Mosby's Memoirs (Southern Classics Series) [Paperback]

John S. Mosby (Author)

Book Description

Series: Southern Classics Series | Publication Date: October 31, 2000

The Confederate guerrilla cavalry chieftain relates the history of his daredevil command in this memoir. “No other figure of the Civil War became during his lifetime such a storybook legend as John Mosby.”—Edmund Wilson. Southern Classics Series.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"No other figure of the Civil War became during his lifetime such a storybook legend as Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the audacious and resourceful Confederate soldier who, operating in sight of the Capitol dome with a handful of undisciplined guerrillas, performed prodigies in breaking up Union communications and capturing or putting to flight detachments of Union troops that were often far larger than his own."--Edmund Wilson, Patriotic Gore

"Since the close of the war, I have come to know Colonel Mosby personally, and somewhat intimately. . . .There were probably but few men in the South who could have commanded successfully a separate detachment, in the rear of an opposing army and so near the border of hostilities, as long as he did without losing his entire command."--Ulysses S. Grant

About the Author

John Singleton Mosby (1833-1916) studied at the University of Virginia and was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1854. Upon the secession of Virginia he entered the Confederate military service and subsequently formed an independent cavalry unit which operated behind Union lines in a region that came to be known as “Mosby’s Confederacy.” After the war, Mosby held several U.S. Government posts, including a consulship in Hong Kong.

Product Details

• Paperback: 414 pages
• Publisher: J.S. Sanders Books (October 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879941279
• ISBN-13: 978-1879941274
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Regional U.S. > South
  • #90 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States > Civil War > Military Leaders

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Story --- Reads Like an Adventure Novel, December 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mosby's Memoirs (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

Since I live in what might be called "Mosby's Back Yard" --- the Washington, DC suburbs of Northern Virginia --- I thought I should learn something about this man for whom several local streets, highways, and bridges are named. A friend recommended "Mosby's Rangers" by Jeffrey Wert; my wife suggested a new book, James Ramage's "Gray Ghost." But I opted to begin my study with Mosby's own account of his adventures: his own memoirs.

I know that old soldiers tend to exaggerate their war stories; and they occasionally ramble. But Mosby's Memoirs are still fascinating, and I think the exaggeration is kept to a minimum. The story does get a bit bogged down in Chapter 12 --- talking about events leading up to Gettysburg. The good colonel, like all soldiers, is also somewhat wordy discussing the merits and failures of various generals and officers in the war.

Still, all things considered, I found this to be quite interesting. I don't usually read military memoirs, but I enjoyed this. Now on to "Gray Ghost!"

Oh, another thing that made this book (and, presumably any book on John Mosby's exploits) fun to read: he mentions so many towns, roads, and places already familiar to me. Last weekend I took a drive to Beaverdam, VA just to see what was left of the train station near where the Yankees captured Mosby early in his career (he was shortly released). Couldn't find the station, but the tracks are still there! If you're familiar with Northern VA & the Shenandoah Valley, check out this book!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, April 4, 2000

By 

White Crow (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mosby's Memoirs (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

I read this book in less than 3 weeks! It was great, and for those who don't know the Civil War it's even better because you don't know what's about to happen. I really liked it, and you should check it out.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rebel With A Cause, February 5, 2009

By 

Kregg Jorgenson "Writetrak" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mosby's Memoirs (Southern Classics Series) (Paperback)

John Singleton Mosby ranks up there with the very best of those who served his country during war and I suspect that had he served with the North during the War Between The States his legacy today would be even more enhanced.
His Partisan Rangers gave the Federal Army in Virginia more than they had anticipated or could handle and they sustained their brilliant raids throughout the war. They were so good at their small unit hit and run tactics that at the war's end there was some question as to whether they would be pardoned. They were and his skill as a Ranger, his daring, and his loyalty to his cause and to those who served under him earned him the respect of many of his contemporaries, North and South alike...well, most of them anyway. George Custer probably didn't like him too much but read Mosby's book and see why.
Having visited and walked some of the sites of his raids and fights in Virginia I greatly enjoyed having his book with me. Getting back to the place is one thing while getting back to the time is another. MOSBY'S MEMOIRS offered those rare, brief glimpses into the mind and times of a true Special Operations soldier.