Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-10-21
COL. JOHN S. MOSBY
ON THE EUROPEAN WAR
Former Confederate Commander Says
He'd Soon Cut Off the German
Line of Communication.

a few of the officers serving under me
in our war, I'd break up all commun-
ication between the German army and
Berlin, and | would run William back
to his capital in a hurry"
This was the statement made today
by Col. John S. Mosby, late confeder-
ate soldier, leader of Mosby's
men who caused so much trouble for
the Union army during our civil war.
The venerable warrior lives in apart
ments on Twelfth street, N. W., in
Washington, and is 81 years of age. AL
though his hair is white as snow and
he is a little deaf, he is by no means
feeble. He is now engaged in writing
his memoirs and hopes to complete the
volume in about six months.
1t will tell the story of his boyho)d
in Virginia, his young manhood in the
University of Virginia and the Confed-
crate army and his later service as
United States consul in China.
The communication of an army is
its vulnerable point" he continued. "If
was over there in Europe l would do
on a large scale what l accomplished
on a smaller scale in the Shenandoah
valley, when l cut off General Sheri-
dams communicate l had only 800
men with me at that time.
81 don't understand why they do not
move with their cavalry. 1t vexes me,
the slowness with which the allies OPP
crate. If l was there, l would make
William detach half of his army-thet
is, l would do it if l have as much
sense now as I had during our war.
Sets Length at Six Months.
Il don't look to see the war last
more than six months. 1t is such a
tremendous affair that it will break
down of its own weight l blame Ger
many for the whole thing. She has
been manufacturing this war machine
for years, and she just wanted to try
it. Now she has done So"
What do you think of this war as
compared with our civil WARP l asked
Colonel Mosby
Our civil war? What do you mean,
our civil war;" he replied. at wasn't
civil war. There was no such thing
as civil war"
War between the states, them"
mo, it wasn't a war between the
states. 1t was a geographical and sec
tional war between peoples of the
same country. l call it simply our
war That covers the situation"
Then what do you think of the Ell
ropean war as compared with our
war;" I asked
They are making no progress in Eu-
rope. We made progress every day on
one side or the other. AS near as !
can determine they are simply killing.
The tide doesn't ebb and flow single
bit. We advanced or retreated and.
were not in the struggle simply to kill.
And with how much humanity on both
sides our war was conducted! 1t pre-
sents the greatest contest.
Will Bring Out General.
"The war must bring out some great
generals, but it has not done so yet. 1t
is evident they haven't a Robert f.
Lee or Stonwall Jackson. They would
have done something long before nov.
AS it is, the forces are just killing The
object of war is not to kill. 1t is to dis
able the military power. l have writ
ten much on our war, but have neve:
dwelt on the bloody scenes. l have
written more on the scientific aspect.
Sitting Bull would never have
thought of throwing bombs from Yep
pelins. That is war on non-combat-
ants and is horrible. In our war we
never attacked the non-combatants,
and cannot understand what the Ger
mans are thinking about, Indians have
more civilized warfare than dropping
explosives from the skies"