Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-20
SAYS COLONEL MOsBY
WAS NOT A GUERRILLA
His Command Was Strictly Cavalry
Fully O6lccred, Declares Com
fcdcrate Veteran.
SOME EXPLOITS RECALLED
Took Federal General Out of Bed at
Fairfax Courthouse and Carried
Him OT-Followcrs Were Picked
Young Men,.
TO the Editor of Tho Time,-D,srAtch:


seized The minds of many persons re-
sardinS the late Colonel John S. Mosby
and "Mosby's men" OF Confederate
fame. I beg Ia submit what follows.
The Baltimore Catholic Review. on
.luuc "a. 1916. published the foliowin x
item.
Colonel John s Nosby. the famous
tonfcdcratc guerrilla, died IN Wash
instou May 80, and was Inferred at
NNarrenton. Va his old home. In his
late days he became convert and
was received into the Catholic Church"
may say here that Colonel Mosby's
wife was a Catholic and his daughters
a"c of that faith
There Is irrcfragablc evidence that
Colonel Moshy was not n Confederate
guerrilla The Confederate army had
no guerrilla. So far from being "guer-
Villas" Colonel Moshys command was
strictly cavalry. lie commanded the
lorty-thiyd Battalion, Virginia Caval
~. Partisan Rangers, formed accord
Ing TO Confederate army regula tons,
~ companies. fully onicercd
The Confederate Congress enacted u
law creating mounted troops. thus des-
iSnated. independent OF other cavalry
commands serving with the cavalry
CORPS OF respective armies. Partisan
Rangers. when not engaged In open
combat operated upon ;he tanks. IN
the rear and Within the lines OF the
enemy; also acting rs scouts Colonel
Moshy was himself born scout. Alone
he would enter the cuemys lines, ac-
Gul;e Information and bring out pris-
orerS he had captured. With Nosb%
present there was always something
doing. or planning But, with Mosby
absent twoundcd). affairs laRged Upon
his return lie would Chide his officers
Once. severely wounded. lying PROS
'rate and In the c"cmy's hands. he
told them he was Lieutenant Johnson.
Sixth Virginia Cavalry. mortally
wounded, whercupon they rode off. one
or Mosby's dashirc exploits was talk
Ing Yankee general out OF his bed.
~ Fairfax Courthouse. and CARRYING
him off
WAGON TRAIN SEIZED
ny MOSBY'S MEN
In August. 1861. upon General
Farly's army returning from Maryland
- NirS!nia-to begin his disastrous
Valley campaign General sheridan.
with about four times General Earlv's
force. sent a long wagon train toward
hrriNNilie, with supplies for his army.
preparatory TO attacking Early. The
'roons guarding the train consisted or
about 1000 infantry and some com
anics OF cavalry. colonel Mostly. with
200 mon and one cannon. approaching
from Smokers Gap Din the cncmy's
reari. attacked them. drove OF the
troops TOOK the wagons. burned them.
!ca the animals away and moved on
10 'u!pop"r Courthouse mmolcstcd.
Sheridan's mpNem,n, against Early
thus was delayed month.
Prior t" that affair Colonel Mosby.
AT pni'iel!s. storp-i railroad train
having aboard Fedora! paymaster.
with SlS0,"ur. which the caDtors di-
Nidcd. hut the Colonel declined TO share
IN ~ hence h" lid not receive a dollar
Hach man got hctwccu $1,000 and $4,000
i'll ''crecnbacl;s'' -cur"cucv
General Grant directed General Shrri-
dan !" hans Colonel Mosby's mcn
sheridan ala hang seven of them nj
one time" iiu' Mosby prevented q rcpc-
iition hy promptly Ycsortinr To loy
'alioniS aud dchcd sheridan
Tho especially hazardous service or
I'ariizan Rangers ia<cn Into account.
they were Lawfully allowed Ia own
enemy Tho confederate govcrnmcn,
NNrrhaStps from ,hcm captured animals
ana army Supplies OF this branch ~
INC service. M"SbN's command WAS tho
faNoritc and elite. Thcir horses arms.
munitions. etc. wcrc taken from the
'ncmN. VVh feGw exceptions they were
picked .yotpg 'mttu .eucrallv of excel
lent, and moro frequently. superior. in
'eliiGoncc. Their actions were. ou,ck
sudden and singular, taking the enemy
ny surprise. charging and firing unop
.ncm. They We're terror 10 their foes.
General Lee once expressed the wish
for "a thousand Moshvs" Moshy,s
men were the admiration ana Tho as
Wraton OF other solcicrs evcrywhere
MORE THAN EIGHTY
KILLED IN CONFLICT
The story OF Mosby's rangers Tolls
o, many comba,s. usually in small
bodies and sinGlc-handed, win, ,n,rv
casualties and frequent fatalities More
IMAM eighty were killed. They fought
Win pistols only. never carrying sa
hets or car hines. having plenty OF pis-
.o.s ana cartridges. Fine pistol shota
We're they all. and as brave and es
caring as any mon could be. They
Sode fne horses. dreesed we'll wora
Top boots and always looked n. Ccnred-
crates IN clean uniforms In marked
contrast Win the veterank OF tho bat :
ne i'hcs' Their commissnrint was IRE
Carlous As rar az could he thev
boarded among friendly Virginia nm
mes IN tn" lower valley and east ot
nc iAd=' that section being ponu
iarlN STYLED "Nosby's Confederate
l"eE carried no tents. nor other army
iiupcdimtu'a
Sheridan first defeated Esr,v n, WI,
chester ou september 10 1864 ,hnn n.
''daf creek on October 10. 1884 ,r.or
Nhirh '1r'Ns losses prevented auotIc,
p'tNh'0 battle hut Early. a, even, ~.
I'r'uh'' struck Sheridan a blow Tbn,.
'"urAl H' and down the valley and
- 'at' In February 1865. when
,ns''e".. enforced hy 10000 cavalry.
HhFitH'h p" stanton. leaving wan,on
.sstrN"il"" 'n his path evcrywhcr. s.,
'l"snnru cn March . 1s.. cho,,.
can mali e'oated Early. whose em,l,
'"'" '"'H 'ff' scattered diinirlsbon
-, .."'',E ar th" small army tina.