subject themselves to the hazard
of riding on military railroad, they had
nobody TO blame but themselves; other
wise, Sheridan might have guarded all his
trains by putting q few females on board.
lie might as well have put women in
front of his line of battle, TO keep us from
shooting at his men. was myself pres
cnt when this train was captured, and
there is no incident of nay military life to
which | refer with more pride and pleas
sure. If it was right for Sheridan to cap
lure railroad trains, why shouldn't l do
IL? Sherman justified the burning of the
city of Atlanta, and, in reply to Hoods
complaint, said that ''war meantcruelty."
Is there more wrong in burning a train of
,ars and subiecting a few passengers to a
temporary inconvenience, than in the de-
struction of whole city, and turning a
whole population out of doors
Second Charge.-IIe says. AT the
same time Col Tollcs, Gen. Sheridan 5
ouartermaster, was shot by this same
outlaw at Cedar Creek, - etc. Now, a
small detachment of my command met
Col. Tollcs, with a small detachment OF
cavalry, near Newtown, on the Valley
turnpike. Tolles and his party rctreated,
and were pursued by my men; Toles,
while running, was shot in the back. AL
right: he took the chance Of escape IL
preference to surrender. | suppose, i
Col Tollcs could have had the opportu
nifty, he would have shot me. That i
what men 90 TO war for, and can't sc,
how there is any greater crime in KILN!
Col. Tollcs in the rear of Sheridan than il
his front
Third Point-'sThis outlaw hanged fiy,
stragglers at BeTyville." " In September
1864, Gen. Custar captured and hange,
seven of my men in the streets of From
ROYAL. Va Immediately on hearing o
this, having a lot of thirty prisoners o.
hand, | made them draw lots for seven Z
poe hanged, as a measure of retaliation +
protect my men. These men were hange
ON the Valley pike, along which Sheri
dams troops Travelled every day, as
warning of what they might expect
any more of my men were hanged. a
the same time | wrote letter to Gen
Sheridan (Which was published in tn
newspapers of the time, and can be foun
i'm the memoir of my command fy Scott
ayowing my responsibility for the ac
and stating my reasons for IT, Sherida
acknowledged the Justice of the deed, b
ordering my men TO he treated with Il
bumanities of war | have never bee
called in question for this act, although
assumed all the responsibility for ii.
The Union soldier pretcnds that Il
exploits of the chiyalric Mosby ha'
\ never been given to the world. If
will only consult the memoir of my con
mand. bv Scott, he will see that the dea
of Col. Tollcs. the capture of the trai
and incidents connected with it, and &
hanging of the prisoners are all spok
of. They were all legitimate acts OF VS.
| think it high time Cor a people W
xlory in 'Sherman's march from I
mountains 10 the sea, in which he ma
desert of the country that lay in
track, who Gceived with huzzas Sl'
idan's triumphant dispatch that he b
burned 3. 900 barns and mills, and ma
the valley of Virginia so desolate that
crow could not tly over it without carr
ing his rations, TO cease objecting IL
anybody did not observe the rules
mitigated war Very truly,
JoHN 5. MOsBY.