The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-02-17
GUERRILLA WARFARE,
Something About Mosby and his Exploits In
Virginia.

Something About lIosby and his Exploits In
Virginia.
The New York Times is publishing
some stories of the war. In one article,
CAN About Guerrillas," it tells us
something about Mosby: r..
In his "Report of the Operations of
the Army of the Shenandoah" Gen.
Sheridan says " During this campaign
l was at times annoyed by guerrilla
bands, the most formidable of which was
under partisan chief named Mosby,
who made his headquarters east of the
Blue Ridge in the section of country
about Upperville. L had constantly re-
fused to operate against these bands, be-
leving them to be substantially bene-
fit to me, as they prevented struggling,
and kept my trains we'll closed up, and
discharged such other duties as would
have required provost guard of at
least two regiments of cavalry"
There was practical sense in this rea-
soniug, adds the Times, but thousands
of Federal soldiers who campaigned un-
der Sheridan in tn, Shenandoah must
have learned with astonishment from this
report that the operations of the dread
ed Mosby were substantially bene-
fit " to our arms. For he was dreaded
His audacity went to the extent of reck-
lessness, and he and his followers SEEM
ed to consider no risk too great by
which they could annoy our army, cut
off trains and detachments, and capture
war material. If there had been among
them some fellow handy with the pen
he might produce volume that would
vie with romance, while confined to the
details of the adventures of the guer-
rillas. L had long conversation with
two of these men who were paroled after
Ices surrender, and they assured me
| they had often donned blue overcoats
and ridden along with our column in
the nighttime, picking up information
and watching for chance 90 take off a
prisoner. Very often, they said, one OF
their men was driving in disguise in our
supply trains. One of them said that
he rode mare which he valued beyond
price, and one night he had her stabbed
in barn near Leesburg, while he slept
in the house-a friends house. In the
middle of the night he was awakened by
the rattling of pebbles Oh his window.
He sprang from his bed, and was hall
dressed when he heard the heavy tramp
of feet upon the stairs. Surmising al
once that the Federal cavalry were on
his track, he raised the window, let him
self out, and dropped story and hall
without inju.y, sped to the barn, led
out his mare by the forelock, without
saddle or bride, mounted her, and rode
off with a shower of bullets following
him.
Upon one occasion, an afternoon in the
last days of August, when our army haG
halted and got into position for the night
near Charlestown, and while under the
strictest orders to be ready to form line
and fight battle at moments notice,
one of our soldiers was wounded by q
guerri la, who deliberately rode up tc
within rod of line of stacked arms
fired his carbine at knot OF men loung
ing about, and gllloped off before &
musket could be brought to bear upon
him. Nobody had thought of taking
him for any other than stray cavalry
man from one of Clusters regiments, OF
an orderly from headquarters, until as
tonished by his shot and escape. 1t was
about this time that Gen. Emory had {
very narrow escape from capture by
these marauders. His headuuarter tents
were being put up for the night, when G
dozen horsemen rode rapidly through
the inclosure, discharging their carbine:
right and left, and disappeared before
the astonished officer in command of the
headquarters infantry could get his
company under arms.
The guerrillas took no prisoners and
their shots hurt no one. presume the
whole was piece of devil-may care
recklessness without any object except
to /" "show off," But had they known
that they were passing within very few
yards of where the major general who
commanded one-third Of this army was
lying, no doubt they would have made
desperate effort to take him. The gen
eral was much annoyed by the incident
and rated the captain soundly for his un
readiness.
"Why, hang it, SIR" he said, "i,
this the way you guard my headquar
ters9 Here are a dozen of Mosby's fol
lows riding right over me; yes, sir
and for all that you could do they nigh
easily have stolen my boots"
} 1t was reported about the same tim
J one of the guerrillas was taken by on
cavalry and brought to Gen. Crook, com
/ manding the eighth corps, and that tn
general scolded his captors for taking
him alive. 1t was quite well for thi
generals peace of mind that he coul
l not know that in the following Februar
: he wa to be captured at Martinsburg b
, a bold dash of these audacious partisans
: and hurried away to Richmond.