Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-01-18
Mosby's dreenback Raid.
(Concluded from first page).


Union officer and hurriedly turned him
over to the guard at the door. Just as.
he did this he heard Colonel Mosby give.
the order to fire the cars. He fred one
end of the coach and siarted to go through
the car, when his foot struck an Object
lie picked it up and it proved to be a
large tin box and quite heavy. Mr. Al
drich has this box to day. It was pay
masters safe and contained much more
than 100000.
Mr.. Aldrich realized that he had made
rich find. The men were taking to
their horses. He wrapped the box in his
gum blanket and threw himself into his
saddle. The order to move had not been
given. Just then Charles H. Dear, one
of Nosby's men, climbed up the bank
with large satchel in his hand. It was
another variety of a paYmasler's safe, and
it was heavy with money.
As Dear neared the men one of the
paymasters, now prisoner, pointed to
the burning cars and remarked:
"Well, there's 100000 or so over in
that bonfire you won't rejoice over"
He had hardly spoken the words when
Aldrich unwrapped the tin box and show
ed it to the prisoner He paled in the
glare of the fire light and staggered with
establishment as his eyes fell upon the
precious safe which he thought the flames
were destroying.
The paymasters captured were Generals
RuggIes and Moore, and The "greenback
raid" had been made and over S16S, 900
of Government money had fallen into the
hands of Mosby's men. 1t was found n
examining the contents of the cafe that,
while it contained great amount of mon
ey there was also a large quantity of mil
itary warrants. These were drafts on the
United States Treasury and were not val
ID until signed by the proper authorities
and the amount filed in. 1t was the Gus.
tom of the Federal government to pay its
troops partly in greenbacks and partly
with warrants, the latter being convenient
to send home. 1t was suggested at the
time of the raid that the paymasters be
made to sign these warrants, but Mosby
would not have it doue
The raid over, the next thing for the
cavalrymen to do was to disappear. There
were Union troops not far away, and
Mosby made up his mind to get his booty
as far out Of reach as possible. The men
jumped to their horses, and scattered,
leaving the burning train and disguised
lot of passengers shivering around the
FIRE, Generals RuggIes and Moore were
placed under guard, and scnt to Rich
mond as prisoners of war.
The money captured was placed by Col.
Mosby in charge of picked detail of men
in command of Lieutenant Grogan, who
had orders to put the river between him
and the enemy as soon as possible. With
DR.. Wiltshire as guide and Aldrich and
Dear making Up the rest OF the party,
the horses were started on swift pace
across the country. Rapidly they made
their way to the Shenandoah, and, cross
ing at the Island Ford, in Jefferson coun-
BY, soon bad the waters Of the beautiful
stream between them and any party that
might come in pursuit. They stopped at
the house of a friend, aud, although thou
sands of dollars were in their keeping
they slept as soundly as children after n
day's romD.
1t had been arranged that the command
should meet on the day after the raid, and
accordingly Ihe detail, after good old
fashioned Virginia break fast, hurried to
meet their comrades The place chosen
for the meeting was at Bloomfield, Lou
doun county. After ride in the Grncing
morning air Lieutenant Grogan and his
detail reached the meeting, where they
found the command drawn up under
large tree. Colonel Mostly was walking
up and down aud greeted the men most
cordially.
The money was then turned over to
james Lowudes, Baltimorean, who was
directed TO maize an equal division of it
among the men. Before this was done
several of the men insisted that goodly
share of the captured money should be
given to their leader. When spoken to
about this Mosby replied:
mo, not cent. 1 want you boys to
have it ALL"
The Colonel kept his word, and, though
several of The men insisted, he refused to
take a cent Later, as he watched the
money being handed cut to his men, he
remarked:
well, boys, you're getting your pay
now"
Shortly after the raid the men showed
their appreciation for their leader by pre-
sentiug him with thoroughbred horse,
Croqueite, which they purchased at
Oatlands, Va.
bir. A'J-ich took the tin safe lie had
capture aui sent it to his home in Lou
doun couatg. His father, fearing trouble
in case the box should Ia fnrn6 at tbe