Mosby

[BettyO]

While I LOVE Come Retribution (and cherish the memory of the authors even more!) it IS a difficult read - until you get to Mr. Hall's part (about halfway through!) General Tidwell, God rest his soul, wrote basically a text book explanation of covert operations in the first half. But the book itself is invaluable in the study of Confederate espionage.

To answer the question "Did Mosby have enough manpower in March-April 65' near the end of the war, to be of any realistic help to some of these covert operations (including Booth?)" Mosby was still somewhat active in the valley at this time and supposedly was involved with sending some of his command out to the Northern Neck of Virginia in order to support Thomas Harney. Powell, of course, had been sent in January 1865 to aid Booth, in what Powell described to comrades and friends as his "Maryland venture." It was later said by General William H. Payne with whom Powell boarded as well as General Bradley Johnson that Mosby was under orders from the Confederate Hierarchy to supply manpower for these auspices. This was reported in a post war letter from Payne to Johnson. Even after disbanding his command on April 21, 1865, Mosby went west to join General Joe Johnston's unit in North Carolina. Hearing that he had surrendered, he returned home to Virginia.

Knowing Mosby, I would not doubt that he had his finger in many pies as he could; even as late as April 21, 1865. Also remember that Willie Jett, Bainbridge and Ruggles were also from Mosby's unit. Just MO.....