Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-25

ADVERTISERS
Col MosBY-We see in an issue of the
Grand Army Journal of the 10th inst, pub
lished in Washington, d. C., defamatory at
tack upon our townsman, Col Mosby. The oc-
casion for this attack was his introduction upon
the floor of the House of Representatives and
the attention there paid him by Democratic
members.
1t is an easy matter for reckless editors aud
anonymous correspondents to state that Col.
Mosby or any other officer Of the Confederate
army was monster OF cruelty, and to bolster
up such assertions BY reference to cases of as
sasSination to which none but dead men can
testify
But it is quite another matter 10 sustain such
statements by admissible evidence. No greater
mistake could ne made than to suppose that
Mosby acted without reference to accountable
~, or that his command was a gang OF cut
throats." He was regularly commissioned by
the Confederate States Secretary Of War and
subjected to the orders Of General Lee, with
whom he was in constant communication, AMI
to whom he rendered valuable service. His
command was composed of veterans selected for
courage and discipline as being most easily
controlled on outpoSts. and Of boys under mill
tary age. reared ia this and contiguous
counties, too fresh from their freSidc affairs
u harbour a criminal thought or TO strike
merciless blow Friend and foe alike
admit Lee to have been Christian soldier
and it ought to be a sufficient retllta;ion
ol the ISLANDERS Of the Journal to answer that
the only repruof which he ever gave Mosby
was couched in these words, wien the latter on
clutches approached him: Colonel, | have
but one fault to find with you. and that is, you
will ret wounded. If this were not enough,
Ia r.. tp - lpJ
and Union soldiers taken by Mosby and his
command during the last TWO years OF the war
and sent TO Richmond, ought surely to silence
the grouDdess charge that he violated every
principle of humanity.
Ii six Thousand prisoners were safely con-
Quoted over a hundred miles to a Confederate
prison by escorts from Mo>bys command,
what becomes of the sweeping charge that
they were "a gang OF cut throats aud he was
their worthy leader? Aud If those escorts
are allowed to have had no respect for u help
less enemy, is it reasonable to suppose that
they would have shocked the mOdestV OF
friends of both sexes aloug their route by ex
posing the nakedness OF ANY one under their
charge?
Its true that Custar's lawless behaviour at
Front ROYAL compelled Col. Mosby to appeal
to the bloody code of retaliation But that
was neither cold blooded assassination nor
cret midnight murder. Mosby's men had been
gibbeted after surrender by order of Custar.
A squad of Custars command were subsequent
" captured, and in the face OF day forced to
draw tickets in the lottery of death. The men
upon whom the fatal decision rested were sent
under guard to Berryvie, across the Shenan-
doah, almost in sight of the enemy blvouac,
aud there hung as examples of military justice.
1t is also true that incendarles 10 blue who
were caught in the act of firing dwellings, be-
longing to non conbatentS were not treated as
prisoners of war. The laws OF humanity irr
babe that they should be so treated; aud II
any Union soldier fell with torch in hand.
their blood lies rather on the head OF the otl-
GERS Who ordered them upon feudish errands
than on the head of Mosby and his men
Col Mosby who lives almost within the
shadow Of the national Capitol, notified tile
Federal commander of the commission OF these
acts at the time they occurred, ana does not not
nov deny them They furnish foundation tor
all the wild stories OF his cruelty If crmlnai-
ty attaches to him on their account why has he
not been tried by court properly constituted?
The answer is, MoSby is gulless OF any
crime.
While scores of Union officers of unqueslon
able reputation have paid him even higher
condiments than Democratic congressman
only skulkers and bummers, who tattened on
contracts and plunder during the war, and hope
to grow richer by keeping alive sectional aul-
mosities since the inauguration of peace, seem
to refuse him his just mcel of praise. = Var
renton Lndec.
TIE POVERTY OF AUTHORS When John
Milton received five pounds for Paradise
Lost, he felt, We have no doubt, that this was
poor compensation for the effort aud time
expended upon it. ,
Suuthey had some conception OF the small
reward bestowed upon literary efforts when he
declared, My means lie in an inkstand.
So common was the thought OF poverty con-
nected with an author life, that Il beggar;;
when told that the person from whom ne asked
charity was Sir Walter Scott, the great poet;
replied, He is not a bit Of poet, but a real
gentleman, for he gave me half a crown:
4 barber, who had taken to scrlbbng be-
gan TO realize that success did not always crown
the following couplet
Pegasus was the horse that bore
Poets to the almShouse-door
At once he concluded to shave ioT living
aud write for pleasure.
Tom Hood. in strai,eued circumstances,
wrote TO his butcher, Mr.. Stokes that 1t was
necessary for the sake Of cheap literature and
the interest of the reading public that he shoulo
furnish him with meat at very trnlns per
centage above cost price VT. c'oAGS 'ep''e"
Sir, respecting your note, butchers mus
live as we'll as other people; and II 5" De you
or the reading public want to have meat al
cost price you must bny your own beas'esses
and kill yourselves
FRESH FISH such as Perch, Hickory Shad
and Herring are being brought, daily oy the ne
freight trains here and sold readily at from Wv 30
to 40 cents bunch Of half dozen each we
hear that the people Of Stafford county :, are are
getting proud already from the TACT & oi r;s,d ,ae
staple commodity, fish, promising heavy yle'u
this season. They say that when You meet !; a
Statfordian during the fishing season and ask
him where he lives he will be sure to say to %
you, sDamu you: l live in Stafford what Is Is
that to you?" But when you meet nlm al.er
the fishing season is over and ask nm wnefe
he resides he will say to you 10 the most SUI,
dued tone, Stafford; please God-.can y. you
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