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ROSTER of
the 43rd BATTALION VIRGINIA CAVALRY
ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Confederate States of America
"Mosby's Confederacy" geographically defined as running from Snickersville,
along the Blue Ridge Mountains to Linden; thence to Salem (now called Marshall);
to The Plains; thence along the Bull Run Mountains to Aldie; and thence along
the turnpike to the place of beginning, Snickersville. Beginning June 22nd,
1864, Mosby allowed no member to leave these bounds without permission Roll
call was kept at each meeting, and any man absent for two successive meetings,
without satisfactory reason, was to be sent back to the regular service.
Initially a young artillery officer, who at the first call of his State to arms had quit the study of divinity and became, like Stonewall Jackson, a sort of military Calvin, singing the psalms of David as he went into battle. Prior to joining Mosby, he was an officer in the Dixie Artillery Battery. As a Lieutenant, Sam was severely wounded on May 30, 1863, after Mosby's men captured a railroad train at Catlett's Station, Chapman, who was in charge of Mosby's artillery piece, sent a shell into the engine. They were then attacked by the 7th Michigan Cavalry, 5th New York and the 1st Vermont, near Grapewood Farm, about 2 miles from Greenwich. Chapman, was so badly wounded that he could not be removed, and was paroled on the field.
After the war, he resided at Covington, Virginia, serving as a Baptist Minister.
Part of the VMI Class of 1866, John Mosby personally swore William in for the war on July 10th, 1863 in Faquier County, Va. He was paroled on May 17th, 1865, listed with dark hair and hazel eyes. After the war, he owned the W.B Palmer * Co. shipping agents, Richmond, Va., living at 1321 East Cary St., Richmond in 1909. He died August 17th, 1917, and is buried in the grand old Confederate Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va. Click here for picture.
Lieutenant Martin was buried on Sunday, August 21st, 1864, at Upperville after being accidentally shot by a comrade while riding along the road, the ball passing through his breast, from left to right. He was a brave young soldier; his daring at times seeming reckless. He had many friends, both in the command and among the citizens, and his death was a regret to all.
Before joining Mosby's command Channing had served in Company H, 4th Virginia Cavalry, receiving both praise and recognition as a scout from both Generals Lee and JEB Stuart.
After the war, he resided at Delaplane, Virginia, where he was a clerk for the Marshall School Board.
Boyd was wounded on January 10th, 1864, while attacking Cole's Camp, Loudoun Heights.
After the war, Boyd was a mining engineer at Washington, D.C.
Edgar was mortally wounded on Saturday, October 29th, 1864 in the fight near Upperville with the 8th Illinois Cavalry, dying soon after the fight ended. At first it was thought he was only slightly wounded, but from the first he persisted in saying he would die. He lingered a few days. His horse was shot, as was also the horse of his brother, William. Davis was a very quiet, unassuming man and his loss was much regretted.
George was a veteran of 2 wars, the Mexican and American Civil War. He enlisted in 1861 in Company C, 4th Virginia Cavalry and was honorably discharged on account of wounds received in battle. Afterwards, he enlisted under the banner of Colonel Mosby.
On July 6th, 1864, was wounded opposite Skinner's house, below Mount Zion.
After the war, Henry Moore resided at Hillsborough, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Richmond, Virginia.
COMPANY E Privates
After the war, he resided in Woodville, Virginia.
After the war, he resided in The Plains, Virginia.
At the end of hostilities, he resided at Gainesville, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Bedford City, Virginia.
After the end of the Civil War, John resided at Alexandria, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Flint Hill, Virginia.
Cleveland was a Cadet at VMI, class of 1867. He never got a chance to finish. The war called this young lad, like so many others. "Clarence" gave up the books for the battelfield, offered his services and life for enlistment and was accepted into the 43rd Virginia Battalion by Colonel John S. Mosby on July 28th, 1864 at Upperville, VA. Mr. Coleman was captured by the Loudoun Rangers on Sunday, November 27th, 1864, near Goresville, Loudoun County, VA. He was paroled from C.S.A. service on April 26, 1865 at Ashland. After the war, he resided in Caroline County, VA.
After the war, he resided at Culpeper, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Washington, D.C.
After the war, he resided at Alexandria, Virginia.
Private William F. Dennis was enrolled for the war by Colonel John S. Mosby on July 28, 1864, at Upperville, Virginia. He was paroled by the victorious Union Army at Winchester, Virginia on April 22, 1865, at which time he was listed as being 20 years of age, standing 5'6" tall, with hazel eyes, dark hair and fair complexion. He may have lived in Maryland prior to the beginning of hostilities.
After the war, John moved to New York City, New York.
After the war, he resided at Winchester, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Newport News, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Marshall, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Swamp, Fauquier County, Virginia.
As Mosby's men fought the 6th New York Cavalry outside Berryville, on September 3rd, 1864, Jarman was ordered to get down and open a gate to allow the Rebs to pass through. As Jarman attempted to swing back the gate he was killed by a shot from one of the skirmishers in front.
After the war, he resided at Warrenton, Virginia.
John Mason Lawrence ran away to join Mosby's Rangers after Union soldiers raided his family's farm in Rapphannock County. His father brought him back home, gave him supplies and sent him on his way again. John enrolled for the war on July 28, 1864, by Colonel Mosby at Upperville.
John Mason Lawrence was in Salem, which is now Marshall, Virginia, when Mosby disbanded. He received his parole in Winchester on April 22, 1865.
After the war, John ran three farms in Culpeper and Rappahannock Counties. He actively participated in reunions for the Confederate soldiers, including the 1895 reunion at Marshall, the 1920 reunion at Culpeper and the 1925 reunion at Front Royal. With his wife, Sarah Priest Lawrence, (who was the sister of Mosby Ranger George Harvey Priest) he was recognized as being one of the oldest married couples in Rapphannock County, Virginia. They had been married for 61 years at the time, having had eight children. (He was 88 and she was 85) At this time he was also recognized as being one of the few surviving Confederate soldiers.
He died October 17, 1939 while living at Waterloo, Fauquier County, Virginia and is buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery, Amissville, Rappahannock County, Virginia. Even in his last years, he vividly remembered the raids with Mosby.
Special thanks to Beverly Lawrence Shortess, the Great-Granddaughter of John Mason Lawrence for supplying information to me for use on my website.
James "Jimmy" Littleton, 1845-1915, participated in the Union payroll train raid. After the war he lived in Jefferson County, WV. and is buried in the Edgehill Cemetery, Charles Town, WV.
(The following is an excerpt from a privately printed family history). A note of explaination is in order. The writer of this is now 80. The Grandmother Tavenner referred to is Charlotte Adrienne "Ada" Littleton, who later married Howard Tavenner. Interestingly, Jimmy Littleton married Laura Tavenner, Howard's sister. Jimmy died on July 4, 1915 (Independence Day). Jimmy's sister, Ada, born in 1848, survived to the age of 93, passing away in 1941. These "once removed" recollections become rarer with the passing years.
From: "The Littleton Family"
James Thomas Littleton, son of Charles G. Littleton (himself the son of Revolutionary
War veteran Thomas Littleton), served during the Civil War with Colonel John
Singleton Mosby. Mosby was famous for his daring raids against the enemy. All
the men who served under him were excellent riders. Jimmy Littleton was with
Mosby when a payroll train of $ 172,000 of federal currency was robbed. The
attack took place about 2 a.m. between Harpers Ferry and the Duffield Station
in Jefferson County, then Virginia. Mosby's men dropped down the steep slopes
of the bank and spread out along the train tracks. Others leaped up the steps
of the train and entered the coaches. The passengers were ordered out of the
train and up onto the bank. A satchel and a tin box was taken, filled with greenbacks
from the U.S. Army paymasters on board. A small party of the raiders was detailed
to take the money across the Blue Ridge to Loudoun County, Virginia. The rest
of the men later met with the others near Bloomfield where they counted the
captured payroll and divided it on orders by Colonel Mosby. Each share was around
$ 2,000 each, divided into eighty-four parts. Since Mosby refused to take any
of the money, the men later made up a purse and bought him a thoroughbred horse
"Croquette" which was later to become his favorite horse. **= This account was
taken from the book "Ranger Mosby" by Virgil Carrington Jones.
Grandmother Tavenner, who
was a young girl then, remembers her brother, Jimmy, riding back to their home
at "Snowhill" near Charles Town, carrying his share of the money. She said the
family, all the girls, her parents and Jimmy going down into the dirt cellar
at night with lanterns, and there for several hours, crimped and shuffled the
new money, and rubbed it with dirt and grime to make it appear old and used.
The Littletons lived much too close to Washington, D.C. to ever have crisp Federal
bills in their possession.
(Many thanks to Tom Littleton, a direct descendant of Jimmy Littleton,
for sharing with us this very interesting piece of Civil War history.)
I found very little information
on the valiant Elijah - other than he was born in 1827 or 1830 and had at least
2 children. He died in 1920 and is buried in the Marshall Cemetery, Marshall,
Virginia. At some time, he resided at The Plains, Virginia. Due to the graciousness
of his descendant, we now have the following information by double
clicking here now!
To view a photo of Mr. Lunsford taken around 1920 double click here now!
Special thanks goes out to R. Dwayne Lunsford, PhD That's his grandfather on the right of Mr. Lunsford photo accessible above. Per Dr. Lunsford, "It is amazing how we are only two to three generations removed from these old warriors." Thanks for sharing your family's history with the rest of us!Take care,
After the war, he resided at Norfolk, Virginia.
"Even though he was but fourteen years of age, Alexander Miller was a medical student at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, prior to the outbreak of the war. In April of 1861, Virginia Governor John Letcher asked for volunteers to form a militia to "defend against an invading army." Alex and many friends would volunteer in Amherst, Virginia, where the family farm, once owned by Patrick Henry's mother, was located. In April of 1861, Alex and the other volunteers were sent to Charlottesville to join C.S.A. General Philip St. George Cocke's Virginia brigade. Their first tour of duty was at Harper's Ferry, (West) Virginia, to defend against Union General George Brinton McClellan's Ohio Infantry Volunteers.
In the meanwhile, Virginia Governor Letcher transferred all Virginia volunteers to the Confederate Army on June 8th, 1861. Cocke's brigade was transferred from Harper's Ferry under General Joseph Eggleston Johnston's command to the east and put under the command of the current favorite and hero Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. The brigade was at the First Battle of Manassas and played an important part in that battle by defending Stoney Bridge. The brigade's next battle was on October 21st, 1861, at Ball's Bluff, near Leesburg, Virginia.
On December 26, 1861, General Cocke, who had been suffering from poor health, took his own life, the only officer of either army to do so. He was buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery. Cocke's brigade was placed under the command of General George Edward Pickett on February 14, 1862. The brigade's first engagement under Pickett was near Williamsburg, Virginia, against McClellan. Throughout the remainder of 1862 under June of 1863, there would be many battles and skirmishes between Pickett's men and northern troops.
During this same period of time, a young man by the name of John Singleton Mosby was making quite a name for himself as a scout for James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart. In January of 1863, Mosby was given the command of a small group of men who would ultimately grow into Mosby's Rangers, an army within an army that would wreak havoc on the Union Army.
John Mosby had also been a student at the University of Virginia, and it is believed that Alex Miller may have known Mosby or other members of the Mosby family, as they had a farm near Charlottesville. While recovering from a would incurred at Bridgewater, Virginia, on June 12, 1863, Alex heard that Mosby had been given his own command. He put in for and was granted a transfer to Mosby's command. This leads me to why I call this piece "Twist of Fate." Had Alex not transferred into Mosby's command in June, 1863, he would have been at the battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, when, as you know, General George Pickett lost almost every man under his command during "Pickett's Charge." Had Alex been there, I probably would not be here today.
Alex became a member of Company E of Mosby's 43rd Battalion, with William (Willie) H. Mosby, John's brother, as adjutant, when it was formed in 1864. Alex was promoted to adjutant when Willie was away recovering from having been wounded. Company E was very active and made several raids for supplies in Martinsburg, West Virginia, where my family and I reside today.
Alex was mustered out of the Confederate army in April, 1865 and returned to Amherst County to marry Annie Jennings on October 19th, 1868, take up farming, and raise fourteen children. Alex and Annie named their first-born son "John Singleton Miller," their second-born son "Sheffey Daniel Miller" after Alex's father, who also fought in the war, and their third-born son "William H. Miller" after Willie H. Mosby.
Alex lived a good and full life surrounded by his family. He died April 17, 1919, 54 years after the Civil War and 2 years after his beloved John Mosby died. He was buried in the Alex Miller Cemetery in Amherst, Virginia. The obituary which appeared in the Amherst News, April 18, 1919, read in part:
Death of Mr. Alex Miller
Mr. Alex Miller, one of our best known citizens died on the 17th at the University Hospital, after an operation, where he went on March 11th, 1919. He had been a great sufferer for years and he was advised that an operation was his only chance. Mr. Miller was 73 years old and a son of the late D. Sheffey Miller, and had spent his life in Amherst County, where he was born on July 31st, 1845 and raised. He was a good farmer and citizen, a kind neighbor, no one ever asked Alex Miller for a kindness and was turned off -- a big-hearted man and loyal friend. His was who was a Miss Jennings, preceded him to the grave several years ago. He was a gallant Confederate soldier -- fought the entire four years in the Civil War. He was a member of Col. Jno. S. Mosby's guerillas, and one of its best men. He was a member of the Methodist Church and died in its faith. He leaves 11 children."
(Many, Many, Many thanks to Chris Walker, his great-great-grandson for reminding me I hadn't added anything yet on Mr. Miller, (grin) and contributed the above which was penned by his father, and Alexander Miller's great-grandson, Mr. Charles C. Walker, III).
Born April 3rd, 1846, Benoni was sworn into Mosby's group by Mosby himself on July 28th, 1864, at Upperville. (the war had less than a year to go, but at 17 years of age, B.F. Nalls finally got a chance to join in the fight, after he watched it develop as his adolescence developed into manhood. Gotta wonder what Mosby thought, after seeing all the loss of life he experienced, as he swore into service these young "peach fuzz" boys. He was paroled April 26th, 1865, at Winchester, Va. He had blue eyes, light hair with light complexion, at 5'8" tall. After the war, he resided at Culpeper, Virginia from 1895 to 1930. He attended the 43rd Battalion Reunions, 1895 in Marshall, 1920 reunion in Culpeper, and the 1925 reunion in Front Royal. The Lord called Mr. Nalls back home on January 2nd, 1930. His remains lay in the Fairview Cemetery, Culpeper, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Fairfax County, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Haymarket, Virginia, not too far from his brother, George.
Though his service with Mosby is vague, he was paroled at Winchester, Virginia on April 30, 1865, he was born October 27, 1844 standing a defiant 5' 9" tall, with grey eyes, dark hair and with fair complexion. After the war, he resided at Marshall, Virginia, where he purchased a general store in 1884. He attended the 1895 reunion of Mosby's 43rd Battalion Veterans in Marshall (his backyard). He left this world on March 24, 1907. You can visit his remains at the Foster Cemetery, the Plains, Virginia..
After the war, he resided at Richmond, becoming the President of the Randolph Paper Box Company.
After the war, he resided at Baltimore, Maryland.
After the war, Durand became the President of the U.S. Bureau of Correspondence and Advertising Agency, Washington, D.C.
After the war, he resided at Broad Run, Virginia.
He was part of Mosby's first detail, consisting of 15 men from the First Virginia Confederate Cavalry. George was wounded in the leg on Monday, August 8th, 1864, a couple miles outside Alexandria and fighting the 13th New York Cavalry.
After the war, he resided at Paris, Virginia.
After the war, he worked for the Dingee, Weinmman and Company Barytes, Lynchburg, Virginia.
After the war, he resided at Madison Court House, being elected to the Virginia State Legislature.
After the war, he resided at Marshall, Virginia.
John enrolled July 28th, 1864, for the duration of the war by Jhn S. Mosby at Upperville, Virginia. He was captured on December 3, 1864 in the Luray Valley and forwarded to Harpers Valley, W.Va. After the war, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland.
