The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-04
lessons From the Confederacy

complained that Bonapartc violated all
military maxims By dying about from
point to point in italy breaking UP
environments and lighting battles In
the winter time" The Raiders fought
at any time, and all times, whenever
they found a weak point In tho enc
rny's lines. They fought for success,
and never declined tho advantage or
the first fire; and believed tho only
way 10 securc peace was to destroy
the resources or the enemy with as
small loss as possible to their own
members This rule of their conduct
was then. and is to day. approved In
all military usaReA. This also was the
policy OF Jackson and Grant, Forrest
and Sherman, semmes and Farragut.
1t Is great mistake to speak or
these Rangers as guerrilas or bush
wliacicrs; unjust To them and the
country which authorized their organ
ization. cannot speak OF tho North
ern rangers rs whole. knowing but
little or their life
But of those In the South, tho
greater percentage OF them were we'll
bred, refined gentlemen, many OF whom
Ind widely Travelled. There wcro
among them some few adventures.
but even they compare most farorabiy
with the adventurous In the armies OF
the North. do know that fair-minded
people we'll versed In these records OF
actions. must ever acknowledge the
true courage, the chiyalry. tho high
sense Of honor with which was blend
cd less vice, selhshness and meanness
OF those men who wore the gray. Tho
standard uniform was something
gray and always worn. No Southern
raider was ever willing 70 go under
false colors. They fought In the open
as true men of war, under orders and
In uniform. and followed tho teachings
Of tho plantation life, enlarged, but to
meet the necessities of war. They
obeyed the mandate, TO ride. 10 shoot
and 10 speak the truth. and TO mako
no woman or child fear them" The
Raiders were fastidious in dress. just
~ were they called tho ''dandIes OF
the army" However this be. they at
all times were biithe in tho face OF
danger full of SONG and story, indif-
fcrent as 10 the eventa of the NOR
row. keyed 10 a high pitch OF antici-
patton. and unconsciously full of that
pride which is but tho result OF re-
pcatcd victoriea and much spoils. but
TO his glory ba 81. the Ranger or
Raider never went disguised, he al
ways wore tho gray and honored IL.
The raiders could not hide their col
9rs even Ut night when all colors
looked alike, and III day time, they
didn't have TO deceive the Yankee 10
knew them Just after they hit US, and
then. IL we were not running from
their Colts. we sure had 10 look out
for their fool horses" There was,
however, Northern partisan company
of cavalry Ia the command OF the
Army OF the Potomac. incorrectly
called "Jessc's Scouts" which always
wore Confederate gray, but they fully
realized the danger OF their disguise,
k.a
Partisan Rangers OF the South, for
there is great gulf dividing the work
OF scout from that OF spy, a differ
cnce applicable 10 tho place In history
occupied by the auerrillas and Raid
ers The latter being :he duplicated.
rather multiplacated scout Among
Northern Partisan Rangers can be
FOUND Dahlgrcen. Blazer. Stoneman and
i>iipatrick's commands. which In the
northern army We're designated by a
company letter band regiment num-
ner. In the South the company bore
us leaders name. Our Raiders reflect
ea the enulsent glory OF Morgan,
Roddy and Mosby
About the name OF John Mosby Is
woven the organization of partisan
rangers. At the breaking out of the
constitutional War. Mosby Joined tbe
FIRST Virginia Regiment of Cavalry.
IhouSh he petitioned the Governor or
virginia Tor permission TO toin m in
lantrY company which numbered n,pv
o. his friends, his request was refused
20 Mosoy WAS mustered in at Abinr
ooh' va. his company becoming a part
OF the First Cavalry. And. though he
was in tho command OF Stuart S,,,n,,
VAS stationed 1T Manassas Mosbv. he
ing Ill the cavalry, lost the chance or
being, as were his special infantry
irienus, a "Stonewall Brigade" man.
for Il short period NTosby enioyed he
ing an adJutant though only commits
stoned n lieutenant, but lost his com
mission where CORVALLIS lost his
sword, resisning ut Yorktown. The
army, through gaps made by war. wos
being reorganzed in 1862, and many
iate commissioned officers were throws,
ou', Mospy among the number. IL was
Whiie again private under Stuart.
that ne was called upon to serve ms n
scout Tor that general. Mosby had
round his opportunity: Ii was like
throwing rabbit into briar patch.
ana Mosby recognized and seized his
chahce' very soon the world became
aware of new war power. Nosbv,s
first notable scouting expedition NJ
mat time unparalleled in history. was
10 successfully. and nnaided make .
scout TO the rear OF McClellan,s army
winch was then lying in front OF Rich
mono. This was in Juno OF 1862. This
ieat was soon followed by ono OF the
great and most marvellous marches oP
an history; the passing OF Stuart's cav
airy corps, on raid, completely
around Mcclellan's army. and a parti-
san ranger scout led Stuarts mapn;d-
cent body of cavalry
This exploit made possible for the
young Vlrginian TO carry out Der-
.ectiy conceived plan Of warfare. eain
me consent Of his general to that nlon
VINO detailed certain number Of the
nirst virginia Cavalry. fifteen suitable
men. with whom Mosby worked o,,t
most brilliantly and with glorious re-
SUITS, tho problem of tho effectiveness
OF an independent command harrass,ns,
an cnemy's rear
Very soon his exploits began 70 bo
neard OF In the North and South. Each
uay tho newspapers recorded the
deeds of this daredevil Southornsr"
suffers trains and wagons we're raid
cd; bridges werc burned ammunition,
arms and supplies were ;aken; pickets
III no = :