Mosby

[Calicoboy]

Hurt my back at work two weeks ago; and I've had plenty of time to read. One of the books perused was "Mosby's Rangers" by Jeffery Wert. I've always considered Mosby and his unit a bunch of buchwackers. This easy to read book dispelled some of my preconceptions. Tis true they looted and pillaged (the Union army that is); but they also performed valuable service to the Army of Northern Virginia. His was the only guerrilla unit that Lee acknowledged as helpful (at least, according to this book). His daring and bravery gained him the admiration of friend and foe alike. After the war he became close friends with Grant and joined the Republican party (gasp!). Hey, so did Longstreet. He was also the U.S. consul to Hong Kong. I will divulge no more. Check it out.

[samgrant]

I remember Mosby from the old Walt Disney series in the late 50's: 'The Gray Ghost'

The Gray Ghost had a voice-over:

"We took our men from Texas, Kentucky, and Virginia; from the mountains and the backwoods and the plains. We put them under orders - guerrilla fighting orders, and what we lacked in numbers, we made up in speed and brains. Both Rebs and Yankee strangers, they called us 'Mosby's Rangers.' Both North and South they knew our fame. Gray Ghost is what they called me; John Mosby is my name."

[matthew mckeon]

There is an old poem about Mosby by Walt Whitman I think. A young Union officer pursues the ghostly Mosby. For some reason the officer has his wife or sweetheart with him. Its a creepy, but effective poem, almost medieval in feeling.