Talk:John S. Mosby
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[edit] Why I made the change
One line initally said that on December 23, 1853 Mosby was pardoned "as a Christmas present." I removed the Christmas present comment because Christmas was not celebrated in the United States until 1870, when President Grant made it an official holiday.
- You're joking, right? Christmas has been celebrated for many centuries. A federal holiday merely allows government workers a day off with pay and has no direct effect on the celebration of a religious holiday (which it was when Mosby was pardoned). Hal Jespersen 02:18, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
Are you assuming it was a "Christmas present" or is there evidence that it was? As an historian I don't like assumptions. Not everyone celebrated Christmas. Puritans saw its origins and refused to celebrate it. There was (and still is) a lot of religious ferver in rural Virginia (where I live). If the govenor granted the pardon as a gift there must be some record. If not, please ask yourself it it is you assumption, if it is, you should remove that line. Assumption like this are what taint true histories. If it was in fact a "Christmas gift" then so be it, but there has to be evidence to support that claim. I'm just being a historical purist.
I find it odd that there is no mention of the fact that the guerilla outfit Mosby led was completely mounted. And another thing that was not mentionned in the article. Mosby's cavalry mainly used Colt revolvers instead of sabres or lances that were the primary weapons of other cavalry units at the time. 209.221.73.5 18:27, 3 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] True or Not True?
I have read somewhere that Lewis Powell, the Lincoln assassin conspirator, was somehow affiliated with Mosby's Rangers. Any truth to this? Dr. Dan 16:38, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Release details?
It says he was captured and imprisoned for ten days. Was he exchanged? Did he escape? Clarityfiend 21:01, 16 May 2006 (UTC)
- Exchanged. Hal Jespersen 00:53, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Executing Prisoners in Retalliation for Custer Killing Prisoners
The History Channel had a special on him and mentioned that out of a large number of prisoners, seven were selected to die by passing a hat around with marked strips of paper. Some were to be shot, others hanged, in direct proportion to how Mosby's men died. Some of the ones who were shot survived and were allowed to return to Federal lines as a warning. This should probably be included. I didn't make the edit directly because I don't have all the facts marshalled together.
Reply: The above account was broadly confirmed by Ed Bearss (see Wikipedia article), the former Chief Historian of the National Park Service, who now conducts the Smithsonian's Civil War tours. I have edited this section of the article, which previously spoke of Mosby threatening retaliation but never carrying it out, directly in line with Bearss's commentary. Bearss, incidentally, questions whether the Union forces who had executed Mosby's men did in fact come from Custer's unit (though Mosby himself evidently believed this and held it against Custer).Nandt1 12:35, 25 September 2006 (UTC)Nandt1.
[edit] anomaly
Note: many sources state, to the contrary, that Mosby executed a comparable number of Custer's men -- this anomaly in the article needs to be resolved authoritatively. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.110.25.157 (talk • contribs).
Reply: See note above. Nandt1 12:37, 25 September 2006 (UTC)Nandt1
