United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
I remembered the military maxim, a mounted man should never surrender
until his horse is disabled. I hesitated an instant considering what
I should do, and quite in doubt whether I was myself or some other
fellow whom I had read of as captured and hung by guerillas; but at the
repetition of the sharp command, aided by the revolver thrust into my
face, I concluded I was undoubtedly the other fellow and surrendered
accordingly.
My sword and revolver were taken at once by the Sergeant, who proved
to be a rebel lieutenant in disguise, and who remarked, laughing as he
took them:
“We closed up, Captain, as you directed; as this is a favorite beat of
Mosby’s, I hope our drill was satisfactory.”
“All right, Sergeant. Every dog has his day, and yours happens to come
now. Possibly my turn may come to-morrow.”
“Your turn to be hung,” he replied.
II
It was not long before I was ushered into the presence of John S.
Mosby, Lieutenant-Colonel, C. S. A.
He stood a little apart from his men, by the side of a splendid gray
horse, with his right hand grasping the bridle-rein and resting on the
pommel of his saddle--a slight, medium-sized man, sharp of feature,
quick of sight, lithe of limb, with a bronzed face of the color
and tension of whip-cord. His hair, beard, and mustache were light
brown in color. His large, well-shaped head showed a high forehead,
deep-set gray eyes, a straight Grecian nose, a firm mouth, and large
ears. His whole expression told of energy, hard service, and--love of
whiskey. He wore top-boots, and a civilian’s overcoat, black, lined
with red, and beneath it the complete gray uniform of a Confederate
Lieutenant-Colonel, with its two stars on the side of the standing
collar, and the whole surmounted by the inevitable slouched hat of
the whole Southern race. His men were about half in blue and half in
butternut.
Mosby, after taking my horse and quietly examining my papers, presently
looked up with a peculiar gleam of satisfaction on his face.
“Ah, Captain B----! Inspector-General of ----’s Cavalry! Good-morning,
Captain! Glad to see you, sir! Indeed, there is but one I would prefer
to see this morning to yourself, and that is your commander. Were
you present, sir, the other day at the hanging of eight of my men as
guerillas at Front Royal?”
I answered him firmly, “I was present, sir; and, like you, have only to
regret that it was not the commander instead of his unfortunate men.”
This answer seemed to please Mosby, for he apparently expected a
denial. He assumed a grim smile, and directed Lieutenant Whiting to
search me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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