The morning call., 1891-08-16
How COLONEL MOSBY
WAS WOUNDED.
So Sure Of Their Game That They
Would Not Go to Fetch Ii.
a Reward OF Ten Thousand Dollars Lost. and
all They Had to Show Was His
Confederate Uniform.



manded by Colonel Lowell of the Second
Massachusetts,, were campaigning in Lou
don and Fairfax counties. Virginia, and
again following the numerous rowing bands
which were infesting that part of Virginia,
especially the then renowned Colonel
Mosby and his assistant, Captain Chapman,
who had between them nearly 1000 men,
and were lowering around the Shenandoah
Valley in front and rear and both TANKS of
General Sheridan's army, which was then
at Win chester. The Second Massachusetts
and the California Battalion were ordered
TO Winchester TO join General Sheridan; tile
Thirteenth and Sixteenth New Y ork were
al Vienna, Va.
One evening scouts came in and reported
that a considerable number Of Colonel
MoSby'S men were in the vicinity. Colonel
GainSworth of the Thirteenth New York
Cavalry, who was then in command after
Colonel Lowell left US, ordered out four
companies of the Thirteenth New York
Cavalry, under command of Major Frazer,
to scout the country as far as the Shenan-
doah River.
We started early the next morning, and
secuted all day, met with several small par
ties of Confederates, but they invariably
fled at our approach; sometimes a shot or
two would be exchanged. but without any
material result. The next day about )
O'Clock in the afternoon, as we were jGSt en-
tering the town of Middleburg, our advance
guard was briskly attacked. As soon as
We heard the firing the command was
formed in column of platoons and the
charge was sounded Charging through the
principal street of the town, we saw
dozen or more Confederates ahead of US,
but the distance was too great for any hope
for US 10 oVeTtake them. Still We kept on
after them. About half mile from town
we came on one Confederate, who stood in
the middle of the road facing u.s. He had a
revolver In each hauc, but held them by the
muZZles with the butts toward US, signify
ing surrender Lieutenant Revsl of Company
a, Thirteenth New \ oTk, rode up to him
aud made him prisoner. The prisoner said
that his horse was shot in the hip, and that
be dropped about 100 yards from where he
stood. and that as he saw he could not es-
cape he surrendered.
By that time the sun was getting very low
in the horizon, and we had two wounded
men 10 attend to, and as spring OF water
was in tie near vicinity the orders were
given to unsaddls and 90 to camp. Horses
were unsaddled, picketed and fed. The
only tent we had belonging TO the command
Ing officer was put up, and the wounded
men put into 1t and left to the care of the
surgeon. The men started to build fires
and cook coffee. In the hustle we did not
notice what was going on among the officers.
They we're holding
COUNCIL OF WAR,
And had the prisoner among them. Quite
an animated conversation was going on.
The writer, having occasion to pass near
where the council was being held, over
heard Lieutenant Reyel remarlliug that lie
would take care of the prisoner, aud in the
case Of the least sign of treachery that he
would blow his brains out. In the mean
time orders were given to the men by their
First Sergeant that as soon as they finished
their supper and tie horses got through
feeding, they saddle up and form. LitterS
were made Tor the wounded, and Sergeant
and SIX men were ordered to take them to
the next house they came to and stop there
until the command would come up.
1t was 9 o'clock when we started again,
and quite dark. Lieutenant Reyel took
command OF the advance guard, which was
composed OF the writer, then a corporal
Sergeant Kramer and twelve pTivates, the
Lieutenant and the prisoner riding ahead of
Inc advance, the prisoner as guide. After
travelling q mile or two we entered dense
wood. 1t got so dark we could not see the
man riding ahead of US, so we had to travel
very slow, halting every once in a while to
give the column chance TO close up. After
travelling about five or six miles we could
see a clearing and a light. Here we halted
Sergeant Kramer to move on ahead toward
the light, and as soon as we we're out of the
woods to charge and surround the house.
We did not have long 10 travel before we got
out of the woods, and then charged and sur
rounded the house While we were charg-
ing two shots were fired from the direction
of the house. 1t must have been by
sentlnels, but We were too quick. The
house was a small, low cottage, and
had a front and back door, two
windows on each side, veranda
all around, ana two fences running from the
back part Of the house, forming back yard
and running into some woods. Sergeant
Kramer and myself, as soon az the house
was surrounded, jumped off our horses on
the veranda and started toward one of the
windows, when. pistol was fired from
within and the bullet crashed through the
glass, but luckily it passed between us as
we were on each side OF the window. Ser
geant Kramer called out to the man inside
TO surrender, but when we looked in we saw
man III his shirt sleeves and stocking feet
standing al the table and examining his re-
volver. 1t seems it must have missed fire
when he tried to shoot the second time. AS
soon as he say US he raised his pistol, but
we were too quick for him and
BOTH FIRED AND he FELL.
In the meantime the whole command was
coming IN heller SHELTER.
Major Frazer came up at this moment and
dismounted, and calling several officers
they entered the house. They found the
man lying on the floor dead. The surgeon
who was with us examined him, and found
that one bullet had entered his left side.
passed through his abdomen and came out
through his right side. He said that
although the man was not quite dead, lie
would be In few moments. While he was
still! talking we saw the body straighten
Itself out, give two OF three gasps, and all
was over. In searching the house. we found
an old lady in one of the rooms crying bit
terly. When asked who the man was, she
SAID that he was Confederate officer be-
longing to MOsby's command, and that he
was nephew of hers, who came to visit
her, bat il was singular none of his clothes
could be found whereby he could be recog-
niZed.
After the house had been searched and
nothing else could be found orders were
given TO mount, and we started off. After
travelling about a mile or SO through the
open glade we came to a stream of water,
where we halted and camped for the night.
AS usual, we built fires and sat around talk
Ing about the evenings adventure. When
the Majors striker, a man named Crump, n
canadian frenchman, and goGd-hearted
fellow, a good soldier and one OF the greatest
fcragers we had in the regiment, came up
with big bundle Oh his back, we halted
him and inquired if he had something good
to eat. He said no. but he had something
good TO wear. We made him put down the
bundle and we examined the contents. The
first thing was long gray cloak in which
the bundle was made; next was Confeder-
ate officers gray coat with two small gold
eagles on the collar; one pair of long We'll
lington boots, pair of gantletS, a gold
headed riding whip and a tall white broad
trimmed hat, one side of the rim pinned to
the crown by gold eagle Locking inside
the hat we found to our establishment the
name in gold letters of John S. Mostly.
A CONNECTION IN CAMP.
The commotion in camp after this revela-
ton can be imagined, as, there was at that
time reward of $4,000 offered by the Gov
eminent for his head, dead or alive. Most
OF the men started TO saddle up again, think
ing that as soon as the Major heard of 1t we
would have to GO and bring the body in, but
10 our astonlshment, as soon as he heard Of
it lie ordered a double guard TO be placed
around the camp aud not to allow any man
TO go out, saying that as the man was dead
we weuld get the body in the morning.
Cext morning there was no hurry; the men
attended to their duties as usual, grooming
and feeding their horses, cooked and ate
their breakfasts, and abou. o'clock we
nd banly IN bnusa xsha