The Portland daily press., 1896-06-06
A CONFEDERATE PARTISAN CHIEF.
Gen Mosby's Rangers and the Work They
Did.
(From James J. Williamson's Narrative
f'Mosby's Rangers

| Thirty years have done much toward
clearing away false impressions created
during the war and cherished afterward
as truth, from constant iteration; yet
today many people think Of Mosby and
his rangers as sort of guerrilla band
infesting the Virginia mountains, owing
allegiance to no one but themselves, liv-
ing by occasional foragings against out
lying Yankee posts. holding up trains.
capturing baggage wagons and in short
making war an excuse for pillage and
plumber.
Like many other popular prejudices,
however, it is wholly incorrect, and the
blood-curdlin9 romances Of federal imag-
lnation must succumb to the hard facts
contained in the straightforward nara
tive of James J. Williamson Gone of
Mosby's OWN, entitled "Mosby's Rang
eTs," and published by Ralph B. Kenyon
Of New York, in which he gives record
of their operations from the date of their
organization to the time Of their final
dis banding.
| Mo sby's command was regularly or
gani zed and mustered into the Confe6-
crate service on ssthe same footing with
other troops except that being organized
under the partisan ranger law, an act
passed by the Confederate congress-, they
were allowed the benefit of the law ap-
plying TO maritime prizes. All cattle
and mules were turned over to the Con-
federats government, but horses captured
were distributed among the men making
the capture.
Mosby was scout; his business was
to gather information, to cut off commu-
nications, to intercept dispatches, and
by destroying supplies in the rear of ad-
vancing armies to force the men to be
sent back from the front that the rear
might be projected. When the Federal
soldiers were pushing on to Richmond
| their lines became more extended, and
greater numbers were required to guard
| them from his attacks. In this way Mos
by, with O few horsemen, kept thousands
of men from active duty in the front,
| to say nothing OF the damage inflicted by
| his constant assaults.
| After he had attracted attention by his
| daring achievements, men came from
all parts of the country to join him.
o1uOSib iVSlshCu III tIG
| army to come and serve with him as pri-
Yates Although dangerous service,
there was fascination in the life of q
ranger that attracted many to the side of
| the dashing partisan chief. Mosby, in
fact, was pestered by men in tho regular
army seeking to know if he would re-
ceive them in the event of their resionipg
| their positions. Often they came person
| ally. At one Of these meetings a young
man walked up to Mosby, and extending
| his hand said:
How are you, major"
Chow are you" said Mostly, looking
up, thrusting his hands into his pockets
and surveying him from head to foot.
~ came here to join you, major"
"Where are you trom'
81 belonged to Mcneil"
"WhHt are you doing here' said Mos
"Want to join your command . At
| the same time the young man mentioned
something about a transfer of furlough.
Where's your paper?' said Mosby.
Let me see it. "
| 1t was handed him, and looking at
the date he raised his eyes, saying:
| where have You been all this time"
| He said he had been getting horses,
and that he had several.
81 don't want you," said Mosby $50
| back to your command, and don't tell
pOOplC SOu diO OuO VI AatOSOy m0u-GudU
| you belong to my command. / heard
| you robbed a Yankee deserter of So. So I
don't want you with me-"
| 81 never did such thing" said the
man.
Dom. you live at smigh's'
"Then you are the man. I don't want
| you," and tearing up the paper, Mosby
turned his back and walked away.
| = Mosby's men," when not on duty,
were mostly scattered through the coun.
| ties of London and Fauquier There
were few indeed, even among the poorest
mountaineers, who would refuse shelter
and food to Mosby's rangers
Having no camps, they made their
| homes at the farmhouses, especially
those along the Blue Ridge and Bull
Run mountains. Certain places would
be designated at which to meet but if no
| time or place had teen named at former
meeting, or if necessary to have the
command together before "a time appoint
ed, couriers were dispatched through
the country and the men thus notified
| Scouts were out at all times in Fairfax,
or along the Potomac, or in the Shenan-
doah valley. Whenever an opening was
| seen for successful operations couriers
were sent from headquarters and in few
hours number of we'll mounted an
equipped men were at prescribed rem
oCAtOuo 1cdNJ W 5uIpFlS6 plCk0U, CaD-
ture q retain or attack u camp or body
of cavalry. After raid the men scat
tered, and to the federal cavalry in pur-
suit it WAS like chasing a will-o'-the
wisp.
People who had pictured Mosby as
terrible brigand chief were surprised
when they came face to face with him to
find rather slender but wiry-looking
young man, of medium height, with
light hair, keen, restless eyes and q
pleasant expression. In manner he was
plain and unassuming. Cool in danger,
quick to think and practical in carrying
out his ideas-qualities which aided ma
terially in his success.
There was rich vein of humur run
ming through his nature so close to the
surface that it required but little dig
ging to reach it. and no school boy ever
enjoyed bit of fun with keener relish
than Mosby. Sometimes, when on the
march, we would turn into the woods
and stop to rest the tired orses. On
such occasions Mosby would often call
on John Sinclair to describe the capture
of a suffers train. Sinclair was cley-
er actor and could not only suit the &C.
ton to the word, but possessed sufficient
power of mimicry to show off the little
peculiarities of the different suffers in
tboir ri OF hit and their vain