Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-16
The Story Of n Young Unien OIL
e who was captured by
MOsby.
C. L. Bankhcad in Phila. Times.l

- - -" @AH -A
The following thrilling incident is
told by a soldier of Mosby's command
he being an eyewitness Of the scene,
and | will here give it in his own
words as near as | can remember them:
Late ia the fall of 1864 our boys were
ordered by Colonel Mosby to rendez.
vous at a certain point in the noun
tains, preparatory to receiving further
orders. All the companies and
commanders were to assemble in force
near the turnpike road leading into the
valley from London county, and we
were all to be armed and equipped
preparatory for a raid. When assem-
bled, we numbered about three hun
bred men, and with that force march
ed into the valley, crossing the Shen-
andoah about dark. We bivouacked
for the night and the next day pro-
ceeded up the Charleston and Win
chester turnpike, where we succeeded
in capturing a large wagon train OF the
enemy; not, however, without severe
skirmish, in which we had lost several
men and horses. After retreating and
again collecting our forces, we were
ordered to separate into companies
with the view of making different
raids The company to which | vas
attached proceeded in the direction of
the Charleston road, where we en-
countered the command of Captain
Blazer, and after skirmishing with it
and finding we were largely outnlm-
bered, we concluded to retreat
to the Shenandoah river, which
we did under hot pursuit..
We reached the river at dusk,
and Blazers men, fearing an ambus-
cade, drew of. After fording the
river with some difficulty we
bivouacked upon the opposite side,
and the next day proceeded to the
little hamlet of Paris, where we
awaited the return of our command.
At about 8 o'clock in the evening the
different companies began to arrive,
several having federal prisoners, and
shortly afterward Colonel Moshy, with
the rest Of the men, came up with
twenty-five or thirty additional pfis.
oners. He Immediately gave orders
that there should be a detail made
from each company to take charge of
the prisoners, and that they should
be carried to some locality in the
mountains, off from the general thor
Oughtares, where a house must be pro
cured, 10 one room of which the pris-
oner should be placed and kept un-
der double guard. We were also told
TO proceed to Rectortown by break of
day next morning. q happened to be
among the number of this detailed
guard, which renders me so familiar
with the circumstances In pursu-
ance of orders we went in search of a
house, and finding an old deserted
cabin we placed the prisoners in there
and built a large fire for their com
fort, as it was quite cold, being late in
November. The room being small
was pretty we'll crowded, but passing
the night without further incident, we
proceeded next day to RectoFtoWn.
Among the prisoners l noticed a
young Offcer-a INTERCHANGEABLE
seemed to be suffering from lameness,
aud he excited my compassion by his
Intellectual effort to keep up. Riding
up to him | offered him a seat behind
me on my horse, which he gratefully
accepted. As we were in the rear OF
the march and out Of earshot We con
versed very freely, and he gave me
several points in his history, and /
found him to be a refined and intelli-
gent gentleman. He stated that he
had only recently been brought from
Louisiana, where he acted as an off
Ger Of artillery, and he deeply re.
GREETED being captured here, as he
feared that he would never survive