Ranger Mosby

by Virgil Carrington Jones

During the years 186465, Col. John S. Mosby and his rebel rangers tormented Union troops in Northern Virginia. This definitive account of the crafty, flamboyant partisan and the havoc he raised is an out-and-out page turner.

Genres: Civil War, History, Biography

356 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1944

About the author

A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Virgil Carrington Jones served as the city editor for the Huntsville Times and worked as a reporter for the Richmond Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Washington Evening Star, and the Wall Street Journal.

Reviews

[Clinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was written in 1944, but is still the definitive biography of John Mosby. I found the book detailed and well researched, but disliked the writing style for much of it. The details of the combat actions are such that it sounds too much like fiction: "Beneath the cape, his grip tightened on his revolvers." This makes for more exciting reading, but I like my non-fiction to be non-fiction, not the author's imagination. Although most readers may find them boring, I found the chapters about his post-war life to be among the most interesting. He certainly led an interesting life.

[Fred Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mosby is one of my favorite characters of the Civil War. A Reb, small in stature but fearless in battle. He stymied and tormented the Yankees behind their lines and while chased and hounded by his enemy, he was never caught. Jones did a good job with him in this biography.