43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'. Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children." A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops. Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station." Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs. Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass Napoleon but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses." All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
cavalry
in the Confederate army
during the American Civil War
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
, when John S. Mosby
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
at Appomattox Court House
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
.
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Edwin H. Stoughton
who was captured in bed.
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
, and read this farewell address to his men:
's army.
On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'. Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children." A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops. Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station." Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs. Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass Napoleon but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses." All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably. In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)
The 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, also known as Mosby's Rangers, Mosby's Raiders or Mosby's Men, was a battalion of partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Confederate army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Noted for their lightning strikes on Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
targets and their ability to consistently elude pursuit, the Rangers disrupted Federal communications and supply lines.
The 43rd Battalion was formed on June 10, 1863, at Rector's Cross Roads, near Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
, when John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
formed Company A of the battalion. Mosby was acting under the authority of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
, who had granted him permission to raise a company in January 1863 under the Partisan Ranger Act
Partisan Ranger Act
On April 21, 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of irregulars for service into the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The Act reads as follows:Section 1...
of 1862, in which the Confederate Congress
Congress of the Confederate States
The Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
authorized the formation of such units. By the summer of 1864, Mosby's battalion had grown to six cavalry companies and one artillery company, comprising about 400 men. After February 1864, the Confederate Congress revoked the authority of all partisan units, except for two, one of which was the 43rd Battalion. The battalion never formally surrendered, but was disbanded on April 21, 1865, after General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, but not before attempting to negotiate surrender with Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Winfield S. Hancock in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
.
Unit organization and muster
Exactly what to call the Confederate 43rd Battalion was controversial even at the time: whether they were soldiers, partisan rangersUnited States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
, or (in the Union view) unsoldierly guerrillas hiding among civilians, or simply a loose band of roving thieves. According to the memoirs of one of Mosby's men, John Munson--
Companies
- Company A - Organized June 10, 1863 at Rector's Cross Roads Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company B - Organized October 1, 1863 at Scuffleburg, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
just south of Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United... - Company C - Organized December 7, 1863 at Rectortown, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company D - Organized March 28, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Artillery Company - Organized July 4, 1864 at Paris, VirginiaParis, VirginiaParis is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
- Company E - Organized July 18, 1864 at Upperville, VirginiaUpperville, VirginiaUpperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
- Company F - Organized September 13, 1864 at Piedmont Station near Delaplane, VirginiaDelaplane, VirginiaDelaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
- Company G - A reorganization of the Artillery Company, November 28, 1864 at Salem in Fauquier County, VirginiaFauquier County, VirginiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
- Company H - Organized April 5, 1865 in Loudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County, VirginiaLoudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
Operating area, purpose, and recruits
The 43rd Battalion was a command in the Confederate States ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
(CSA), whose method of operation involved executing small raids with up to 150 men (but usually sized from 20 to 80) behind Federal lines by entering the objective area undetected, quickly executing their mission, and then rapidly withdrawing, dispersing the troops among the welcoming farms of local Southern sympathizers, and melting into the countryside.
Mosby's area of operations was Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west, along the Potomac River to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
to the east, bounded on the south by the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
, with most of his operations centered in or near Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
in an area known as 'Mosby's Confederacy'.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p. 12.(describing Mosby's confederacy) Mosby's Command operated mainly within the distance a horse could travel in a day's hard riding, approximately 25 miles in any direction from Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, Virginia.
Of his purpose in raiding behind the Federal lines, Mosby said:
Mosby felt that " a small force moving with celerity and threatening many points on a line can neutralize a hundred times its own number. The line must be stronger at every point than the attacking force, else it is broken."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (quoting Mosby on the purpose of guerrilla tactics)
According to the memoirs of former guerrilla Munson, Mosby welcomed volunteers attracted by the glory of the fight and the allure of booty, and he was a shrewd judge of men. He had an eye for intelligence, valor, resourcefulness, and "what Mosby liked best was youth. He agreed with Napoleon, that boys make the best soldiers. . . mere boys, unmarried and hence without fear or anxiety for wives or children."43rd Battallion Virginia Cavalry p. 17 (on recruits) A few guerrillas were wizened old men in their 40's, but most were young men in their late teens or early 20's, some boys even younger. When paroled after the war at Winchester two were only 14 years old. An adolescent boy released from school for the day in Upperville just as Mosby's men were chasing Union troopers out of town "became so excited that he mounted a pony and joined in the chase with no weapon except his textbook. This would be the last day of study for Henry Cable Maddux . . . but the first of many raids with Mosby's men."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 11 (on the Upperville raid)
Uniforms, Weapons, and Tactics
Though the 43rd Battalion were partisans, they wore Confederate gray. Munson said in his memoirs:Mosby's men each carried two .44 Colt army revolvers worn in belt holsters, and some carried an extra pair stuck in their boot tops.Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23 (on pistols) Mosby and his men had a "poor opinion" of cavalry sabres, and did not use them. Munson "never actually saw blood drawn with a sabre but twice in our war, though I saw them flash by the thousand at Brandy Station."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 23-24 (on sabres vs. pistols) Federal cavalry initially armed with the traditional sabre fought at a considerable disadvantage:
For instance, describing the fight at Miskel's barn Munson says of William H. Chapman (later Lieutenant Colonel of Mosby's command) wheeling his horse in a thicket of Yankees "[t]he pistols were not a foot apart. The Yankee's pistol snapped [misfired] but Chapman's did its deadly work. He fired six shots and emptied five saddles."Munson, A Mosby Guerilla p. 24-25 (on Chapman's marksmanship)
A few guerrillas equipped themselves with carbines captured from the Federals, but "they were unhandy things to carry" and unsuited for fighting on horseback, indeed in the thick of a February 1865 fight the carbines' long barrels made them were too unwieldy to fire, and they were used instead as clubs.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 15 (on ineffectiveness of carbines). Mosby tried out some small field artillery pieces including a 12 pound brass NapoleonScott, Partisan Life with Mosby p. 239(discussing use of the brass Napoleon for covering fire during a raid at Point of Rocks but artillery proved to be too cumbersome for his fast hit-and-run tactics and not especially helpful in action. Ultimately the Federals found the mountainside hiding places of the cannons and made off with them.
"The rangers had some of the best horses in a region known for raising great horses."43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 16 (on their mounts) All men had at least two; Mosby himself as many as six, since a few miles at a flat out run would exhaust even the best horse—and Mosby's men were constantly either running toward or away from the Federals. The men were devoted to their horses. During the Mount Zion Church fight on July 6, 1864 guerrilla John Alexander "noticed in one of the charges that his mount was unaccountable dull, and in spite of the most vigorous spurring . . . fell into the wake of the pursuit." After the action he rode his horse some distance toward Fairfax, slid exhausted out of the saddle and fell asleep in a field, and on the following morning:
Speed, surprise and shock were the true secret of the success of Mosby's Command. A small intrepid mounted force could charge a much larger one, and with the terrorizing advantage of surprise, rout them. If attacked themselves the guerrillas would sometimes ride away a brief distance and then round on their attackers and charge back into them, panicking and scattering them in the melee. Or they would simply "skeedaddle," that is scatter to the four winds, and individually make their way back to the farms in Loudon and Fauquier counties where they were welcomed, hidden, and succored. Mosby would then send word telling chosen men when and where to assemble for the next raid.43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry p. 21 (on communication by messengers: "[a]fter the courier arrived at the first house, those boarding there would scatter to two or three other houses, and so on.").
1863
- The Chantilly Raids - January 5–6, 1863
- The Chantilly Church Raid - January 26, 1863
- The Herndon Raid - February 2, 1863
- The Thompson's Corner Raid - February 26, 1863
- The Fight at AldieFight at AldieThe Fight at Aldie was a small cavalry skirmish between Confederate forces under Major John S. Mosby and Union forces under Major Joseph Gilmore and Captain Franklin T. Huntoon in Aldie, Virginia, on March 2, 1863, as part of Mosby's Operations in Northern Virginia during the American Civil War...
- March 2, 1863 - The Fairfax Court House Raid - March 8–9, 1863
- The Miskell's Farm FightSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
- April 1, 1863 - The Warrenton Junction Raid - May 3, 1863
- The First Catlett Station Raid - May 19, 1863
- The Second Catlett Station Raid - May 30, 1863
- The Raid on Seneca Mills - June 11, 1863
- The First Calico Raid - June 19, 1863
- The Raid on Mercersburg - June 28, 1863
- The Fight at Gooding's Tavern - August 24, 1863
- The Cavalry Camp Raids - September/October, 1863
- The Wagon Raids - October/November, 1863
1864
- The Battle of Loudoun HeightsBattle of Loudoun HeightsThe Battle of Loudoun Heights was a small cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War between John Mosby's Rangers and Major Henry A. Cole's 1st Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry on January 9, 1864, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Cole's Cavalry successfully defended a night raid against their...
- January 1864 - The B&O Raid on Duffield Station - January, 1864
- The Fight at Blackleys Grove - February 20, 1864
- The Battle of 2nd Dranesville - February 21, 1864
- The Second Calico Raid - July 3, 1864
- The Action at Mount Zion ChurchAction at Mount Zion ChurchThe Action at Mount Zion Church was a cavalry skirmish during the American Civil War that took place on July 6, 1864, between Union forces under Major William H. Forbes and Confederate forces under Colonel John S. Mosby near Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia, as part of Mosby's Operations in...
- July 6, 1864 - The Berryville Wagon Raid - August 13, 1864
- The Raid on Merritt's Cavalry Division - September, 1864
- The Mansassas Gap Railroad Raid - Oct 3–7, 1864
- The Greenback Raid - October 14, 1864
- The Valley Pike Raid - October 25, 1864
- The Rout of Blazer's Command - November 17, 1864
The total tally for the 43rd Battalion by October 1864 was 1,600 horses and mules, 230 beef cattle, 85 wagons and ambulances, and 1,200 captured, killed or wounded, including Union Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin H. Stoughton
Edwin Henry Stoughton , was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a lawyer.-Early life:Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura Stoughton....
who was captured in bed.
1865
- The B&O Raid on Duffield Station II - January, 1865
- The Fight at Mount Carmel Church - February 19, 1865
- The Skirmish at Munson's Hill - March 12, 1865
- The Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony SkirmishThe Harmony Skirmish was a small engagement of the American Civil War between Confederate forces under Colonel John Mosby and Union forces under Colonel Marcus Reno on March 21st, 1865 near the village of Harmony in Loudoun County, Virginia...
- March 21, 1865 - The B&O Derailment Raid - March, 1865
On April 9, 1865 Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
surrendered the 43rd Battalion's parent command, the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. Immediately Col. Mosby attempted negotiations with the Union commander in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, to arrange for the surrender of the 43rd Battalion, but could not come to agreeable terms. Therefore, on April 21, 1865, twelve days after Lee's surrender, Col. Mosby gathered his battalion at Salem in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, and read this farewell address to his men:
Notoriety
Virginia newspapers were eager to carry articles about Mosby's Rangers. When other correspondents were captured in the Rangers' raids, they were treated well, given liquor and cigars, and Mosby often played up his exploits to gain attention in the press for his unit, and to emphasize the fact that the 43rd Battalion was a legitimate military command within the command structure of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
's army.
The Military Effectiveness of Mosby's Command
It is difficult to evaluate the contribution of Mosby's raids to the overall Confederate war effort. In his memoirs, John Munson stated that if the objective was simply "to annoy the enemy," they succeeded admirably.Munson, Reminiscences of a Mosby Guerilla, p. 220 (saying annoyance and distraction, "that official nerves should be somewhat unstrung" was the objective) In discussing as Mosby's "greatest piece of annoyance" the Greenback Raid in which Mosby's men derailed a train and captured a $170,000 payroll from the paymasters of Sheridan's army (each of the 80 raiders received a $2100 share, though Mosby himself took nothing) Munson says that due to Mosby's comparatively tiny force--On the other hand, Mosby's guerrilla operations were not highly regarded even within the Confederate Army. Brigadier General Thomas Rosser (with the support of Generals Early and Fitz Lee) urged disbanding Mosby's command, in a letter addressed to General Lee listing a number of grievances. Rosser agreed with the Union that Mosby's men were not soldiers but glorified thieves—and bad for morale, because his regular troops were jealous:
Finally, General Rosser glowers: "Mosby is of inestimable service to the Yankee army in keeping their men from straggling." General Lee sent the letter on to the Confederate War Department with an endorsement recommending "the law authorizing these partisan corps be abolished," but the War Department simply reduced the authorized partisan commands to two, Mosby's and John H. McNeill's. On reflection everybody agreed with Lee that whatever the military utility of the rangers in the larger scheme of things, Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."43rd Batallion Virginia Cavalry Mosby's Command p 105 (discussing Lee's recommended promotion of Mosby)