The Washington herald., 1914-04-25

This is one of the most recent photos
! of Col. MOsby, who is still alive. 1t
was taken about seven years ago.
road from Washington TO the front was
! guarded by FedeEal troops. at all the
important crossroads and bridges. The
part Of Virginia which the road traversed
was now virtually Federal territory.
There was not body OF regular Con-
federate troops nearer than the south
side of the Rapidan. where Lees army
was in camp. and between the Rapidan
and the railroad lay the Army Of the
| Potomac.
| 1t would seem. therefore, that Grant
could travel as safely here as in Mary
land or Pennsylvania. Events were to
indicate that this was not so.
Mosby Rides mt VIII.
Within the country controlled but not
subdued by the Federals rode the young
Virginian MOsby and his men. They had
operated all winter in the section of Viz
ginia between the Federal army and
Washington. Modern warfare has few
IL any parallels to the boldness with
which these rangers rode within the lines
of their enemies. 1t seemed as If the
Federals might post cavalry at every
crossroads and garrison every village
! without stopping Mosby from passing at
will.
The reasons for Mosby's immunity from
capture were not mysterious He had but
a small command. his men rarely num-
bering more than 800. Often he operated
with not more than twenty-five or thirty.
When pursued, these scattered. When
Fhard pressed in a given section the whole
command took to the gaps Of the Bull
Run or Blue Ridge Mountains Here
they lay quietly until the coast was
clear. when they again sailed forth into
LOudon. Fauquier, or Fairfax counties,
to resume their raids under the very
noses of the Federal cavalry posts.
But for the mountains as a refuge
Mcsby could not have pursued these
tactics. The Federals could not AFFORD
to watch all the mountain gaps and
defiles. II would have taken an army
corps to do it. Mosby knew this and
felt secure.
The men who rode with Mosby were
young and adventurous, soldiers of for
tune, for whom this sort of work had a
potent charm. Nearly all were Virgin
ians, but some were from other parts
of the South, and a few were OF foreign
birth. Among the latter was young
Prussian officer. who served as a pri-
vate. They called him the Baron" In
later life Mosby's men proudly recog-
nlZeu IN Baron hODefI Won MaSSOW, COM
mander OF the Ninth Cavalry Corps in
the German army. their companion in
arms whom they had familiarly termed
the Baron
1t CHANGED that thrOu-ho April Mos
by had been engaged in a special serv-
ice that had not attracted attention to
his command. He had been watching
the trains on the railroad to the Fed
eral front. to learn the character and
number of the recruits that were being
forwarded to the Army of the Potomac.
Scarcely a train carrying troops
passed along the road without being
seen by a Mosby man. When the Ninth
Army Corps, from Annapolis. passed
through Centerville, eighteen miles from
Washington, en- route for the front,
Mosby with a band of his followers was
within a mile of the place, taking note
of the movement. Prisoners were taken
belonging TO the corps. From these Mosby
learned that the whole of the Ninth
Corps was moving This important in
formation he forwarded by courier to
Gen. Lee. The messenger penetrated the
Federal lines on the Rappahannock and
the Rapidan. and in twenty-four hours
this important information was in Lees
hands.
Grant without m Escort.
Mosby was thus engaged in watching
the railroad men when he missed the
opportunity of capturing Grant.
Gen. Grant had been to Washington
for a farewell interview with President
Lincoln before setting out on his cam
paign against Lees army and Richmond.
Anxious to lose no time in getting back
to the front, he had taken a special train
for the journey to his headquarters in
CuIpeper Courthouse ahout seyepty-6ve
miles south of Washington.
With his usual disregard of display
Grant had dispensed with a guard or
escort. The entire party on his train
could not have numbered above a dozen
men, including the train crew. Nobody
was armed except the few members of
Grants stan with the general, who