The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-11-02
HIvlOSbY'S PRESENT
A Gift and Message That TickIed
LincoIn's Sense of Humor.
RETURNING THE COMPLIMENT
An Equivalent That Was Appreciated
and Treasured by the Confederate
Colonel An Episode Born of the
Capture Of General Stoughton.

and Treasured by the Confederate
Colonel An Episode Born of the
Capture of General Stoushton.
Colonel John S. Mosby. the southern
cavalry leader in the war between the
states, accumulated many mementos
of that long and bloody struggle. but
none which he treasured more jealous
Iy than lock Of dark hair wrapped in a
faded yellow scrap Of newspaper. The
hair was cut from the head of Abra-
| ham Lincoln. 1t was Lincoln's own
hand which cut it, and the great war
president himself who sent it.
In the spring Of 1868 the Army of the
Potomac lay along the north bank of
the Rappahannock, about fifty miles
south of Washington. The intervening
country was, of course, in the posses
sion of the Union troops. Off in the
recesses of the Blue Ridge mountains,
about thirty miles westward, was
Colonel Mosby. with body of picked
southern cavalrymen, seeking to do
what injury he could to the Federal
outposts and lines of communication.
About the middle of March there en-
camped at Fairfax Court House, VII
lage of about 500 inhabitants, halfway
between Washington and the army on
the Rappahannock, force Of several
thousand Union troops under General
Stoughon.
From a military point of view, his
camp at Fairfax was nearly as safe as
Boston. Between his own force and
the southern army, under General Lee,
lay General Hooker's great Army Of
the Potomac. Even Colonel Mosby's
small force-less than a hundred men
was thirty miles away.
!. Nevertheless, Colonel Mosby deter.
mined to capture General Stoughton.
Selecting twenty of his best troopers,
he started one drizzly March afternoon
for Stoughton's camp. 1t was after
midnight when he ran into the first
picket, who was easily captured i'll the
darkness. And thus, taking picket aft
, er picket in the black night, Colonel
, Mosby made his way without alarm
into the village, until he entered Gen
eral Stoughton's bedchamber.
The unhappy officer was compelled
to dress and accompany his captors
The pitch black, rainy night and the
, fact that the men of both commands
Wore rubber capes of the same style
rendered it impossible for the prison
ers, Stoughton included, to determine
the number of the enemy. With hal
: hundred prisoners and a hundred
horses, Colonel Mosby quietly made his
+ way out Of the camp and was soon be
: yond reach of pursuit.
+ The adventure created q stir I'm mill
tary quarters. Stoughton was roundl.
censured for allowing himself thus t.
!, be stolen from the midst of his troops
J. although he was in nowise to blame.
4 President Lincoln, whose sense o
hum0 nothing could quench, remark
ed, when told of the affair, that he di,
not mind losing the general. but th
4 hundred horses were a serious matter
, Il can make general with th
q scratch Of pen," he said dryly. "bu
can't make horses"
Shortly afterward Colonel Mosby
with a few companions, was recon
i. noitering in the vicinity of Washing
ton. On the road he encountered a
= old Dutch market woman taking he
garden truck in her cart to peddle
. through the Washington streets. Cole
- mel Mosby stopped and questioned heI
;. Noticing a pair of scissors at her be-
;. and having heard of President Lii
- coins comments ON General Stougl
toms capture, he said:
do you know Mr.. Lincoln?"
:" "Yah," replied the old woman. "See
e him often, / have"
: Taking the scissors. Colonel Mosb
i, =, cut off lock of his hair. and wral
;" ping 1t in piece of paper handed
=! to the old woman, saying:
u I'm Colonel Mosby. When you g
to Washington go to the White Hous
y and tell the president that Colon
y Mosby sent him this lock Of his ha
- and say also that he is coming oyt
>" into Washington some night to get
;" lock Of the presidents hair"
!" The old market woman went h'
~ way, and Colonel Mosby rode bac
~ and forgot the incident. Some weel
T. later, however. when making anoth'
:" reconnaissance in that neighborhoo
the old woman hailed him from roa
side cottage. Hurrying into the &C
tage, she brought forth scrap
newspaper and delivered it to Colon
III Mosby.
Of Here iss lock of Preside
I'd Lincoln's hair" she said. HE tolt 4
to say to you that he hat rather "
would not come ofer to see him IL
d. that he send it to you by me. Here
ve issr'-Youth's Companion.
= Az She Saw II.