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5-Point Skirmish - January 1, 1865
A detachment of Cole's Second Battalion Maryland Cavalry, composed of
a detail of 20 men from each company, numbering in all 80 men, under
command of Capt. A. N. Hunter, came from Harper's Ferry on a scout and in
search of Mosby. Captain Smith of Mosbys Company B, with 32 men, went
into Rectortown as soon as Cole's men had left, and getting on their
trail, followed them out on the Salem road. Cole's party turned off,
crossing the fields, in the direction of Middleburg. Captain Smith cut
across the country to come out on their flank near Five Points. Soon shots
were heard in front, as Montjoy, Henry Ashby and John Edmonds, who were
riding in advance came upon their rear. The Rangers drew their pistols,
and with Smith at their head, charged with a yell. At the first fire
Captain Hunter's horse was shot and he was made prisoner. The Federals
seemed more determined on flight than fight, and hurried on towards
Middleburg. Captain Smith followed, but had to send a great portion of his
force back with prisoners and horses. Mosby, seeing Smith's command in the
town, thought it still occupied by the enemy and maneuvered around
cautiously, but when they moved off he rode into town. Learning that they
were a portion of his own command and had gone in pursuit of the Federals,
he dashed off and soon, too, was on the track of the raiders, who had
scattered and were now fleeing in every direction, closely pursued the
Rangers. It was a rout for the Federal forces. Cole's men threw away bags
of corn, sabres, carbines, pistols and everything they could well rid
themselves of, and some, as though thinking their horses not fleet enough,
jumped down, and leaving them in the road, ran through the woods on foot.
In this affair but two of " Mosby's Men " were wounded John Gulick
severely. Four of the Federals were killed, 10 or 12 wounded and 41
captured. Over 50 horses fell into the Rangers hands |
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Lakeland, on Rt 713
Mosby was critically wounded here on the night of December 21,1864 by
Corporal Kane of the 13th New York Cavalry who shot him through the window
pane of the back dining room. Mosby had the presence of mind to take off
his uniform coat and shove it under a bureau after which he collected some
blood from his wound and put it around his mouth. The Federals, who were
returning from a scout after Mosby that had begun on the 17th, were
drinking heavily which may have contributed to what happened next. They
asked Mosby his name, and he groaned faintly it was Lt. Johnson of the 6th
Virginia Cavalry. Major Douglass Frazer, in command of the Union party,
was a bit tipsy himself, and he looked Mosby over himself and decided he
was dying, and since he was just a lieutenant according to his word, they
didnt worry about him. So they rode away taking with them his cavalry
boots and Tom Love, and somewhere in the dark a trooper was carrying a
plumed hat, gray overcoat and a scarlet lined cape he had picked up in one
corner of the dining room. It was some hours before the latter came to
light and they were identified as Mosbys
By the time they got back Mosby had been moved by oxcart to a neighboring
home
This event may have shortened the war as Col. Mosby had been recalled to
Richmond in December by President Davis to discuss the beginning of
wholesale guerilla warfare, Mosby and the other partisan leaders, in
blocking Sheridan in his Valley campaign had shown how valuable it was,
and the rebel high command looked upon it as a way to hold on. There was
to be a system of mountain signal stations for quick communication and the
overall leader was to be Mosby who would be promoted to brigadier general
at the proper time. But what happened here on the night of December 21st
leaving Mosby desperately wounded and convalescing till the end of
February, near the end of the war, put and end to any plans of wholesale
guerilla warfare, thanks to Corporal Kane |
