Did "Ranger" groups keep the War going longer?

[Kathy the history sleuth]

While Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah scouted, plodded, and drove through the Shenandoah Valley in late August and early September 1864, they were frequently harassed by Rebel partisan rangers including those under Col. John Singleton Mosby. Sheridan sought decisive battle with Confederates under Maj. Gen. Jubal Early, but the partisan rangers made that very difficult by capturing Union soldiers and disrupting lines of supply and communication.
What did Mosby seek in his rangers, irregular soldiers who were officially in the Confederate army's 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, but fought like guerrillas? Mosby favored aggressive combat tactics, always trying to employ speed and terror to gain an advantage. Thinking it was safer to be the aggressor, Mosby ordered his men to charge with a yell to stun the enemy, striking a target at unguarded points.
Perfect for this fighting style were Mosby's Rangers, most of whom were between 17-25 and sought the glory of war on horseback. One ranger wrote that most young men who joined Mosby came with romantic ideas of partisan ranger life. The young troopers also liked the fact that Mosby let them keep plunder captured on raids. Mosby thought this improved recruiting and kept the men devoted to the cause. Although Mosby did not demand uniformity in ranger dress, he did expect his men to carry pistols, favoring the 1860 Colt Army Revolver over all other weapons for its firepower in close combat.
Image: Mosby's Rangers (Mosby seated at center wearing plumed hat), Photographic History of the Civil War.
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This came from Cedar Creek and Belle Grove Historical Park Facebook page, posted 10/22/21

Do you think that groups such as these help even the odds for the mostly outnumbered Confederacy and kept the War going much longer? I love this photo.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

No - they didn't. The Northern Press gave lots of publicity to Mosby's band and with light losses and great publicity, it kept young men flocking to him. Mosby did everything he could to sap the strength of the Union invaders and that's what a guerrilla leader is supposed to do and he was good at it. But the 43rd Battalion neither prolonged the war or kept thousands of Union troops away from the front.

Stephen Z. Starr's The Union Cavalry in the Civil War, volume 2 (1981): "the guerrillas in the east had not accomplished anything more than to increase the cost and bitterness of the war."

Same with the other guerrillas..

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

No - they didn't. The Northern Press gave lots of publicity to Mosby's band and with light losses and great publicity, it kept young men flocking to him. Mosby did everything he could to sap the strength of the Union invaders and that's what a guerrilla leader is supposed to do and he was good at it. But the 43rd Battalion neither prolonged the war or kept thousands of Union troops away from the front.

Stephen Z. Starr's The Union Cavalry in the Civil War, volume 2 (1981): "the guerrillas in the east had not accomplished anything more than to increase the cost and bitterness of the war."

Same with the other guerrillas..

Thanks for the reply. I agree.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Lee opposed partisan units. So why didn't he disband the 43rd Battlion or McNeils unit with the others? Because they were causing damage and keeping large numbers of cavalry and infantry from joining Grant. In 1864 the Washington defenses were stripped of troops to send to Grant. The Harpers Ferry defenses where not because of the threat of Mosby, McNeil, and Mobberly. Both Lee and Stuart knew they couldn't keep moving with out the captured mules and horses Mosby was sending to them. Supply trains had to be guarded by extra large detachments, and train tracks guarded to prevent being destroyed. This all takes armed troops that could be with Grant.
"The military value of a partisan's work is not measured by the amount of property destroyed, or the number of men killed or captured, but by the number (of the enemy) he keeps watching him." -John Mosby
As far as his ranger's Mosby preferred them young, and over 80% were Virginian's.
"They haven't sense enough to know danger when they see it, and will fight anything I tell them to." -John Mosby

 

[Story]

Lee opposed partisan units. So why didn't he disband the 43rd Battlion or McNeils unit with the others? Because they were causing damage and keeping large numbers of cavalry and infantry from joining Grant. In 1864 the Washington defenses were stripped of troops to send to Grant. The Harpers Ferry defenses where not because of the threat of Mosby, McNeil, and Mobberly. Both Lee and Stuart knew they couldn't keep moving with out the captured mules and horses Mosby was sending to them. Supply trains had to be guarded by extra large detachments, and train tracks guarded to prevent being destroyed. This all takes armed troops that could be with Grant.

Same thing going on in the Ukraine now, where the Russian logistical train has been battered senseless by small units operating independently and angrily.

"This has all happened before, and this will all happen again".

Source https://www.loc.gov/item/93514858/

 

[Stone in the wall]

Phil Sheridan first felt Mosby's bite on August 13th 1864 near Berryville Va. Mosby captured 200 soldiers, 500 horses and mules, and burned 100 wagons. Result: Sheridan now started to dedicate a full brigade armed with 7 shot Spencers to protect the wagon trains.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

not accomplished anything more than to increase the cost and bitterness of the war."

Pretty much sums it up IMO

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

Same thing going on in the Ukraine now, where the Russian logistical train has been battered senseless by small units operating independently and angrily.

"This has all happened before, and this will all happen again".

View attachment 436069
Source https://www.loc.gov/item/93514858/

I agree that there are many similarities to what we are seeing in Ukraine. The Russian army is slow moving and easy to spot and attack. History repeats itself.

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

I agree that there are many similarities to what we are seeing in Ukraine. The Russian army is slow moving and easy to spot and attack. History repeats itself.

I think we history buffs are following this with interest and spotted it right away.

 

[jackt62]

Lee opposed partisan units. So why didn't he disband the 43rd Battlion or McNeils unit with the others? Because they were causing damage and keeping large numbers of cavalry and infantry from joining Grant

Didn't the CSA government abolish the Ranger units sometime in 1864?

 

[jackt62]

No - they didn't. The Northern Press gave lots of publicity to Mosby's band and with light losses and great publicity, it kept young men flocking to him. Mosby did everything he could to sap the strength of the Union invaders and that's what a guerrilla leader is supposed to do and he was good at it. But the 43rd Battalion neither prolonged the war or kept thousands of Union troops away from the front.

Stephen Z. Starr's The Union Cavalry in the Civil War, volume 2 (1981): "the guerrillas in the east had not accomplished anything more than to increase the cost and bitterness of the war."

Same with the other guerrillas..

Agreed. Confederate Ranger units in Virginia or elsewhere, and Bushwacker and Jayhawker bands in Missouri may been persistent nuisances, but from a strategic point of view, did not materially alter the outcome of the conflict.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Didn't the CSA government abolish the Ranger units sometime in 1864?

Not sure about the government, but Lee did abolish those connected with the Army of Northern Virginia, all except Mosby and McNeil. John Mobberly's operations was a whole other story. Deserted the 35th Battlion and working on his own, his little band was such a pain in the butt to the Harpers Ferry comand that he may be the only soldier killed in the ACW by paid assassin's.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Agreed. Confederate Ranger units in Virginia or elsewhere, and Bushwacker and Jayhawker bands in Missouri may been persistent nuisances, but from a strategic point of view, did not materially alter the outcome of the conflict.

But they did prolong the outcome as the OP asks. Mosby put down any effort made to destroy the 43rd, Blazer's 100so called "hand picked" Scouts armed with Spencers, and the Loudoun Ranger's were no match and wiped out by Mosby's band in 1864. The planks of the Long Bridge leading into Washington was heavely guarded and had the planks pulled up at night for fear Mosby would cross and inter the city. Not only did Mosby do damage, but kept Union troops from sleeping for fear of attack. Mosby was often mentioned in Lee's and Stuart's reports because he was active and doing damage to the enemy.

 

[Lonnie]

This is an interesting post and I have enjoyed reading the responses and opinions. Field's Partisan Rangers unit was started in Carter County Kentucky. We are assuming that my 6x grandfather was affiliated with that unit in some way. His nephew's name is on the official company roster. But there is virtually no history listed for this unit. Either they did absolutely nothing or they destroyed their records and rosters. We have read that they patrolled east Kentucky and East Tennessee and supported confederate sympathizers. We keep searching for information.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

In his intensively studied work on Confederate guerrilla warfare in Virginia, 'Gray Ghosts and Rebel Raiders', Virgil Carrington Jones claimed that such fighting was a highly effective tactic because it:
. confused the Federal high command;
. kept the Northern invaders from getting accurate information about the strength and position of Southern forces;
. disrupted supply and communication lines;
. compelled the Federals to detach large contingents to protect rear areas.

According to Jones, this kind of irregular fighting largely nullified the numerical advantages that the Federals had, and was never able to be really effectively countered.

Jones had no doubt that guerrilla warfare prolonged the war in the eastern theater by 8 or 9 months.

 

[Story]

But there is virtually no history listed for this unit. Either they did absolutely nothing or they destroyed their records and rosters.

If I'd been an officer in a unit responsible for giving the enemy grief (real or inflated - which is still a tangible), I'd have started the coffee fires on the last day with the records and rosters.

The defeated expected harsh treatment from their former enemies.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Remember that scene from 'The Outlaw Josey Wales'.

Execution or War Crime?

The memorable last words spoken by the politician here were, ..."They were decently treated, they were decently fed, and they were decently shot."...

This act of reprisal was likely due to the trouble and disruption they caused to Union operations in the area.

 

[Story]

Remember that scene from 'The Outlaw Josey Wales'.

Execution or War Crime?

The memorable last words spoken by the politician here were, ..."They were decently treated, they were decently fed, and they were decently shot."...

This act of reprisal was likely due to the trouble and disruption they caused to Union operations in the area.

That's the last line of the video excerpt I included above.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

That's the last line of the video excerpt I included above.

Thanks. Yes, realized that. (I quoted the last line after watching the posted video).

Included the quote wondering whether these surrendering irregulars (in the clip) were plainly executed or victims of some kind of war crime (unlawful killing).

 

[Stone in the wall]

In his intensively studied work on Confederate guerrilla warfare in Virginia, 'Gray Ghosts and Rebel Raiders', Virgil Carrington Jones claimed that such fighting was a highly effective tactic because it:
. confused the Federal high command;
. kept the Northern invaders from getting accurate information about the strength and position of Southern forces;
. disrupted supply and communication lines;
. compelled the Federals to detach large contingents to protect rear areas.

According to Jones, this kind of irregular fighting largely nullified the numerical advantages that the Federals had, and was never able to be really effectively countered.

Jones had no doubt that guerrilla warfare prolonged the war in the eastern theater by 8 or 9 months.

Some our members may remember the TV show from the late 1950's "The Gray Ghost" about Mosby's adventures. Vigil C Jones was used as an historical adviser.