Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-24
HIS GUERRILLA DAYS
WHEN MOSBY RODE ON HIS
RAIDS.
Tells of Sending Lock of His Hair
to President Lincoln-Jest En-
joyed by the Latter.

John S. Mosby, well known as the COM
mander of a guerrilla band in the service
of the confederacy during the war of the
states, and who is now special employe of
the Department of the Interior. showed a
Willingness to talk about his wartime ex-
periences to Star reporter day or two
ago. The latter inquired into the truth of
story that he had entered Alexandria in
disguise and had engaged in some dare
devil trick.
'Oh, that story is all nonsense" said
Colonel Mosby, Il never went to place in
disguise in my life. These stories arose be-
cause of the rapid movements of my COM
mand Why, there is official telegram on
file in the War Department, stating that
l was in Washington in conference with
Wilkes Booth the night of the killing of
president Lincoln. 1t is needless to say
that the statement was known to be false
by most of the federal generals.
Yes. l frequently got close to Washing
ton during the war Many a time l would
ride up to the hill up yonder across the
Potomac and look down upon the city. l
we would soon disappear Just over on the
Virginia side early one morning l met a
Mrs. Barlow on her way into Washington
with wagon full Of vegetables. Her hus-
band was federal soldier and she was a
northern woman. She had a pass to go in
and out of Washington, and drove into the
city often from her farm. | used to go to
her house often and get cup of good cof-
fee. or course. she gave il to u.s. knowing
that We rather had charge of things all
along on that side of the river. Well, on
this particular morning Mrs. Barlow had a
pair of scissors hanging from her apron.
After | had talked with her awhile 1 said:
q" Mrs. Barlow, lend me your scissors
She handed them to me, and l reached
up to my head. got hold of a bunch of hair,
cut 1t off and said: Mrs. Barlow, please
take this lock Of my hair right into Lincoln,
and say to him that l am coming in to see
him soon and will expect a lock of his hair
In return She looked much puzzled, but
she said she would do it.
Il found out afterward that she rode
straight to the White House and gave the
hair to the President personally, refusing TO
give 1t to anyone else. The President Was
amused and laughed heartily. No, 1 was
not afraid to do this, because l knew that
by the time the President could attempt to
catch me l would be thirty miles away.
President Lincoln never made an attempt
to catch me, because he knew that l would
be somewhere else when his mon arrived
Many people took information of me into
Washington for the purpose of trying to
bring bout my capture.
Il covered the entire south side of the Po-
tomac for many miles each way, and the
largest number of men / had in 1864, when
Sheridan was in the Shenandoah valley
was five troops of cavalry, a total of Dot
men. With that command we captured al
the arms we needed all the ammunition
| food and clothing, and had a wagon trar
running to Lees army frequently with sup
| plies we had captured. No. l was never a
general l was private in the LIST Virginia
| Cavalry for the first two years after the
| war and began raising my command aftel
| that time, beginning with one troop of cav.
| airy. Each man was armed with two pts-
| tolls and a saber. We had no cdrbines."