Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-07
CAREER OF MosBY,s MEN.
Captain Carter N. Louthan Answers
Certain Unjust Charges.
charlottesville Progress.

! At the request of the Progress, Captain
Carter NJ. Louthan Of This city, but form
| erly, Clark county man, who lived very
near the homes that were burned by the
| Federal troops during the war, has pre-
| pared the following paper in response to
| against Colonel J. S. Mosby. which have
recently caused such widespread censure
from all parts of the State:
! Editor Progress,-Much has recently
been written about the Mosby badge
! alleged to have been in evidence at the
Leesburg lynching. From authentic
| sources it seems to have been determined
that not a single Mosby man had any
| thing to do with the lynching. Reference
in the correspondence seems to have been
,,nwisely made to the killing, by Con-
| federates under Mosby's command, of the
| Federal soldiers who burned the dwelling
| houses of the aged men named William
| Sewers, Benjamin Morgan. and Province
Mccormick, in the county of Clarke,
The gentlemen named were leading citi-
| zens of that county, but were non-com-
! batants. AT all the homes, prior to the
! war, princely hospitality was dispensed
All the families were representative in
| all that characterized wealth and refine.
| ment All were widely connected in a
county that was "a gem of purest ray
serene upon the proud heart of dear old
| Virginia. Why the homes Of these typi-
cal Virginians of the old school Should
have been selected to emphasize the
cruelties of man has always been an
| unexplained page in the history of
Clarke's experience while war was flag
! rant.
Later her barns were burned, her fenc-
ing and crops destroyed and desolatio
| marked her borders from Loudoun on the
east to Frederick on the west and from
Warren on the south to Jefferson on
the north. Clarke was the camping
ground of both armies. When the south
ern army left the northern army came
in What one left the other took, on the
principal that nothing should be left to
give aid to the other Thus it will be
seen that my native county was the very
centre of occupation. The destroying of
crops the burning of barns and fences
may have been a measure calculated to
shorten the war, thus bringing a more
speedy deliverance from it's horrors
When it is known to the world, as it
was known to every citizen of Clarke,
what her people endured, then it may
not be regarded strange that Mosbys
men determined that the cup of sorrow
for Clarke should not be made more bit
ter by burning homes over the heads of
Do not understand me to justify all of
cruelty that occurred during 1S61-1S65 The
Lord knows that atrocities were commit
ted on both sides. But why Mosby's men
should be selected a. marks Of vitupera-
ton when they were actuated by desire
to save the homes of as devoted a people
as ever breathed the air of Virginia,
cannot divine.
During the entire war belonging to
Ia nf rir,io T 1,,,+
little in Clarke. I did not belong to that
Spartan band of whom it has been said
"A hundred men coulu cause thousands
to be drawn from Lees front to protect
wagon-trains from Mosbys men," War
is no pastime. War, is war. Retaliatory
measures are required. A soldier selected
to be unjustly shot from the ranks of one
army causes another to be selected to
be shot from the ranks of another. Burn
ing the homes of defenseess men and
women and innocent children caused re-
taliation in the way Of killing the men
who did it. The retaliation was awful,
but no more homes We're burned
For one I believe the war is over.
Nearly forty years have elapsed since
its horrors were experienced, but in the
language of one of it's heroes. LET us
have peace General Grant, the hero of
the Federal side, honored Mosby with
his confidence and esteem. General Lee,
a name dear to every southern heart, was
Colonel Mosby's friend and admrer. In
Mosbys command were as gallant men
as ever drew blade" The southern army
was full Of such spirits. We were con-
quered. Yes. we were "subdued by over
whelming numbers and resources But
we should not indulge in elimination and
recrinlination. Let us admire the pluck
of those who overcame us. Let us speak
and write of the virtues of the brave bows
who wore the gray. Let us turn our faces
to the rising sun. Let us cease to rake
among the ashes of the past. We are a
glorious people. 1T doth not yet appear
what we shall be- Heart within and
God O erhead," let us march to the music
of progress. LET us have peace
CARTER M. LOUTI1AN.