The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-06-30
MOSBY'S PRESENT
A Gift and Message That Tickled
LincoIn's Sense of Humor.
RETURNING THE COMPLIMENT.

Colonel - An Episode Born of the
Capture of General Stoughton.
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
ly 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, a vii
Iage of about 500 inhabitants, halfway
between Washington and the army on
the Rappahannock, a force of several
thousand Union troops under General
Stoughton.
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 hundred men
was thirty miles away.
Nevertheless, Colonel Mosby deer-
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 in 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 Cen
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 ii impossible for the prison
ers, Stoughton included to determine
hn ~ I1n hn1
hundred prisoners and hundred
| horses, Colonel Mosby quietly made his
way out of the camp and was soon be-
yond reach Of pursuit
The adventure created a stir In mill
tary quarters. Stoughton was roundly
censured for allowing himself thus to
be stolen from the midst OF his troops,
although he was in nowise to blame
President Lincoln whose sense of
humor nothing could quench, remark
| ed, when told of the affair, that he did
not mind losing the general, but the
| hundred horses We're serious matter
81 can make general with the
scratch of pen" he said dryly, but
l can't make horses"
Shortly afterward Colonel Mosby,
with a few companions, was recon
noitering in the vicinity of Washing
ton On the road he encountered an
! old Dutch market woman taking her
| garden truck in her cart to peddle 1t
| through the Washington streets Colo
mel Mosby stopped and questioned her.
| Noticing a pair of scissors at her belt
and having heard Of President Lin
coins comments on General Slough
tons capture, he said:
DO you know Mr. Lincoln?"
YAH replied the old woman. Seen
him often, ] have"
Taking the scissors, Colonel Mosby
cut off a lock of his hair and wrap
ping it In a piece OF paper handed II
to the old woman, saying:
"pm Colonel Mosby. When you get
to Washington go to the White House
and tell the president that Colonel
Mosby sent him this lock of his hair
and say also that he is coming over
into Washington some night to get a
lock of the presidents hair"
The old market woman went hel
way, and Colonel Mosby rode back
and forgot the incident. Some weeks
later, however when making another
reconnaissance in that neighborhood
the old woman hailed him from road
side cottage. Hurrying into the cot
tage, she brought forth scrap OF
newspaper and delivered it to Colonel
Mosby
Here iss lock of President
Lincolns hair" she said. HE tolt me
to say to you that he hat rather you
would not come ofer to see him and
that he send it to you by me, Here Il
issr'-Youth's Companion.