JOHN SINGLETON MOSBY'S PROMOTION TO MAJOR.


LEE, ROBERT. 1807-1870; and SAMUEL COOPER. 1798-1876; [MOSBY, JOHN SINGLETON. 1833-1916.] Autograph Letter Signed ("R.E. Lee"), being Lee's report on Mosby's exploits to Samuel Cooper, with Cooper's autograph note to the verso appointing Mosby to Major, in ink "Respfy submitted to the President/ S. Cooper March 27, 63, Adj General," and later in pencil, "By Direction of President Apt this off[icer] Majr of the Partizan Rangers. SC," 1 p, 4to (199 x 159 mm), Headquarters, March 26, 1963, some fading to ink, repaired tear to center (as from a letter spike), professionally conserved.Provenance: Collection of Byron Reed (his sale, Christie's, New York, March 8, 1998, lot 190, not describing Cooper's additional notes to the verso). LEE'S AUTOGRAPH REPORT ON MOSBY, WITH SAMUEL COOPER'S NOTE TO THE VERSO ORDERING HIS PROMOTION TO MAJOR FROM PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS. The exploits of John Singleton Mosby form some of the most compelling and important exploits of the Civil War, earning him the moniker "Gray Ghost," as he seemed able to slip at will behind Union to attack, and then just as quickly disappear again. His actions were so steeped in myth he was able to acknowledge in his Reminiscences, the "legends afloat, and religiously believed to be true, of a mysterious person—a sort of Flying Dutchman or Wandering Jew—prowling among their camps in the daytime in the garb of a beggar or with a pilgrim's staff, and leading cavalry raids upon them at night" (Mosby's War Reminiscences, p 23). The month of March 1863 was a particularly busy one for Mosby, and pivotal, raising both his military prospects and his national reputation as the press picked up on his incredible exploits. On the evening of March 9, having noted a break in the Union lines near Fairfax, Mosby and 29 men stole through the break and into the Fairfax Courthouse, where they found Brigadier General Edwin Stoughton asleep with his men. When Stoughton woke he inquired what was happening, mistaking Mosby's men for his own. "Did you ever hear of Mosby?" Mosby asked. "Yes, have you caught him?" Stoughton asked. "No," replied Mosby, "but he has caught you." Mosby and his men silently left the courthouse at 3:30 AM, with "Stoughton, two captains, thirty other prisoners, and fifty eight horses, and by morning, after a series of narrow escapes, he and his entourage had arrived in Warrenton, where he was greeted with an ovation" (Ashdown & Caudill, The Mosby Myth: A Confederate Hero in Life and Legend, p 47). Without a single casualty, Mosby had pulled off one of the great raids of the Civil War, and acclaim soon followed. Not content to rest, Mosby and his band ventured into Northern Virginia accomplishing a raid on Herndon Station, where they took "twenty-five prisoners—a major, one captain, two lieutenants, and twenty-one men, all their arms, twenty-six horses, and equipments" (Mosby, p 77). On March 23, 1863, Mosby, "with no more than 50" men attacked a detachment of the Fifth New York Cavalry at Chantilly. However, the reserve force heard the fighting and quickly arrived to reinforce them. Mosby retreated, with the intention of drawing them from their encampment, and in pursuit "getting strung out along the pike, would lose their advantage in numbers" (Mosby, p 88). Over a hill, Mosby and his men formed behind barricades of fallen trees previously built by Union troops: "At the order to charge, my men dashed forward with a yell that startled and stunned those who were foremost in pursuit. I saw them halt, and I knew then that they had lost heart and were beaten. Before they could wheel, my men were among them" (Mosby, p 89). According to General Robert E. Lee's report in the present letter, Mosby "reports ten killed & wounded & a Lt. & thirty five men with their horses, arms, & equipment captured. He sustained no loss." On the 27th, Major General J. E. B. Stuart, who initially gave the report to Lee, sent his congratulations to Captain Mosby, and described Lee's response to Mosby's action, as he exclaimed, "Hurrah for Mosby! I wish I had a hundred like him!" Already, Lee had forwarded his report on Mosby's newest victory to Adjutant Inspector General Samuel Cooper. According to Cooper's note on the verso, he sent along the report to President Jefferson Davis. Mosby's promotion to Major is dated as Lee's letter, March 26th, 1863, but the order from Davis would be weeks later, when Cooper would add the note, this time in pencil, "By Direction of President Apt this off[icer] Majr of the Partizan Rangers. SC."The raids of John S. Mosby afford some of the most astounding and important actions of the Civil War, and the present document captures him at the height of his fame (and infamy), bringing together four of the most important Confederate figures of the Civil War — a lively and important American document.