The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-09-13
A DARING EXPLOIT.
HOW MOSBY CAPTURED a UNION
GENERAL AT FAIRFAX.

Enter tho Union Camp and Capture a
Number of Men and IL Iorseg
RICHMOND, Va, Sept. G.-To those
who know nothing of the hardships Of
war, there ever hangs over battlefield
a mist Of romance, shrouding Its most
hideous details in the poetry of fiction.
And even those who have felt the
shock Of charging men, and heard the
cannon's roar that seemed to shake the
very.foundation Of earth, in after years
look back with a certain tenderness
upon those "days that are no more"-
even though those days were passed in
the cramped bed Of dirty prison hos
pital, or on the long, hot marches of
midsummer: But bravery commands
our admiration, and the deeds of the
men who fought in the Civil war often
rival the dauntless courage Of Charlie
mango and are as exciting as the OK
plotts of Richard ON the sunny plains
Of Palestine. Perhaps one of the most
unique adventures Of the war was the
capture of General Stoughton by Mosby
and the affair reads more like the raids
of Robin Hood than an event in the
prosaic times of the present.
In the spring of 1863 General Stough-
ton was encamped at Fairfax Court
house with large number of m en-, and
the doughty warrior had determined
to put stop to the depredations of
Mosby, who kept the Federal troops in
Northern Virginia in constant State
OF terror by his numerous and sudden
raids. All this part of Virginia was
known as "Mosbys ConfederacY." Here
the ranger chief gave the enemy some
unpleasant surprises in the shape of
raids on sleeping encampments, tho
capture of their wagons and the de.
structlon of their railroads, used in sup.
plying them with mon and food.
Stoughton had grown weary of the
fruitless efforts Of Others to capture the
swift moving rebel, and he was decided
that he would bag Mosby or lose eyery
man he had In tho attempt.
One night, early In March, Stoughton
had little supper at his Headquarters
a neat little supper that sent the gal.
liant general to bed in an excellent hu-
NOR, ana made him quickly forget that
wars alarms were ever likely to disturb
the slumbers Of votary Of the laugh
ing, vine crowned god. 1t was cold
nlght, and the rain that had set in ear
IN ceaseless pour that made the world
one dreary, watery waste. The Union
men never dreamed that any one would
venture out after setting the usual som
tinels to plod through the mud ut their
posts about town.
By II O'clock the little village was
silent and the Federal camp wrapped
In slumber, but down the road near the
famous field Of Chtntilly party of
mon on horseback were stealing
through the woods. No one spoke q
word, and the only sound in the dark
ness was the splashing OF the horses
hooiS In The pelt1ng rain through the
tossing trees. And as they stole along
IN tho night, wrapped in heavy cloaks,
and with their hats pulled low over
some band OF cOnspirators creeping on
their way to assassinate some sleeping
foe.
On nearing the town one of them cut
the Wlro that ran to the station near by
ana mus the Union troops were sew
ered from all communication with tn cir
friends at distance. IL was midnight
when the cavalcade entered the village,
and rs they tramped down the muddy
road no one saw them or heard sound
from the foes thus daring to ride into
the very face of the slumbering enemy.
There was no light in the town streets.
and only now and then q faint CLEAN
from half shut window Wonld tremble
Tor moment on the smoking sides of
the rangers horses, or be reflected
back from the pistols in their bolts.
GA reaching tho center of the village
Mosby halted his men, and dividing
them into two detachments, sent one
quietly to secure the horses, while with
Six mon he took his way to the head
quarters Of the Commanding General
The house was old.fashioned Southern
mansion. about 100 yards from the road
and set back In a pretty grove of trees.
The rangers quietly opened the gate,
ana trot1ng up to the house, dismount-
ed ana ran up on the porch. With a
lierce jerk Mosby rang the boil.
a window in room above flew I'M
and sleepy voice demanded who was
below
"A courier with dispatches for Gen
eral Stoughton," replied Mosby, rs he
motloned to the mon not to move.
The window fell. the officer ran down
and IN moment the door stood open.
on are my prisoner" WHISPERED
Mosby to the astonished Federal, who,
being unarmed, dared not make any
resistance. Then, leaving one man to
guard the captive, the ranger dashed
upstairs and strobe into the room
where the General lay sleeping. With
rough shake MOsby aroused him.
what In the devil Is the matter ?"
inquired Stoughton as he sprang up in
bed.
"Stuart's cavalry is in possession of
Inc IoWn, Mosby quietly replied.
"StuarS in town." Stoughton ex.
claimed in astOnishment, still mistak.
Ing the mon about his bed for his own
troops; "Why, l thought you had cap.
tnrpd Mosby."
"Oh, no; you have not captured Mos.
Dy," coolly remarked the Chief, "but
Mosby has captured you; you had best
got up quietly and como with me-"
Finding himself prisoner In the
hands Of the very man to whose cap
ture he was sworn, and believing that
d nlrts troops had the town tho Union
for oral made no attempt to rcsist, but
sed quietly. In a fow minutes he
Mosby descended the steps, and,
nting horses that stood outside,
sr!I soon joined the rest of tho rangers
u ( were awaiting Mosby's arrival at
,,y,,,.W heating DI1cp in tho roDtar of tba