From a small group of 16 men, "Mosby's Command" would grow to include nearly 2000 soldiers. They raided Union supply lines, picket posts and camps ranging from Maryland in the north, to the Rappahannock River, on the south, to the Potomac River on the east, and the western edge of the Shenandoah Valley. "Mosby's Command" was also called the 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion.
Published in 1909, this is the history of Confederate Colonel John Singleton Mosby's 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry during the Civil War. Written by James Williamson who served under Mosby's command. Includes many photos and illustrations.
Mosby's Rangers were some of the most feared Confederate troops of the American Civil War. Under the command of Col. John S. Mosby they executed small raids behind Union lines, raiding at will and then vanishing quickly into the countryside to remain undetected. Formally known as the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, they were formed after the Partisan Ranger Act of 1862. By the summer of 1864 Mosby had around four hundred men at his disposal in six cavalry companies and one artillery company. Their success led to the area around Fauquier and Loudoun counties becoming known as "Mosby's Confederacy", due to the grip that he and his men held on the area. James Joseph Williamson was private who fought under Mosby from April, 1863, through until the end of the war. He records in fascinating detail the activity of Mosby and his men from their companies organization until the moment that they were disbanded. Williamson provides brilliant insight into the campaigns that Mosby's men fought, how they were organized, who led them, the difficulties they faced, as well as their greatest victories. The effectiveness of Mosby and his small band can be seen in these two statements:General Lee said that Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal." While on the Union side, "General at one point reported that seventeen thousand of his men were engaged in keeping Mosby from attacking his weak points, and thus away from active service on the firing line. Finally it was not safe to send despatches by a courier unless a regiment was sent along to guard him." Yet, after the war, Grant held no animosity against his former foe, and stated "I have come to know Mosby personally and somewhat intimately. He is a different man entirely from what I supposed. ... He is able and thoroughly honest and truthful. There were probably but few men in the South who could have commanded successfully a separate detachment in the rear of an opposing army, and so near the borders of hostilities as long as he did without losing his entire command." Thus demonstrating the respect that Mosby and his men engendered with their enemies even after the war. Mosby's Rangers is a perfect book for anyone interested in the partisan activities of Mosby and his men through the course of the American Civil War. James Joseph William was one of Mosby's Rangers from 1863 through until the end of the war. His book was first published in New York in 1896 and he passed away in 1915.
Mosby's Rangers were some of the most feared Confederate troops of the American Civil War.Under the command of Col. John S. Mosby they executed small raids behind Union lines, raiding at will and then vanishing quickly into the countryside to remain undetected.Formally known as the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, they were formed after the Partisan Ranger Act of 1862. By the summer of 1864 Mosby had around four hundred men at his disposal in six cavalry companies and one artillery company.Their success led to the area around Fauquier and Loudoun counties becoming known as "Mosby's Confederacy", due to the grip that he and his men held on the area.James Joseph Williamson was private who fought under Mosby from April, 1863, through until the end of the war. He records in fascinating detail the activity of Mosby and his men from their companies organization until the moment that they were disbanded.Williamson provides brilliant insight into the campaigns that Mosby's men fought, how they were organized, who led them, the difficulties they faced, as well as their greatest victories.The effectiveness of Mosby and his small band can be seen in these two statements:General Lee said that Mosby was "zealous bold, and skillful, and with very small resources he has accomplished a great deal."While on the Union side, "General at one point reported that seventeen thousand of his men were engaged in keeping Mosby from attacking his weak points, and thus away from active service on the firing line. Finally it was not safe to send despatches by a courier unless a regiment was sent along to guard him."Yet, after the war, Grant held no animosity against his former foe, and stated "I have come to know Mosby personally and somewhat intimately. He is a different man entirely from what I supposed. ... He is able and thoroughly honest and truthful. There were probably but few men in the South who could have commanded successfully a separate detachment in the rear of an opposing army, and so near the borders of hostilities as long as he did without losing his entire command." Thus demonstrating the respect that Mosby and his men engendered with their enemies even after the war.Mosby's Rangers is a perfect book for anyone interested in the partisan activities of Mosby and his men through the course of the American Civil War.James Joseph William was one of Mosby's Rangers from 1863 through until the end of the war. His book was first published in New York in 1896 and he passed away in 1915.
Confederate John Singleton Mosby forged his reputation on the most exhilarating of military activities: the overnight raid. Mosby possessed a genius for guerrilla and psychological warfare, taking control of the dark to make himself the "Gray Ghost" of Union nightmares. Gray Ghost, the first full biography of Confederate raider John Mosby, reveals new information on every aspect of Mosby’s life, providing the first analysis of his impact on the Civil War from the Union viewpoint.
An overview of generations of Italians in the Big Apple, weaving together numerous stories from different epochs and different backgrounds. “If you want to learn something about Italian creativity, come to New York. Here, you will find the pride of flying the Italian colors at the Fifth Avenue Columbus Day Parade, the American patriotism of those who perished at Ground Zero, the courage of firefighters and marines on the frontline of the war against terrorism, the babel of dialects at the Arthur Avenue market, portrayals of social change in the writings of Gay Talese, stories of successful business ventures on the TV shows of Maria Bartiromo and Charles Gasparino, political passion in the battles of Mario Cuomo and Rudy Giuliani, creative imagination in the works of Gaetano Pesce, Renzo Piano and Matteo Pericoli, and provocation in the attire of Lady Gaga . . . The Midtown top managers, who arrived in the past twenty years, operate in the XXI century, while on Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood the panelle are still prepared according to the Sicilian recipes transmitted from one generation to the next.” —From the Introduction
The fascinating life of Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Gray Ghost, before, during, and after the Civil War. The most famous Civil War name in Northern Virginia—other than General Lee—belongs to Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Gray Ghost. His early life characterized by abuse of childhood bullies, a less-than-outstanding academic career, and even a brief incarceration, Mosby stands out among nearly one thousand generals who served in the war. Even though Mosby was opposed to secession, he joined the Confederate army as a private in Virginia, and quickly rose through the ranks. He became celebrated for his raids that captured Union general Edwin Stoughton in Fairfax and Colonel Daniel French Dulany in Rose Hill. By 1864, he was a feared partisan guerrilla in the North and a nightmare for Union troops protecting Washington City. After the war, his support for presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant forced Mosby to leave his native Virginia for Hong Kong as U.S. consul. A mentor to young George S. Patton, Mosby’s military legacy extended far beyond the War Between the States and into World War II. William S. Connery brings alive the many dimensions of this American hero.
Once again, the soldiers, officers, and commanders tell the story in this third volume of Kevin Campbell’s comprehensive work on the Gettysburg Campaign, Journey to Armageddon. The hardships, comradery, short rations, and the dance with the enemy’s bullets and shells are all here. Blistering sun, drenching rains, chocking dust, sticky mud, played out horses and men, and the high-level, often inharmoniousness communications between army commanders and their governments are presented in these pages. Fortunately, not all is despair and doom. Included are the sometimes-humorous interactions with the civilians met along their journey and the acrimony that frequently filled encounters between hungry soldiers and the administrators of the villages and towns they passed through. The tales told by these hardy men about the events of their existence are significant elements within the story of the Gettysburg Campaign, which author Kevin Campbell tells in a clear and concise prose. Most historians who write of the great crusade gloss over these events in favor of the more prominent proceedings in and around Gettysburg. These often-ignored events and much more are incorporated into his complete treatment of the Union and Confederate armies on their journey to Armageddon.
