elwestb
Well-known member
THE GREY GHOST
I thought this was very interesting and just wanted to share.
Read his story all the way to the end (but not first) there is an an interesting tidbit.
Colonel John S. Mosby, the Grey Ghost
John S. Mosby was a successful attorney, and with the outbreak of the
Civil War he enlisted in the 1st Virginia Cavalry. He quickly moved up
through the ranks, and eventually raised his own partisan unit. At
first a battalion, his prowess and charisma allowed him to recruit it
up to a regiment. The regiment became known as the famed "Mosby Raiders".
John Mosby was a key innovator in the tactics of Guerrilla warfare. By
1863 his exploits were becoming legendary in the South, and viewed as a
less than honorable way to fight by the North. Regardless of
perspective he devised a new way of fighting by which a small agile
force could harass and defeat a much larger force. In lightning fast
raids, his raiders would move in and cut telegraph lines, ambush
couriers or small parties, start fires, harass rail transport, and then
disappear into the night. His quickness and stealth led to his now famous nickname, "The Grey Ghost".
Mosby's exploits included a daring raid far inside Union lines at the
Fairfax County courthouse in 1863, where his raiders captured some key
Union officers, including General Stoughton, whom Mosby found in bed,
waking him with a slap to his rear. Upon being so roused, the general
exclaimed, "Do you know who I am?" Mosby quickly replied, "Do you know
Mosby, general?" "Yes! Have you got the rascal?" "No but he has got
you!"
The disruption of supply lines and the constant disappearance of
couriers frustrated Union commanders to such a degree that General Phil
Sheridan ordered the execution of all captured raiders. George A.
Custer did execute several of Mosby's men in 1864 in Front Royal, Virginia.
Often large forces were sent against him, but he always evaded and
frequently defeated them. During the battle of Chancellorsville he
attacked a Union cavalry unit, capturing several hundred prisoners.
Near Chantilly , he defeated a large body of Union cavalry, leading General Lee to exclaim:
"Hurrah for Mosby! I wish I had a hundred like him."
Near Dranesville, with 65 men, he defeated 200 of the enemy and
captured 83 prisoners. One of his most daring adventures was a
reconnaissance in the Federal lines, by order of General Lee, after the
battle of Chancellorsville , in which he and one companion captured six
men, and with two of them, rode undetected past a column of Federal cavalry.
He was also a vital element in the Confederate secret service, moving
spies into and out of Washington ; he frequently rode himself in
disguise into the capital. Once while in Washington , Mosby sent of a
lock of his hair to Abraham Lincoln as a gift. It is reported that
Lincoln 's keen sense of humor fully appreciated the gesture. Mosby and
his notorious raiders refused to surrender at the end of the war. While
the group disbanded, they never surrendered.
Mosby spent his later years in San Francisco with friends and family.
One particular family lived nearby with a young boy. The boy would
often come over and eagerly listen to the stories of the old Grey
Ghost. Mosby would entertain the young boy with tales of his gallant
exploits and daring raids. The two became fast friends and would play
war games outside. Mosby taught the young boy the secrets of Guerrilla
warfare. He taught him to fight like a raider, to fight like a guerrilla.
The young boy was George S. Patton!!
*********************************************************************
As most of you know, I always try to verify stories before forwarding.
Usually I put a link at the start of the forwarded email but in this
instance I put it at the last. I did not want to give away the tidbit
about Patton. Anyway here is the link & you may want to explore this
site as it is a very good one.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/John_S_Mosby_Geroge_Patton.htm
Be sure to read the “REST of the Story” on the link above:
I thought this was very interesting and just wanted to share.
Read his story all the way to the end (but not first) there is an an interesting tidbit.
Colonel John S. Mosby, the Grey Ghost
John S. Mosby was a successful attorney, and with the outbreak of the
Civil War he enlisted in the 1st Virginia Cavalry. He quickly moved up
through the ranks, and eventually raised his own partisan unit. At
first a battalion, his prowess and charisma allowed him to recruit it
up to a regiment. The regiment became known as the famed "Mosby Raiders".
John Mosby was a key innovator in the tactics of Guerrilla warfare. By
1863 his exploits were becoming legendary in the South, and viewed as a
less than honorable way to fight by the North. Regardless of
perspective he devised a new way of fighting by which a small agile
force could harass and defeat a much larger force. In lightning fast
raids, his raiders would move in and cut telegraph lines, ambush
couriers or small parties, start fires, harass rail transport, and then
disappear into the night. His quickness and stealth led to his now famous nickname, "The Grey Ghost".
Mosby's exploits included a daring raid far inside Union lines at the
Fairfax County courthouse in 1863, where his raiders captured some key
Union officers, including General Stoughton, whom Mosby found in bed,
waking him with a slap to his rear. Upon being so roused, the general
exclaimed, "Do you know who I am?" Mosby quickly replied, "Do you know
Mosby, general?" "Yes! Have you got the rascal?" "No but he has got
you!"
The disruption of supply lines and the constant disappearance of
couriers frustrated Union commanders to such a degree that General Phil
Sheridan ordered the execution of all captured raiders. George A.
Custer did execute several of Mosby's men in 1864 in Front Royal, Virginia.
Often large forces were sent against him, but he always evaded and
frequently defeated them. During the battle of Chancellorsville he
attacked a Union cavalry unit, capturing several hundred prisoners.
Near Chantilly , he defeated a large body of Union cavalry, leading General Lee to exclaim:
"Hurrah for Mosby! I wish I had a hundred like him."
Near Dranesville, with 65 men, he defeated 200 of the enemy and
captured 83 prisoners. One of his most daring adventures was a
reconnaissance in the Federal lines, by order of General Lee, after the
battle of Chancellorsville , in which he and one companion captured six
men, and with two of them, rode undetected past a column of Federal cavalry.
He was also a vital element in the Confederate secret service, moving
spies into and out of Washington ; he frequently rode himself in
disguise into the capital. Once while in Washington , Mosby sent of a
lock of his hair to Abraham Lincoln as a gift. It is reported that
Lincoln 's keen sense of humor fully appreciated the gesture. Mosby and
his notorious raiders refused to surrender at the end of the war. While
the group disbanded, they never surrendered.
Mosby spent his later years in San Francisco with friends and family.
One particular family lived nearby with a young boy. The boy would
often come over and eagerly listen to the stories of the old Grey
Ghost. Mosby would entertain the young boy with tales of his gallant
exploits and daring raids. The two became fast friends and would play
war games outside. Mosby taught the young boy the secrets of Guerrilla
warfare. He taught him to fight like a raider, to fight like a guerrilla.
The young boy was George S. Patton!!
*********************************************************************
As most of you know, I always try to verify stories before forwarding.
Usually I put a link at the start of the forwarded email but in this
instance I put it at the last. I did not want to give away the tidbit
about Patton. Anyway here is the link & you may want to explore this
site as it is a very good one.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/John_S_Mosby_Geroge_Patton.htm
Be sure to read the “REST of the Story” on the link above:
