Sorry I missed Mosby's greatest - or at least most famous achievement, the capture of Brigadier General Edwin Stoughton from his bed in Fairfax. However, this small news item mentions the General's arrival - together with other captives - in Richmond. As noted, Mosby's name was spelled wrong. No wonder he wrote it in charcoal on the wall of Stoughton's bedroom. Didn't much help however. They continued to spell his name wrong all through the war and for years afterward. Annoyed the hell out of the little fellow.
Janesville (WI) Weekly Gazette And Free Press – March 20th, 1863 New York, March 17 Richmond papers of the 13th announce the arrival of captured Gen. Stoughton and others. They were taken by Capt. Mosely of Fitzhugh Lee’s command.
He wrote a letter to his wife after the Fairfax raid complaining that they still spelled his name MosEby. The also spelled it Mosely. I recently acquired a contemporary copy of a photo of Mosby as a major (rather famous). I know it's old because it had to be put in an acrylic "sandwich" frame or it would have disintegrated. On the bottom of the small photo are the words "J. S. Mosley". I'm sure he would have had a hissy-fit about that!
In fact, "keywording" Mosby to search through newspaper and other texts of the period require at least four go rounds: Mosby, Moseby Mosley and Mosely (and sometimes even Moseley). It's a hoot!
