Mosby’s Confederacy in the Civil War

 

North Central Virginia became the preserve of one of the most dashing figures of the Civil War, John Singleton Mosby, nicknamed, the “Gray Ghost”.  Mosby commanded the 43^rd Battalion, 1^st Virginia Cavalry, known to history as Mosby’s Rangers or Mosby’s Raiders.   The 43rd Battalion operated officially as a unit of the Army of Northern Virginia, but the 1,900 men who served under Mosby from January 1863 through April 1865 lived outside of the norms of the regular army. 

 The Confederate government created special rules to govern partisan rangers such as Mosby’s men.  These rules included permission to share in the disposition of the spoils of war.  Because of this, Union officers considered Mosby’s men little better than common outlaws.  In 1864, several of Mosby’s men captured in battle were executed by Union forces.  Mosby retaliated, executing a similar number of Union soldiers.

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