The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-17
MOSBY'S GUERRILLA DAYS
THE Old NAN TELLS OF HIS
EXPLOITS
Near Washington During the War
Times.

Times.
John S. Mosby, well known as the
commander of a guerrilla band in the
service Of the Confedracy during the
war Of the States. who is now special
employee of the Department of the In
terror, showed willingness TO talk
about his wartime experiences TO re-
porter a day or two ago. The latter
inquired into the truth of a story that
he had entered Alexandria in disguise
and had engaged in some daredevil
trick.
"Oh, that story is all nonsense" said
Col. Mosby, 81 never went to a place
in disguise in my life. These stories
arose because of the rapid movements
of my command. Why, Their is an Of
fetal telegram on file in the War De-
partment stating that was in Wash
ingtoh in conference with Wilkes
Booth the night of the killing of Pres
ident Lincoln. 1t is needless to say
that the statement was known to be
false by most of the Federal Generals.
Yes, frequently got close to Wash
ington during the war. Many time
I would ride up to the hill up yonder
across the Potomac and look down up
on the city. 1 might have one or two
men with me- and we could soon dis
appear. Just over on the Virginia side
early one morning I met Mrs Bar
low on her way into Washington with
a wagon full of vegetables. Her hus-
band was a 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 a cup of good coffee. OF course,
she gave it to us, 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 I had talked with her
awhile I said:
MRS. Barlow, lend me your scis-
sors.'
''She handed them to me, and I
reached up to my head, got hold of a
bunch of hair. cut it off and said: Mrs,
Barlow, please take this lock or hair
right into Lincoln, and say to him that
] am coming in to see him soon and
will expect a lock of his hair in re-
turn She looked much puzzled, but
she said she would do it.
81 found out afterward that she rode
straight to the White House and gave
the hair to the President personally,
refusing to give it to any one else. The
President was amused and laughed
heartily. No, I was not afraid to do
this, because knew that by the time
the President could attempt to catch
me, I would be thirty miles away.
President Lincoln never made an at
tempt to catch me, because he knew
that + would be somewhere else when
his men arrived. Many people took in
formation Of me into Washington for
the purpose of trying to bring about
my CAPTURE.
81 covered the entire south side of
the Potomac for many miles each way,
and the largest number of men 1 had
in 1864, when Sheridan was in the
Shenandoah Valley, was five troops of
cavalry, a total of $50 men. With that
command we captured all the arms we
needed, all the ammunition, food and
clothing, and had wagon train run
ming to Lees army frequently with
supplies we had captured. No. I was
never a General. was private in the
First Virginia Cavalry for the first two
years of the war, and began raising
my command after that time, begin
ming with one troop of cavalry. Each
NTH was armed with two pistols and a
sabre. We had no carbines. wash
ington Evening Star.