Page:War and its Heroes.djvu/38

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Tin: WAR AND ITS li V," . Barker, STork ( lavalry : Colonel Wyndham's neral; thirty pi biefly of the 18th Pennsylvania and Lsl Ohio Cavalry, legraph operator at the place XI » were placed upon the captured horses, and the ut in silence on their return. Major Moebv. I • which had obndacted him into the court- house — that which Hut this was ooly to deceive the if they attempted pursuit. J K- km d turned off", and } armed I Followed in advancing, coming ont on the ' a turnpike, about a mile and a half from the town. This time, finding no guardi on the main road, he continued to follow the turnpike until lie came to the belt of woods, whicl about half a mile from Centreville. At this point of the inarch, one of the prisoners, Captain Darker, counting a, made a effort to effect his He broke from the guards, dashed out of the ranks, and tried hard to reach the fori. H< was stopped, however, by a shot from one of the party, which came so near him that he thought it advisable not lo risk a repetition of it. He accordingly came back and gave himself np again to his eneni q turning to the right, the major proceeded on his way, passing directly benea rtifications. He passed so near them that he distinctly the bristling muzzles of the oannon iii the embrasures, and was challenged by the sentinel on the redoubt. Making no reply, he pushed on rapidly — for the i].r : was dawning ai I no time was to be lost — passed within a hundred yards the infantry picket* without molestation, swam Cub Run, and again came out on the Warrenton turnpike at GToveton. He had passed through all his Clanked Centreville, was on the open road to the South; he was safe] He had penetrated to the very heart of the enemy's position; glided through their camps ; capture i their pinkets ; seiz< d their officers id bed ; borne off their horses; laughed at, and befooled, and outwitted them completely; and had not lost i man in the intei pi of Major Mosby would furnish material l'or a volume whieh would r< :i romanoi than a true statement of actual occurrences, ll« raids, encounters and adventures, that hit . omitted them to paper, would be regarded as the efforts of 1: ndent gives the annexed pen-and-ink sketch of the gallant major: His figure is slight, muscular, Bupple and vigorous; his eye is keen, penetratii a the alert; he wears his sabre and pistol wfth the air of a man who slet ps with them buckled around his waist, and handles them habitually, almost unconsciously. The major is a determined man in a (barge, dangerous on a scout, hard to outwit, and prone to "turn up suddenly where he is least exp< U '.. and baug away with pistol and carbiue.