A Guide to the Papers of John Singleton Mosby, ca. [1850]-1916 #Various

Biographical/Historical Information

John Singleton Mosby was born outside Richmond, Virginia on December 6, 1833. Mosby lived in Nelson County, Virginia until the age of six when his father moved to adjoining Albemarle County, four miles from Charlottesville and within viewing distance of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. After showing proficiency in Greek during grade school, he enrolled at the University of Virginia on October 3, 1850. Mosby was expelled from the University after shooting a fellow student, and took up several months of study in a local law office. He soon passed the bar and set up his own practice in nearby Howardsville, also in Albemarle County.

On December 30, 1857 Mosby married Pauline Clarke in Bristol, Virginia. Their first child, a daughter named May, was born on May 10, 1859. When Virginia followed other Southern states and voted to secede from the Union in 1860, Mosby decided to enlist in the Confederate army.

At first Mosby followed a local company of infantry, but quickly transferred to the cavalry corps of Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, and became acquainted with the duties of a scout. Before too long, however, Mosby was eager to form his own command that would not be bound by traditional army rules of engagement. In January 1863, Stuart approved Mosby's plan and gave him a few men to begin his operation. Mosby and his partisan rangers were later incorporated into the regular Confederate army. Their primary objectives consisted of destroying railroad supply lines between Washington and Northern Virginia, as well as intercepting dispatches and horses and capturing Union soldiers. Mosby's numbers rose from one dozen to a few hundred by the end of the war. Mosby's rank likewise rose steadily; his final promotion to colonel came in January 1865. Gen. Robert E. Lee cited Mosby for meritorious service more often than any other Confederate officer during the course of the war.

Mosby retreated into a self-imposed exile after the war until he acquired his parole from General U.S. Grant. He settled down in Warrenton, Virginia to re-establish his law practice. Politics, however, called to him. When Grant became president in 1869, Mosby visited him in the White House and offered his support. Mosby publicly backed the Republican in his 1872 re-election bid, and Grant carried Virginia. Under Hayes, Grant's successor, Mosby became a consul to Hong Kong (1878-1885). After returning to the United States, he became active on the lecture circuit and penned his war reminiscences and several other works for magazines and newspapers, spreading his account of his exploits during the war. After a series of physical debilitations, Mosby died on May 30, 1916 at the age of 82.

Contents List

Series I: Correspondence

John S. Mosby to William F. Wickham 1849 July 16

ALS

Concerning the service of the late Dr. James McClurg as a surgeon in the Revolutionary War.

#15753
John S. Mosby to William F. Wickham 1849 August 6

ALS

Concerning the service of the late Dr. James McClurg as a surgeon in the Revolutionary War.

#15753
John S. Mosby to Mr. Martin 1858 March 17

ALS

#10804
John S. Mosby, General orders 1863 March 12

ADS

#38-441
John S. Mosby, Farewell Statement to his troops 1865 April 21

ADS

Contemporary? copy in an unidentified hand.

#15009
John S. Mosby to Stilson Hutchins 1879 June 29

ALS

#9971
John S. Mosby to Mr. Queen ca. 1885?

ALS

#7036
John S. Mosby to John C. Ropes 1897 October 3

ALS

#10804
John S. Mosby to Reuben Page 1902 Jun 11

ALS

#5220
John S. Mosby to William J. McGee 1902 September 28

ALS

#10640-3
John S. Mosby to William J. McGee 1903 December 19

ALS

#10640-4
John S. Mosby to "Dear Gaston" 1904 August 27

ALS #12113
John S. Mosby to Colonel Peters 1905 March 20

ALS

#1001
John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke 1908 April 17

ALS

#9521-j
John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke 1909 November 25

ALS

#9521-j
John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke 1909 December 1

ALS

#9521-j
John S. Mosby to Thomas P. Bryan 1909 December 7

TLS (carbon)

#5415-c
John S. Mosby to Col. E. Leroy Sweetser 1910 July 13

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1910 July 28

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby from Percy Cross Standing 1910 August 3

TL

#5415-d
John S. Mosby, newsclippings 1910 August 14

#5415-d
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1910 August 31

ALS

#5415-d
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke; miscellaneous printed 1910, 1912, n.d.

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby to Louise Cocke 1911 January 16

ALS

#5415-a
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1911 January 27

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1911 April 21

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1911 May 30

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby to Col. Eben Swift 1911 July 4

ALS

#9244-a
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Garnett 1912 February 2

ALS

Mosby is pleased that Mrs. Garnett like his account of the "Yankee raid on Middleburg" and says it must have brought back memories to her. He plans to travel to Baltimore as soon as the weather permits and will pay her a visit.

#7939
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1912 March 26

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby, newsclippings 1911, 1915

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1912 August 5

ALS #5415-f
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1912 September 8

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke [1912] November 6

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1912 December 17

ALS

#5415-e
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 19[13?] March 10

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1913 May 8

ALS #5415-f
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Lena Noland Haxall 1913 July 8

ALS

#10067
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Lena Noland Haxall 1913 September 11

ALS

#10067
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1913 November 10

ALS (photostatic copy)

#5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke [1914] February 7

ALS #5415-f
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Lena Noland Haxall 1914 April 21

ALS #10067
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1914 May 13

ALS

#5415-d
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1914 June 13

ALS #5415
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1914 September 23

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Edwin Anderson Alderman 1915 Feburary 21

ALS

#1001
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1915 March 6

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke 1915 April 4

ALS

#9521-g
John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke 1915 May 10

ALS

#9521-j
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1915 May 15

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby to Mr. Patton 1915 May 15

ALS

#38-441
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Lena Noland Haxall 1915 May 21

ALS

#10067
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1915 November 28

ALS

#5415-e
John S. Mosby to Mr. Patton 1916 March 5

ALS; with TL, Patton to Mosby, 1916 March 7.

#38-441
John S. Mosby to Jno. S. Patton 1916 March 10

ALS

#38-441
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke 1916 March 18

ALS #5415-e
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke n.y. June 14

ALS

#5415-f
John S. Mosby to Mrs. Lena Noland Haxall [?] October 16

ALS

#10067-a
John S. Mosby to Betty Cocke n.d.

ALS

#5415
John S. Mosby, Autograph n.d.

#1001

Series II: Photographs and Portraits

Daguerreotype of John S. Mosby while a student at the University of Virginia ca.1850-1852
Physical Location: OS Box AA-8, Cell C

Mosby, wearing a flowered vest, and watch chain, is seated by a cloth covered table. #10571-a
Photograph of John S. Mosby ca.1850-1853

Note on verso, in Mosby's hand: "This picture is a copy of one taken of me while I was a student at the University of Va.--1850-53. Am wearing the Wash. Society badge. Jno. S. Mosby." Not the same as the daguerreotype above.
Portrait of John S. Mosby from Harper's Weekly 1865 January 21
Photograph of 53rd reunion of Mosby's Raiders 1898
Physical Location: OS Box Q-2

#9500
Photograph of John S. Mosby with two grandsons ca. [1914]

Left to right: Spottswood Mosby, John Singleton Mosby, Mosby Campbell. Autographed by Mosby. #3261-a
Reproduction of portrait of John S. Mosby in Confederate uniform n.d.

Autographed by Mosby.
Reproduction of photograph of John S. Mosby in Confederate uniform n.d.

Bust. Autographed by Mosby, with a note in his hand: "Copied from a photograph taken in Richmond in January 1865." #5415-b
Reproduction of photograph of John S. Mosby in Confederate uniform n.d

Full length, seated. Autographed by Mosby. #5415-b
Reproduction of portrait of John S. Mosby n.d.

Bust. Autographed by Mosby. #5415-b
Portrait of John S. Mosby by Catherine C. Critcher n.d.

UVa Art Index 40
Carte-de-visite photograph of John S. Mosby in his Confederate uniform n.d.

Signed by Mosby. Also, a photograph of John C. Edmonds, one of Mosby's Rangers, and two newsclippings.

#15009
Reproduction of photograph of John S. Mosby and Henry Mason Matthews n.d.