Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-21
SOME VIVID AND STIRRING INCL
DENTS RECALLED.
The CAPTURE OF SEDUCTION
A wrLL-LArD PLAN SUCCESSFULLY
CARRIED OUT.
DEATH DEALING
ereatest Destruction of Life by Ar
t,rery During the Wharf.-The 3oth
virginin-Its Gallant Soh""c'
Shnrpsburg.

The reunion of Mosby's Rangers. which
took place recently In Baltimore recaiis
uo.. yiyidly the stirring times Of the war
when these same men were not the peace
ful citizens Of to-day, but the much-feareo'
bold spirits that spent their DAYS ana
nights in harassing the boys thar Uncle
Sam cent out TO capture them. II is
long time since the lads in gray had been
In a fight; many Of those who bad been
boon companions are now sleeping un-
disturbed by the sound Of strife, and over
,hs heads of all Father Time had cast
q frost that, while 1t silvered the hair
touched not the heart OF those who met
around the festal board to talk of the
adventures Of the days of old.
The band known as the Mosby Rangers
was In fact the Forty-third Virginia
Battalion, a regularly organized troop
In which the officers were commissioned
and under the personal supervision of
Mosby, who was subordinate to General
Lee. Just as were the other officers OF
the Confederate army. These rangers,
however. were gathered for a species Of
warfare which being exercised In an In
dependent way, was the means OF naEass-
ing the enemy and Of keeping the large
armies of the Union constantly on the
alert. AS a line Is only as strong as
It's weakest point, II sometimes took
several thousand Federal troops TO guard
a road or communications, when they
were In truth menaced by only Few
hundred. The Rangers. who were com
posed OF the young men or the state
received no compensation from the Con
federate Government for their services
other than the spoils Of war taken by
their own efforts from the enemy. Many
Of the soldiers were but boys, come
scarcely out OF school. but the flower
,f the South could be found in then
ranks while for daring and absolute fear
iessness they had no equal.
That part Of Virginia which Is included
Fauquier and Fairfax counties be-
,anfe known as Mosby's Confederacy'
md I'm a short time was practically UNI
Ter tho control OF his men, Ceaseless
we're the slxirmishes which took place
he thrilling adventures and hair-breadth
escapes they encountered. but none per-
,aps are as remarkable as the affair In
which they went boldly into the centre
II Union camp and took out from It's
midst a slumbering general, escaplns
with their prey under the very froWn o.
The guns in the Federal forts.
This adventure occurred In March
ls5S. lust after the battle of Chancellors'
vile. and about the time that Lee hao
begun to marshal his forces for an IN
tended invasion of the North. Brisd'
dier-General Stoughton and large force
were encamped az the little village o.
Fairfax, which is the county-seat OF tn
vicinity. and numbers few hundred III
habitants. The men Of the force Were
ouartered about the place, While IN
General had his headquarters, with nj
staf. at the brick house which Is nov
ased as the rcctory for the Eplscopa
clergyman of the town. This residence
a large one standing In the midst o
lot OF goodly size, just about 100 YARD
from the main road, and the front room
In the second story was occupied by IN
commanding general.
The night selected by the Rangers wa
a cold. drizzling one, and they set GU
IN their Journey from their startin
ooInt. which was several miles oV,sid
me enemys lines about the town, a
near midnight. The lines or the Fede
rails extended in every direction abou
the country. some Of the Union force
being at Centreville. tiny hamlet 81
miles from Fairfax. In order TO escap
The pickets the Rangers made O detonl
and striking off from the main road 0
which they were travelling, managed |
approach the town in such way Una
the Federals could but suppose IN
troop was part of their own force tn
road was anything but pleasant on