Colonel, JOHN SINGLETON MOSBY

Through his own efforts to publicize himself as well as an eager Confederate press, the wartime image of Mosby emerged as a gallant knight, a defender of women and children, an inheritor of an ancient line of noble warriors. Union supporters meanwhile branded Mosby no more than a horse thief. At the close of the Civil War, Mosby simply disbanded his men rather than surrender their unit to the Union army.

It has been claimed by some that the activities of partisan ranger bands in northern and western Virginia, especially those of John S. Mosby, may have prevented a Union victory in the summer or fall of 1864. A Virginian with a penchant for violence, Mosby had been practicing law at the outbreak of the war. His assignments included: private, lst Virginia Cavalry (1861); first lieutenant, 1^st Virginia Cavalry (February 1862); Captain, PACS (March 15, 1863); Major, PACS (March 26, 1863); major, 43^rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion June 10, 1863); Lieutenant Colonel, 43^rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion January 21, 1864); and Colonel, Mosby's (Va.) Cavalry Regiment (December 7, 1864).

Originally an enlisted man and officer in the 1^st Virginia Cavalry, he came into conflict with that unit's colonel, "Grumble Jones," and joined JEB Stuart's staff as a scout. During the Peninsula Campaign he paved the way for Stuart's famous ride around McClellan. After a brief period of captivity in July 1862 he rejoined Stuart and was rewarded with the authority to raise a band of partisans for service in the Loudoun Valley in northern Virginia. Originally a battalion, his command was raised to a regiment in the last months of the war.

In the meantime he managed to wreak havoc among the Union supply lines, forcing field commanders to detach large numbers of troops to guard their communications. His forays took him within the lines guarding Washington, with Mosby himself often doing the advance scouting in disguise.

Early in 1863, with 29 men, he rode into Fairfax Court House and roused Union General Edwin H. Stoughton from bed with a slap on the rear end. Following the capture of Generals Crook and Kelley by McNeil's partisans, Mosby complimented them, stating that he would have to ride into Washington and bring out Abraham Lincoln to top their success. On another occasion he came near capturing the train on which Grant was traveling.

The disruption of supply lines and the constant disappearance of couriers frustrated army, and lesser-group, commanders to such a degree that some took to the summary execution of guerrillas, i.e. partisan rangers. George Custer executed six of Mosby's men in 1864, and the partisan chief retaliated with seven of Custer's. A note attached to one of the bodies stated that Mosby would treat all further captives as prisoners of war unless Custer committed some new act of cruelty. The killings stopped.

Standing just over 5 feet and weighing 130 pound. During the engagement with the Yankees on May 30, 1863, Mosby came out of the fight hatless, and his horse ran against a tree with him, bruising his face. John was wounded on August 24, 1863, shot through the side and thigh, as he attacked the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry who halted to water their horses at Billy Gooding's Tavern on the Little River Turnpike. He was carried to the nearby woods, where he was attended to by their surgeon, Doctor W. L. Dunn. Due to the painful nature of his wounds, Mosby could travel but slowly; he was carried into the pines, where he lay concealed while the pursuing Federals passed by, whereupon he was taken up in their rear and removed South where he was permitted to recuperate. On Thursday, November 26, 1863, Mosby attacked a heavily guarded wagon train near Brandy Station; Mosby escaped unharmed; his horse was no so lucky, receiving a ball in the breast. On September 15th, 1864, as the 13th New York Cavalry scoured Aldie for Mosby, a fight broke out and a ball shattered the handle of Mosby's pistol and another entered his groin. He was able to keep his saddle and ride, with difficulty, until his companions procured a light wagon to carry him off. Mosby was taken to The Plains, where he was kindly cared for by the family of Major Foster until he could be removed to Lynchburg. He was shot by Pvt. Henry Smith of Company H, 13th New York Cavalry. In the latter part of September, 1864, Mosby returned to Fauquier County, although not entirely recovered from his wounds and still compelled to use crutches. On October 10th, 1864, Mosby barely escaped capture or worse when attacking a Federal camp, his horse was shot dead and fell, pinning Mosby to the ground in the midst of the battle. He was saved when Captain Montjoy charged and drove off the Federals, Mosby riding away behind one of his men. Mosby once retorted that "his mode of warfare is just at legitimate as that of the army fighting in their front. I am placed here to annoy them and interrupt their communications as much as possible. This I intend doing, and should I have an opportunity of throwing off a train I will do it, even if I knew my own family were upon it." Mosby started December 21st, 1864, at the house of Joseph Blackwell, in Fauquier, attending the wedding of J. Lavender, his ordnance sergeant, when word was received of a body of Federal cavalry on the Salem road, a few miles distance. After scouting for them, Mosby stopped at the house of Ludwell Lake to have supper, when the house was surrounded by Yankee Cavalry, firing shots through the window that struck Mosby in the stomach. Falling to the floor, bleeding profusely, he crawled into a nearby bedroom where he was able to hide his Confederate coat. When the Federals entered he was able to persuade them that he was dying. Seeing his shirt and the floor saturated with blood, convinced the wound was mortal and that he was of no importance, they left after stripping him of his trousers and boots. After his men arrived, he had them examine him; it was a wound about 2 inches below his navel, an almost identical wound that had killed his commander, JEB Stuart at Yellow Tavern. He felt his intestines were cut, the ball passing from left to right, lodging inn his right side. The ball was extracted the next morning; in about a week he was removed to his father's, near Lynchburg. Mosby survived this nasty wound.

With the surrender of Lee, Mosby simply disbanded his command on April 20, 1865, rather than formally surrender. While the partisans were certainly a nuisance to federal commanders, it is an open question as to how effective they were in prolonging the conflict. Many Southerners were very critical of the partisans, only some Southerners excepting Mosby's command.

After the war, he resided in San Francisco, California, practicing law; he was then appointed U.S. Consul at Hong Kong, China, during the terms of President Ulysses S. Grant. The Gray Ghost died May 30th, 1916, and is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery, Warrenton, Virginia.