Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-14
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GALLANT JOHN MOSBY
Interesting Story of Gallant
Confederate Guerrilla.


ago put Il price upon HIS i'iN' N'''''>'
John s. Moshy, the famous guerrilla
chief of the Confederacy in the civil
war. has retired from the Federal de-
partment of justice. because of his age.
SAYS the Evening Post. He is only I3,
according to his birth record. but in the
first half of the SOS he lived 10 years in
every one, and he has carried at least
one bullet in his body ever since. Gen.
Lee once said of him: "Mosby, | have
but one fault to find with you; YOU
are always getting wounded"
After the war Gen. Grant had no
fault to find with him, although the
general, when in command Of all the
northern armies, had had a narrow
escape from capture by this same
guerrilla. Grant told the story in his
memoirs.
while my headquarters were at
Culpeper, from March 26 to May l."
wrote the general, Il generally visited
washington once a week to confer with
the secretary of war and the president.
On the last occasion, a few days before
moving, a circumstance occurred when
came near poStponing my part IN the
campaign altogether. Col. John :.
Mosby had for a long time been COM
manding partisan corps, or regiment,
which operated in the rear of the army
of the Potomac. on my return To the
field on this occasion, as the train ap-
,,rDaobad TorraDtnO IunctipD a heavy
cloud of dust was seen To the east OF
the road, as if made by a body of
cavalry on a charge.
Arriving at the junction, the train
was stopped and inquiries made as to
the cause of the dust. There was but
one man at the station. and he inform
ed us that Mosby had crossed few
minutes before at full speed in pursuit
of Federal cavalry. Had he seen our
train coming, no doubt, he would have
let his prisoners escape to capture the
train. | was on a special train, If l
remember correctly, without any
guard"
Grant Liked the Guerrilla.
In the same volume Gen. Grant had
this to say of the man who had be-
come an outlaw Immediately after the
war, because he did not believe that
the amnesty given to all other south
ern commanders would include him:
Since the close of the war l have
come to know Col. Mosby personally,
and somewhat intimately. He is a
different man entirely from what had
supposed. He is slender not tall, wiry.
and looks as if he could endure any
amount of physical exercise. He is
able, and thoroughly honest and truth
full There were probably but few men
in the south who could have command
ed successfully a separate detachment
in the rear of an opposing army, and so
near the border of hostilitics, as long
as he did without losing his entire
command"
Mosby's name was used in war times
by the mothers and nurses of the north
to frighten unruly children into obedi-
ence. and was dreaded by the Union
soldiers as a scourge. There was moth
ing he was not accustomed to. from the
wanton killing of women and children
to being a wizard who could disembody
himself for the purpose of making as
tral visits to the headquarters of
northern generals to learn all their Sc
crets.
The Mosby Legends.
Among the survivors of the Army
of the Potomac" says Moshy in his
War "reminiscences" there are many
legends afioat, and relgiously believed
to be true, of a mysterious persona
sort of Flying Dutchman or Wandering
Jew-prowling among their camps in
the DAYTIME in the garb of beggar, or
with a pilgrims staff, and leading cav
airy raids upon them at night. In
popular imagination | have been iden-
titled with that mythical character. ON
the day after Mr.. Lincoln's assassina-
ton Secretary Stanton telegraphed to
Gen. Hancock, then in command at
Winchester. Va. that | had been seen
in the theater in Washington on that
fatal night. Fortunately l could prove
an aiibi by Hancock himself, as | was
at that very time negotiating a truce
with him."
After referring to other myths about
himself and his command, and the re-
ports that they usually wore Federal
uniforms to lure their prey into traps,
the colonel adds: Il can now Very
well understand how the legendary
heroes of Greece were created. | al
ways wore the Confederate uniform,
with the insignia of my rank. So did
my men. So any success l may have
had. either as an individual scout Or
partisan commander, cannot be ac-
counted for on the theory that it was
due to disguise. The hundreds of pris-
oners took are witnesses to the con-
trary."
For nearly four years he naggcd the
northern generals (cven captured one
of them with his entire staff, upset
their big plans 10y carrying out his lit
tie ones, terroriZed the border, killed
many, bOt CaDtuTtu ana I'llbltN Ill'I''
and convinced all northern sentm"ls in
Virginia of the funlishmess of going to
sleep on picket duty.
In explanation and defense of his
guerrilla methods of warfare he has
SAL:
Il told Gen. Stuart that I would.
by incrssant attacks. compel the enemy
either greatly to contract his lines or to
reinforce them: either Of which would
he of great advantage I" the southern
cause The means supplied me w"r"
hardly adequate to the end | proposed.
but | thought that zeal and celebrity
would go far to compensate for the de-
ficiency of my numbers. There was Il
great stake 10 he won and resolved t"
play a bold game to win il. | think
Stuart was the only man i'm the army
of northern Virginia except tw" or
three who accompanied IN" and knew
me well who expected that would ac-
complish anything.
Nearly every one thought that | was