Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09
MOSBY,s .CIosE CALL.
How the Guerilla Chieftain Was once Cap
turcd, Shot and LEFT for Dead.

How the Guertlia Chieftain Was once Can
turcd, Shot and LEFT for Dead.
From the New York Herald
1T was one Of the closest calls ever had
and was pronounced as good rs q dead man
by the federal surgeon who made hasty sx-
animation Of me after the shooting"
The speaker Was the noted southern raider,
Col John s. Mosby, who now resides In san
Francisco. bat has been spending q few DAYS
in the city. He and sat together on a settee
In the corridor Of Broadway hotel and talked
about war times. The colonel--he was never
general-pushed back his SLOUGH hat and
his gray eyes gazed at the ceiling as il it were
map OF the way He forgot that he had ever
been politician and spent seven years of his
life as consul to Hong Kong. His memory
went back twenty-seven years 10 period when
ne was known TO the north 6 guerilla raider.
had been talking to him about narrow es-
capes and the conversation led TO the follow
Ing narrative by the colonel:
III was IN December. 1864. in Virginia. that
ithouSht had received n fatal wound. was
captured but not recognized, and left for dead
pf me re ierais. have seen an account some
"here OF this adventure Of mine. but il had nc
resemblance to the truth That verislmilituJh
OF detail was lacking TO rescue the story from
pure fiction.
CAUGHT
''On that evening in December was eating
supper at a farmhouse and not suspecting the
approach of federal cavalry. The farmer hi.
wife and daughter were friends of mine and a
son of the family was under nv command Iva.
ravenously hungry. and by the aid of a tallov
candle-gas and oil were not used in Virgins
them was eating sausages and pouo bread
Such luxuries as sugar and coffee were not in
the menu. Suddenly the door was opened and
several federal officers entered. The house wa,
entirely surrounded by regiment of cavalry
had on long gray oyercoat and on the col.
lar was the insignia of my rank as colonel
jumping up raised both hands and carelessi,
grasped my collar, hiding she insignia OF my
rank They did not know who l was except
that was n confederate.
Il looked down the barrels of several revol
yers and surrendered. OF course | racked m,
brain TO lind out some avenue OF escape II
came IN dangerous way. The soldiers on the
outside fired through an open window at me
ana ball struck me in the left side. The firng
created confusion, and the officers rushed GU
to avoid being shot by their own men. In the
haste Of their departure the table was over.
turned and the candle went out. leaving the
room IN darkness. This was my chance. ran
into an adjoining room, pulled OF nv coat and
tucked 1t under bureau. By that time / Wa,
growing weak from loss of blood. and fell.
The federals came III and the surgeon eX.
amined ne hastily. / distinctly remember
that he said was rhot in the heart though
how he managed 10 locate the wound there Is a
mystery 20 me. l was stripped of what cloth
ing had and left in almost nude condition.
They asked me my name and l gave fictitious
one lie farmer was interrogated. but he did
not tell them my maine. As they did not sus-
pect that was Mosby they soon departed.
EscAPED.
Although it rained in torrents and the light
ming was incessant was carried away in an or
wagon. All the mules and horses in the place
had disappeared weeks before and only yoke
of oxen remained. Two negro boys. the farmer
and his daughter drove the wagon and acted as
my escort. Before they started Was rolled in
several Blankets and made as comfortable as
possible under the circumstances. They con-
yeycd me three miles to my men. and when
they uDrolled me and examined nv wound
said was shot III the identical spot that Gen.
Job Stuart was, and thought i would die.
The ball went straight through Job Stuart. but
fortunately In my it detected and went
upward. In six weeks was strong enough to
be in the saddle again. / have been wounded
six times"
We'll, colonel" I asked, 'what caused that
bullet to 90 upward when il entered your slider
Il do not know, unless il was the sagsages
had eaten. After all l may owe my lie to
sausages. | have the lead il me yet. When
those fellows heard that they had captured me
aud had permitted me to escape | reckon they
uttered cuss WORDS