thirty thousand Federal soldiers, who otherwise might have been employed
at the front. Even then the Federal lines of transportation were
constantly being attacked, with more or less success. It was impossible
to protect them against such reckless activity as the Rangers were
constantly displaying. No matter how vigilant the Federals were, Mosby
was sure to find an opportunity for attacking. Sometimes his success
would lie in the very boldness of the attempt. This was never more
strikingly illustrated than in one of his attacks upon Sheridan's line
of transportation. The Federal arm which had driven General Early up the
valley beyond Winchester was drawing its supplies over the turnpike from
Harper's Ferry. Mosby, taking a command of five companies of cavalry and
two mountain howitzers,--numbering two hundred and fifty men,--passed at
night across the Blue Ridge, and fording the Shenandoah, halted a few
miles below Berryville. Riding out to the turnpike, he discovered in his
immediate front two large trains parked for the night--one going toward
the army loaded, the other returning empty. He determined to capture the
former, composed of one hundred and fifty wagons. At daybreak it
commenced to move, guarded by a brigade of infantry and two hundred and
fifty cavalry. The train and its guard were soon strung along the
turnpike. The cavalry rode on the flank near the center, a company of
infantry marched in front of each tenth wagon, and the remaining force
was distributed between the rear-and advance-guards. It was a bright
summer morning, and just as the sun was rising the Rangers marched
across the open fields and halted about four hundred yards from the
road, and within full view of the moving train. Observing the Federal
cavalry dismounted across the road a quarter of a mile to his left,
Mosby sent two companies of his cavalry and one howitzer, with orders to
take a position immediately opposite them and there await the signal of
attack, which was to be three shots fired from the howitzer left behind.
This detachment did not halt until it was within seventy-five yards of