Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 274, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1913 — STRAY HORNETS SPIKED GUN [ARTICLE]

STRAY HORNETS SPIKED GUN

Mosby Failed to Capture Train Because of Them. * While Waiting for Federal Sutlers' Wagons Confederate Rangers Met •With a Warm Reception—Luck With Men In Blue. , y 1 Boston. —Col. John 8. Mosby, commander of the Partisan Rangers, who gave such dashing service in the southern cause fifty years ago. is living now in the city of Washington, the Youth’s Companion states. One of the really amusing incidents that passed under his notice during the war he told not long ago. In the summer of 1864 when Gen. Phil Sheridan was in the valley of the Shenandoah, he found himself much harassed by Mosby, who was continually cutting 6ff his supply trains. An army cannot fight on an empty stoft>fu:h, and Mosby knew It One bright morning Mosby heard that a long supply train was winding Its wdy down the valley. By noon the rangers. In tbeir gray uniforms, were gathered at the forks of the valley pike, watching for the head of the wagon train to appear. Presently a cloud of dust was seen rising far up the road, and. as the wind blew it aside, the Confederates caught sight of a line of men In blue escorting a baravan of lumbering wagons drawn by mules. Instantly Mosby gave the orddr to run a little howitzer up on the side of the hill and

unlimber 1L As soon as the gun had opened fire the rest of Hie men were to make a cavalry charge and throw the train into confusion. r The rangers Jerked the position and began to swab it out Suddenly the man with the swab gave a shrill yell, seized the seat of his pantaloons and fled down the hill jnd out into the road. Almost the same moment the other man at the gun abandoned It He seemed to be fighting at the air as he disappeared over a stone wall. The sutlers’ wagons were creeping nearer and Mosby did not know what to think of such extraordinary conduct He ordered four more men to the gun, but hardly. bad they reached It when the*, too, yelled, began to beat the' air madly with tbeir hats and took to flight. Spurring his horse over the stone wall Mosby rode toward the gun, but his stay was short howitzer stood Just over a hornet’s nest and those busy Insects were resenting the Intrusion. They had repelled the invaders on foot and now they swarmed on Mosby’s horse till pie maddened animal tore off down the pike on a run. Then they turned their attention to the rest of the troop. Their attack was so vicious that the rangers gave up any Idea of standing by |lhe gun. They scattered far and wide and It was an hour before they returned. When they did the wagon train had safely vanished In the distance. So the hornets s**ed the day for Bherldan.