Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-11-17

COLONEL JOHN SINGLETON M0SBY.
movements, forsooth. that the mama
of the leader became indeiibly ASSOC
ciated with it. "Mosby's Confederacy,"
as the district inclosed by Warrenton,
Fairfax and Harpers Ferry was term
ed, is to this day recognized as a geo.
graphical distinction.
The idea of an organized and ex-
tended partisan warfare in connection
with the mancuvers of the regular Con-
federate army originated with Colonel
Mosby in the early part of 1862. He
had at that time been reduced to the
ranks from the staff of Captain, after
ward General, Jones of the Fifth Vsr.
ginia cavalry by an election of off,
GERS sanctioned Ey the Confederacy
Captain Jones was also ousted from
his command. He was succeeded by
Fitz-Hugh Lee, who years later became
United States consul'in Havana.
Mosby. having been adiutant- felt
dishcarteneu at finding himself yri-
vate once more. But brighter days
were looming up in the distance Cen
eral ]. E. b. Stuart. the brilliant West
Point cavalry tactician, knew some
what of Mosby. He detailed him as
scout. Opportunities for the display OF
prowess were not lacking. Before many
moons had passed the scout was In q
position to ask the commander for his
sanction of the formation OF an auxil-
larry body of fighters to harass the fed
I'm Ia,
attachments could not display their
force to advantage. Stuart consented
He refused. however, to give the eager
Mosby more than quintet IF his
mounted warriors.
Not in the least daunted by the small.
ness of his command the embryo cav.
airy leader took himself away With his
horsemen. No pains were taken In
concealing from the troops of Confed.
crate cavalry the nature of the work
Mosby had In view. The anticipated
influx of newcomers TO the ranks OF
the rangers took place. and Mosby
soon had three or four score or hardy
Adventures under him. Young men
from the "F. r. "" attracted by the
hpNtfif prospectus VI
fighting. flocked to his standard.
Considerable ridicule at fist greet
ed the company. "Mosbys Conglom-
crates" and "Johnny's Foundlings' its
members were dubbed by the JEALOUS
ones fin the regular enlisted setEice.
Banter was turned into praise in short
order. however. as the exploits of the
fia Ia tf,sf
were noised abroad. Many of the erst-
while scoffers eventually found them
selves clamoring for admission. When
Lee surrendered to General Grant at
Appomattox Court House. nearly three
years later, Mosby's battalion num-
bered 700 men,
One of Mosby's first schemes was to
Fairfax and Warrenton the First New
Jersey cavalry under Colonel Percy
Wyndham. Sir Percy Wyndham. as
described in my fathers last book.
New Jersey Troops In the Gettys-
burg Campaign" by Samuel Toombs.
was an English nobleman, a veteran OF
French. Austrian and Italian wars and
JtSt sht tiidh w toPt WIN SiOSDs. AHt
rangers captured Wyndham's sentinels
and yedettes. They assaulted his out
posts. Notwithstanding his ultimate
failure TO dislodge the English adj
venturer. Mosby caused him deal of
trouble
Raids were Mosly's favorite agen-
cies in the campaign against the in
vaders OF the south. Here and there,
everywhere. he led his men. They lit
orally lived In the saddle as IL emuia
tive of Genghis Khan and his invinc-
BILE Tartars. Among Mosby's largest
raids were the Chantilly raid. result
Ing in the capture Of detachment Of
Union cavairyinen: the Boot raid.
Billy Smith raid. Ice Cream raid, COT
fee raid. the fatal Harpers Ferry raid,
the two Calico raids. the Greenback
raid and the Hanging raid. The latter