The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-26
M0SBY'S MEN MEET
AROUND THEB0ARD
Continued from First Page)

HNUUlND Ill DOHlND
Continued from First Page)
the same 10 The Star correspondent. as
follows:
ION the nth OF April, 1865, beautiful
spring day, one Of the most remarHaDle
official papers ever written By one mill
tary officer to another was received Dy
Colonel Mosby from General Hancock.
This extraordinary epistle was addressed
to Colonel J. 5. Mosby, {. ;. a. ana
demanded the surrender of the partisan
battalion on terms similar TO those &C
cepted by General Lee from General
Grant, and an offer TO parole an stIas-
glers from the Army Of Northern Nlr-
ginia. but excluded from that beneht the
guerrilla chief Mosby.
SUDDEN TRANSITION.
Il have never seen a more sudden
change than his features expressed when
he scanned the purport OF General Han
cocks letter with the compressed Up
and dlstended nostrils he seemed the
very embodiment OF fierce determination
IL Is difficult 10 conceive OF more pam
full situation than that which conironte1
Mosby.
MANY plans and schemes were dis
cussed by the officers and men, a pro-
position was made 20 keep the command
intact ami cut its way through all oo-
stacles into Mexico. Many expressed the
opinion that Mexico could be easily
reached. Wild. extravagant and ira
tional as this suggestion may now APP
pear. under the luminous glare OF re-
cent history it met with almost unani-
nous approval Of officers and men.
CONFERENCE PROPOSED.
"Nosbv knew well the unselhsh devo-
ton Of his followers and how ready and
willing they were to sacrifice their lives
in his defence. and he decided TO COM
munica.e with General Hancock, whose
headquarters were az Winchester. MosDy
accordingly sent General Hancock COM
munication requesting him 10 appoint an
officer OF equal rank with Mosoy 70 ar
range with the latter for the surrender
OF his forces. Mosby stated that ne had
received no information OF General Lees
surrender from his own superior officers.
and asked for an armistice OF few days
until he could communicate with his
own authorities or obtain sufficient IN
telliceuce 10 determine his future ac-
ton.
IL was one Of the party selected to
carry the communication under flag
OF truce TO General Hancock. and which
required q long and wretchet ride, LAST
ing all night and far into the next day.
Afror a little delay. which. however, was
not preventable. We were taken into
General Hancock's presence.
~ have u distinct and vivid mental
vision OF General Hancock as he APP
preached and grasped our hands. Iuere
was a sclf-pOssesslon, ease ana bengin-
ant dignity about him that ! will never
u
whom 7 have a higher respect than |
have even az this date for General Han
cock. had never before felt ar all
ashamed OF my OH gray uniform. but !
could not help IL when this true soldier
held my hand and looked kindly and
sauarely in my face and said in firm
and earnest voice:
~ sympathize with YOU In what you
believe tO be "a great misfortune. You
have fought bravey and have nothing 20
De ashamed of. You have, like gallant
soldiers. left your cause 60 the God OF
battles, and the arbitrament OF the
sword has decided against you. Let us
once uorc kncel down az the same altar
and be ike brothers at the same house.
hold.
IN TIE NICK or TIME.
During the conference # was devel
0UeI that MOsuN udu itpufu TO Gru-idl
uancocrs communication just in the nick
Of time for the general said he had with
great reluctance given an order only
few hours previously for the sending OF
1000 men into the counties Of Loudoun
and FauQuier as the last terrible resort
for the purpose of destroying every house
that continued 10 give shelter to Mosby
and his men. lie manifested much sym
pathy for the people Of the South, but
insisted that the Confederate cause was
hopeless: that any effort 10 continue the
war on the part OF Mosby and his fol-
lowers was savage stubbOrnness and ir-
responsible madness, that since he had
demanded the surrender Of our forces we
had annoyed his outposts In a most out
rageous manner: that we continued to
Kill his pickets and capture his quarter
masters. commissaries and medical stores
every night he assured US that the
order for the dispatch Of troops would
be Immediately countermanded.
General Hancock granted an armistice
Of a few days al the conclusion OK
which Mosbv assembled his SO partisans
together and disbanded them. preferring
10 take that step 10 agreeing to sur
render 10 the United States authorities