Evening star., 1922-07-02
ONE FOR ONE HUNDRED


their lives in a most ignoble way.
Briefly, that episode was as follows.
Several of Col John S. Mosby's COM
mand, the 4Sd Separate Battalion OF
Cavalry. were on furlough at Front
Royal, and. having been informed that
q Federal suffers train was approaching
the town. and having been joined oS
several young men of scant age tof
army service. they prepared am amoush
for the purpose of throwing the train
into confusion and being able thereby
to acquire such stores as might be OF
value to the cause for which they were
fighting.
Unfortunately. however. and abso-
lutely without the knowledge OF those
composing the ambush. there were sew
eral ambLlanCes filled with wounded
men of Clusters cavalry command IN
terspersed at different points in the
wagon train. and these during the ac-
ton which followed the ambush were
more or less under fire. although II IS
not believed that any of the occupants
of the ambulances were killed or
wounded.
The escort of the train, part Of 4 reg1-
ment of Michigan cavalry. suffered to
greater extent. and although the at
lacking force was too small TO make
very serious impression on the train
several of the Federal soldiers were Kill
ed or wounded.
FINDING out from sources unknown
L that the attacking party had been
composed in part of "Mosby's Guer-
rillas." A cry was raised and when,
few DAYS afterward. seven OF this COM
mand were captured by federal cavalry,
ss were also a few of the militant
youth the captiyes were either hanged
or surmarily disposed of in a less civ
ilized manner.
This action on the part OF the feu-
erals brought a VOW OF vengeance D!
Col. Mosby and was shortly followed oS
the hanging of several federal prisoners
on Grindstone hill. just west OF Berry
will. Va One excess brought on an
other and for several months no quar-
Ter was given by either Mosoys c"m-
n,and and that of Gen. Custer 10 menu
hers of the opposite command VINO were
so unfortunate as 10 fall into the hands
of their enemies.
This was the situation in the spring
o< 1861. when. through the success OF
certain movements. over ooo OF 'he
men of Clusters command had oeeh
taken prisoners by the 43d Separate
Battalion and were concentrated al
a point near the top of the blue
Ridrs at Ashby's gap and within
,.u, miles of the small town of Paris
Va.
Every effort having been made by
>fosby ahrough letters and messages
-o Gen. Custer, to stop the wholesale
slaughter without success, Col. MOS
bv decided. in order to protect MS
mon taken prisoners in future. ana
to show the Federals that ne "ouio
exact an eye for an eye ana too'h
for tooth, that he would hane one
man in five of his prisoners as an
example. This was followed by the
celebrated civil war incident. at
which the whole 500 Federal prisoh-
ers were paraded in line ana COM
nelled to draw lots from nat pre-
sented to them by their captors-a
scene which the writer does not oe-
1ieve that he or any other writer mas
the ability to describe.
Several heart-breaking incidents
occurred, in one of which drummer
bov of tender years was so unror-
.u,,,e as to draw one Of the fatal
ballots hut through his fright. mis-
erv and anguish so moved Mospy
that he roughly ordered the pooi
chan be eliminated from the un-
fortunate. There was another inci-
dent of two brothers, standing sioe
nv side. one being successrui IN INC
,o,tery of death and the other DOOM
ed to die.
3-o matter what the cause. the hang
IN ing of 100 Americans in cold
blood was hardly a relishable ooo ior
other Americans. and there were
many murmurs of disapproval oy inc
assembled members of the 43d sep
arate Battalion. Mosby, kino a'
heart In spite of his trade, was also
impressed, especially when over
hundred letters were delivered 10
him from those condemned to die ana
written. as they supposed, IN the
,-assnce Of death, to their loved ones
at home.
No human could stand such a TAX
nm his ideas of vengeance. and MOS
nv weakened He therefore deter
miner that before carrying out the
sentence imposed on the unfortunate
nr,soners he would make one last ef-
fort to see il he could not so arrange
MATTERS with Gen. Sheridan that such
harbarity on both sides could be elm
mated. and to this end sought some
member of his command who had
suf1cient courage, in view OF the
Known order of Gen. Custer that
members of Mosby's command were
+o he treated as beyond the pale OF
civilized warfare. and were to he
shot on sight, and without question.
TO attempt to get in touch with the
Federal commander. then at Win
chester.
II was known that the command OF
Gen. Custer, which had been the
Drime cause of the war to the knife.
and without quarter" lay In the val
lev of Virginia and In direct line with
Winchester. and any one attempting
to reach the latter city and Gen.
Sheridan must Of necessity pass
through these enemies.
Brave as were the men of the 43d
battalion. and as willing to give bat