The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-24
|P|T|FUL STORY OF
 COL, JOHN s. M0SBY Old War Hero Is Living in Poverty in Washington IS BRAVE AND PROUD
Veteran of Many Battles, Who Wns Dismissed By Wickershnm, Is Try ing to Finish Writing
 Book on the War
BY wATTERsoN srEALEY

Washington. July 23.-(Special. .)-Living in a room at 3Os Twelfth street, north west, the furniture of which is three chairs, single bed, some books. a writ ing table and a little oil stove, on which he cooks his food, is Col. John Singleton Mosby, famous in the annals of the Civil war as leader of the partisan rangers
 The famous old warrior, stern and strong as in the days of the war, but with a tear in his eye, told a newspaper man last night how he had been dis missed from the department of justice for no known reason to himself.
 He said he received his discharge with out the slightest warning and that At torney General Wickersham gave no req son for his action.
 The reporter asked him whether he would go on a vacation this summer or not, and he said: "A vacation? Why, I am on a permanent vacation. Attorney General Wickersham gave no reason for dismissing me. The newspapers said I was superannuated."
 A faint tear stole into the eve of the brave old man of 77. He stretched him
 
 room and the tears came too fast to be wiped away with his hand. 1T shall write my memoirs, out of which I hope to realize something" and then his voice trembled. for his proud spirit was hu- inflated. His gaze centered on little bare pine table on which sat a small oil stove.
 On the table were a few pieces of toasted bread and on the floor under the table stood a can of coffee. Another table stood nearby on which there were among which was history of the Get tysbyS- campaign, written by the colonel sometime ago. Nearby was a single iron bed, on which the old man lay endeavor- ing to keep back the tears Before his dismissal from office Colonel Mosby lived at 1913 l.. street, northwest. but has been compelled to take up less desirable quar- ters on Twelfth street.
 After some moments of silence, during which the old man stared at the ceiling, he suddenly drew the bed covering up over his breast and sat upright. "They say I am superannuated: am no such thing. I am as strong as I ever was. I am old. 1t Is true, but I am strong, nevertheless"
 Here the old fire came to the face of the soldier as vividly as in the days when he hovered about Washington with his band of 500 men.
 T have no plans for the future" he went on. 'T shall stay in Washington and work on my book-at any rate shall not leave the city. No, no; I will take no vacation"
 Why when Lee fell back to defend Richmond from Grant" he burst out, .'I still lowered about the Potomac with my band, and kept the federals on the look out all the time. had absolutely no support from the Confederate army l. worked with my men in the enemy's country, and kept them on their toes all the time.
 My present condition is a part of the game. It's war--and I take it as such. I have been up against it during the war, and did not take 1t so seriously to heart. shall endeavor to do so now'
 Colonel Mosby was appointed to a po- sition in the department of justice by Colonel Roosevelt, who liked the daring old soldier. The colonel was United States consul at Hongkong, China. from 1878 to 1885. Then he practiced law in San Francisco until appointed in the de- pertinent of justice.
 His home is in Albemarle county, Vir- ginia He is graduate of the University of Virginia law school. He has three sons, one of whom is living in Wash ington, and the other two are in the north.