The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-05-30
Colonel Mosby Dies in a Wash
ington City Hospital at an
Advanced Age.

WASHINGTON. May 30.-Colonel
John s. Mosby, the most famous Con-
federate raider of the Civil war, died
here today after long Illness. He
was a native OF Virginia and was
eighty-two years old.
John S. Mosby, the noted Confeder-
ate guerilla chief who never surren-
dered, fought for his life in a
local hospital. Twice before, since
the Civil war, the warrior had routed
death. In 1907 he was thrown from
carriage in a runaway and his head
was injured. He had fighting
chance to recover, took II and won.
In 1912, then 70 years of age, 4 lin
gering sickness caused editors to pre-
pare obituaries, which never were
printed. Life had been continuous
fight for Mosby who is So years of
age. Every since he shot and wound
ed fellow student in the University
of Virginia for IN insult in his youth
Mosby had been a companion OF
death. During the Civil war he rode
with death at his heels. After the
war he went to China as consul, and
despite threats, cleaned out corrup
ton In the service.
Later Mosby entered the lists
against cattle barons in Montana
when they refused to open theil
ranges for millions of settlers. Tho
government, fearing for his life
warned the colonel to be more care,
! full in his dealings with men noted
for their straight shooting from the
hV Ia Il
prosecuted his work to finish. Then
he drove grafters from among the
Indians in Oklahoma. In fact he has
been on the firing line all his life in
one section of the country or ano:h-
err.
Terror to Sheridan and His Men.
AT the beginning of the Civil war,
Mosby enlisted as a private under
General Joseph E. johnson, and he
maintained picket on the Potomac
during the winter Of 1862 and 1869.
He was made an adjutant of his regI.
ment, but resigned. refusing his rank,
when his colonel was transferred. He
served as scout until July, 1863,
when he organized force of irregu-
lar cavalry and carried on n war un.
der his own direction by harrassing
the rear of Sheridan's army in the
Shenandoah valley.
Mosbys force at no time numbered
more than 500 men. 1t was composed
of outlaws, desperados and deserters
from both sides, who acknowledged
Mosby as leader. By sudden attacks
and raids Mosby and his men broke
lines of communication and at one
time kept 10000 federal troops busy
trying to capture them. When hard
pressed the bandit scattered his force,
only to reunite them at some prear-
ranged place later.
Daring and Courageous Chief
There was nothing this cavalry
man was not accused OF doing. He
wiped out isolated pickets, made wild
forays that brought the destruction
of hundreds of provision wagons, and
kept Sheridan's army busy at the
rear while other troops hammered at
them in the front. A price was on
Mosby's head. He hanged five men
from General Clusters command in
retaliation for the hanging Of men,
Custer had caught firm his force He
rode into the heart OF General
Stoughton's army, capturing sentinels
as he went, until he entered the house
where the general was sleeping. Next
morning Stoughton was delivered to
the Confederate authorities.
Mostly never surrendered after Lee
laid down his arms. He continued to
wear Confederate coat with uniform
buttons. One day while he was In
barber shop n federal detachmen: en-
tered and demanded that he clip the
buttons. Mosby drew revolver and
escaped. The buttons continued to
adorn his coat.
Neat Exchange with Lincoln.
On one occasion while riding in
Virginia on the banks of the Poto-
mas river near Washington, Mosby
took a pair Of scissors and clipped
lock that hung at the waist of a wom-
and peddling vegetables. Mosby
handed the lock to the woman with
the direction that she take it to Pres
ident Lincoln and tell him that Mosby
would be after a similar keepsake in
a few days.
A month or two later Mosby hap
pened to be passing through the same
section and CHANGED to meet the same
woman. She handed him an envelope
directed to Colonel Mosby." When
he opened the envelope he found a
lock from Llncoln's head and note
stating that the president did not
wish to cause Mosby the trouble OF