The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-14

twenty men. rode slowly into the town
about two hours before dawn, and trv.-
ting up to the courthouse green the lit
tie party divided. some going to get sup
plies that were procurable. as well as the
horses Of the enemy. while Mostly and
two or three of his men rode down TO
the headquarters Of the general
No sound was to be heard in the foggy |
arkness but the slight splash of the
horses in the muddy road. and even had
any OF the enemy been awake they would
never have dreamed for n moment that
the guerillas. as they were called. were
calmly riding about in the midst OF their
camp. having eluded by strat-gem the
pickets posted along the lire. Mosby and
his men rode up to the generals house
and diSmounfed. the leader boldly knock
ing at the door. The house was shroud-
81 in darkness and silence but presently |
n head was poked out OF an upper win
dow and a sleepy voice inquired what
was wanted. MoSby replied THAT he was
a bearer OF dispatches for General
S~toughton. Tbs head disappeared. then |
came a gleam OF light, and an officer II
uniform. came down the narrow stairs |
and opened the door. In a moment ne
found himself a prisoner. and was told IN
a low voice 10 conduct the men 10 the
generals room. |
The half awake and startled Officer was
too much surprised TO resist. especially
as there was a long barrel giittering just
before his eyes. SO he went upstairs, &C
companied by Mosby and his compan-
ions. The party walked into the room in
which Stoughton lay calmly slumoerlng
amid pillows OF blankets and Mosoy.
walking up and shaking him. told him
to get up. Hearing the name Mosby
family in his dreams. Stroughton Sleep
ly inquired if Have you got Mosoy?
supposing ii was one OF his own couung
parties come to report the capture or the
ranger leader. but ne was scared into life
when. with a rough shake and a slap,
THE confederate informed him that Mos
by has got you
There is no use in resisting remark
ed Mosby, coolly. 1T means. sir, that you
are my prisoner, for Stuarts cavalry Is
in possession OF the place" Knowing II
f~ruitlesS to struggle against such n force,
Stoughton arose and dressed hurrledly,
guarded all the while by the confeder-
ates. who also secured the rest of the
staff officers in the house. Placing the
general between two of his men, Mosby
returned to the green. where he met the
rest of his men who had been on a for
aging expedition about the town. On tax
ing an account of what had been gath
cred in il was found that, besides Briga-
der General Stoughton. they had secured
two captains. thirty other prisoners, TO,
gether with their arms, ammunition ana
fifty-eight horses.
The return trip was safely made
though the party, whose prisoners We're
stronger in number than their captors,
We're fearful that some cutlery might be
made that would awake those OF the Zoe
who were Slumbering.
AS soon as they We're out of earshot OF
: the town they set out at a brisk pace and
l about dawn passed within 200 yards or
the federal fort at Centerville. The grim
mouths of the cannon could be seen
looming up in the dim light, and one
1 prisoner. a Captain Barker. OF New
D York. here made a break for liberty. but
was brought back by a timely shot. Pass
= ing beyond reach of the Notifications,
. Mosby's men struck out at a rapid pace
: for their own lines. and were soon safe
I from any fear of interference. delivering
u up their prisoners to the confederate au'
I hOritiaS.
S Another exciting and very remunera-
tive adventures of the rangers was wher
they captured a federal pay train. from
which they secured a large amount o.
g~reenbacks. 1t was in October, 1864, tina
Harry Heaton, one of the scouts, came
and informed Mosby hat there was {
fine opening in the valley on the line o
Y rhe Baltimore and Ohio railroad. so
> party was secured and they set on
n across the mountains for Duffield sta
ton. at which place the pay train was I,
pass, reaching the spot just before 1
was due. distractions We're placed upol
j the track. so that when the express cam
dashing down it came to an abrupt stop
Is A guard was placed over the engin
and the rangers entered the cars. o
20 board We're two union paymasters, hav
ing in charge the money for the troops
III the amount reaching $4,000, which wa
IS secured by West Aldridge. one of Mos
At by's men. Aldridge promptly reported hi
luck to Mosby, and when the full SUI
was collected it was equally divided gu
I'd among the mon. MoSby refusing to &c
III NlJk llh' SIAit
~ lieved of their funds, which went as ir
- dividual spoils. Then the cars We're Sc
Id on fire, and the band went back Wit
al twenty prisoners, besides the money an
10 the two paymasters. the latter being ser
- on to prison. One of the paymasters wa
40 a brother to General Ruggles, now in tn
Of war department..
Another time a train was capture
near Catlett's station, on what IS no
IN the Southern railroad. Lee was maxim
in his preliminary preparations for his &c
"a tySburg campaign. Hooker was GOVERN
Of Washington. while Pl~easanton's cavalr
al corps was stationed on the river abol
Of fifty miles from the capital. General ST.
~ art had sent to Mosby by Capital
af Fountain Beattie, a small mountain how
~ itZer and it was determined to use it
- an attack on the railroad which was en-
ployed by the union army for the conve!
ing of troops. To cripple this servi'
would be a great aid to the confederac+
% So the telegraph lines were cut, a IA
y, removed and with the howitZer on II
~ bank the men waited for the train. In
~ few minutes it came booming along. the
"a glided from the track, while the infantl
"a guard fired a volley. In a moment
- shell from the gun went crashing in
ne the boiler, at which the troops deserte
81 The hay on board fired up and burns
49,, brightly, while the escaping steam ma'
a noise like that of Inferno's caldron
"a The cars were loaded with fine sutler
~ stores and all of this was secured by Il