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Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: FFX County News ()
Date: November 20, 2011 03:50PM

Civil War museum opens in Centreville
Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
by Gregg MacDonald, STAFF WRITER
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20111118/NEWS/711189717/1076/public-safety-notes/Civil-War-museum-opens-in-Centreville&template=fairfaxTimes

A private building adjacent to Historic Centreville Park is home to Fairfax County’s newest Civil War museum, operated by a local nonprofit that hopes to make Centreville a Civil War history destination.

The Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum, 13938 Braddock Road, opened Oct. 22 in a former commercial property, owned by local realtor Dennis Hogge, that couldn’t be more fitting to bear the names of two of Virginia’s most notable Confederate soldiers.

John Singleton Mosby, nicknamed the "Gray Ghost," was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander probably best known for his guerilla-like raids on Union encampments, most of which were within Fairfax County, according to historian, author and assistant museum curator Don Hakenson.

"Mosby was the father of guerilla warfare," Hakenson said. "His tactics are still studied today by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. He had no military background, but was probably the most successful guerilla fighter in the history of our country."

Col. J.E.B. Stuart is well known for his actions at the Battle of First Manassas in July 1861, leading a charge aiding in the victory for the Confederacy. Stuart was promoted to brigadier general two months later, and eventually was the one who gave Mosby a small group of rangers to conduct independent partisan operations into northern Virginia, Hakenson said. These rangers eventually became the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, and would grow from nine to as many as 2,000 men.

“The new Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum is housed in a former commercial building constructed with stones from Centreville’s historical Grigsby House, otherwise known as the ‘four-chimney-house’,” said Hakenson. “That is significant because it was this house which once served as Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s headquarters; where Mosby met Stuart for the very first time.”

Today, it houses the 24-foot by 30-foot free museum operated by the Stuart-Mosby Historical Society, a nonprofit organization comprised of about 200 members. The museum also serves as the society’s headquarters, Hakenson said.

“We hope to make Centreville a tourist destination for those interested in Civil War history,” he said. “Our primary goal is to educate.”

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays and houses Civil War cavalry artifacts such as pistols, swords, saddles, artillery shells, clothing, and a variety of items that were owned by both Stuart and Mosby, according to museum curator Howard Crouch.

“Some items came from the Virginia Historical Society,” Crouch said. “Others came from Randolph Macon College, the Fairfax City Museum and both the Mosby and Stuart families.”

According to Hakenson, the museum houses at least three very personal item of Stuart’s.

“We actually have a lock of his hair on display,” he said, “as well as a spoon that is reported to have fallen out of his pocket the day before he died and a saber he used that the society paid $20,000 for.”

Fairfax County Supervisor Michael Frey (R-Sully) said the museum is a welcome addition to Centreville’s historic district.

“The Civil War was one of the most important periods in Centreville history,” he said. “This museum is a great addition and I am just thrilled that it is here. I hope that the schools will take advantage of it to help educate children about both the Civil War, and Centreville’s history during that period.”

For more information about The Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum, call (703) 971-4984.

Shamus Ian Fatzinger/ Fairfax County Times Don Hakenson places ribbons from the annual reunion of members of Mosby's Men inside a display case at the Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum in Centreville Monday morning.
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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: History Cool but ()
Date: November 20, 2011 06:51PM

Mosby had a major presence in this area, and I'm glad to see this museum open. But he was one of the founders of the KKK. No joke

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: Anabaptist League ()
Date: November 20, 2011 06:59PM

Why, this is right off of Timmy Hall Memorial Highway! If Mosby were alive today, he'd be riding a Harley, scaring off those Yankee skaliwags.

MFFM! (Mosby forever/Forever Mosby)

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: Bill.N. ()
Date: November 20, 2011 08:02PM

History Cool but Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mosby had a major presence in this area, and I'm
> glad to see this museum open. But he was one of
> the founders of the KKK. No joke


You may want to check that. Nathan Bedford Forest, a cavalry commander in Tennessee was one of the early KKKers, although supposedly he quit because he found them too radical. (Alternate version might be that he quit in fear that the U.S. might try him as a war criminal for Fort Pillow.) Mosby joined the Republican party after the war, campaigned for Grant and was rewarded with an appointment as IIRC counsel to Hong Kong. Not exactly the post war resume of a KKK member.

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: The Historian ()
Date: November 20, 2011 09:55PM

History Cool but Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mosby had a major presence in this area, and I'm
> glad to see this museum open. But he was one of
> the founders of the KKK. No joke

He wasn't a founder or even a member of the KKK. The KKK idealized him because of his guerillas tactics against the Union Forces. After the war he worked for Grant (see entry below). Now the same can't be said of some of his men who did run off and join the KKK. The KKK at that time was made up of alot of former Confederate soldiers. But no, Mosby was not a member and certainly didn't found the movement.

John Singleton Mosby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Mosby

John Singleton Mosby (December 6, 1833 – May 30, 1916), nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War. His command, the 43rd Battalion, 1st Virginia Cavalry, known as Mosby's Rangers or Mosby's Raiders, was a partisan ranger unit noted for its lightning quick raids and its ability to elude Union Army pursuers and disappear, blending in with local farmers and townsmen. The area of northern central Virginia in which Mosby operated with impunity was known during the war and ever since as Mosby's Confederacy. After the war, Mosby worked as an attorney and supported his former enemy's commander, President Ulysses S. Grant, serving as the U.S. consul to Hong Kong and in the Department of Justice.
Attachments:
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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: remember ()
Date: November 20, 2011 09:57PM

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> History Cool but Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Mosby had a major presence in this area, and
> I'm
> > glad to see this museum open. But he was one of
> > the founders of the KKK. No joke
>
>
> You may want to check that. Nathan Bedford
> Forest, a cavalry commander in Tennessee was one
> of the early KKKers, although supposedly he quit
> because he found them too radical. (Alternate
> version might be that he quit in fear that the
> U.S. might try him as a war criminal for Fort
> Pillow.) Mosby joined the Republican party after
> the war, campaigned for Grant and was rewarded
> with an appointment as IIRC counsel to Hong Kong.
> Not exactly the post war resume of a KKK member.


Most people just assume that everyone from the south joined the kkk. Cus remember the civil war was all about them wanting slaves nothing else. Or at least thats how they chose to look at it and probably how a lot of schools are teaching it these days

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: The Historian ()
Date: November 20, 2011 09:58PM

Excerpt from John S. Mosby, The Memoirs of Colonel John S. Mosby. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1959.

Proposing Security for the Future

Colonel John Singleton Mosby fought for the Confederacy, but he became a supporter of General Ulysses S. Grant and the Republican party after the war. In an interview with the Richmond Enquirer in January 1873, he confirmed his support of Grant and advocated the alliance in order to restore relations between the South and the federal government.

Reporter: I see it stated generally that you have some influence with General Grant -- is this true?

Colonel Mosby: I don't know what amount of influence I may have with the president, but General Grant knows the fiery ordeal I have been through here in supporting him, and I suppose he has some appreciation of it.

Reporter: What is the policy that you have advocated for the Virginia people?

Colonel Mosby: The issues that formerly divided the Virginia people from the Republican party were those growing out of the reconstruction measures. Last year the Virginia people agreed to make no further opposition to those measures and to accept all questions growing out of them as settled. There being no longer any questions, then, on principles separating Virginia people from General Grant, it became a mere matter of policy and expediency whether they would support him or [Liberal Republican party candidate] Horace Greeley. I thought it was the first opportunity the Southern people had had to be restored to their proper relation and influence with the federal administration. In other words, I said the Southern statesmen ought to avail themselves of this opportunity and support General Grant for re-election, and thereby acquire influence and control over his administration. That was the only way I saw of displacing the carpetbag crew that represented the government in the Southern states. I think that events have demonstrated that I was right.

General Grant has certainly accorded to me as much consideration or influence as any one man could have a right to expect. I know it is the disposition of General Grant to do everything in his power for the relief of the Southern people, if Southern politicians will allow him to do it. The men who control the policy of the Conservative party combine with the extreme Radicals to keep the Southern people arrayed against General Grant. As long as this course is pursued, the carpetbag crew who profess to support the administration get all the Federal patronage. This is the sustenance, the support of the carpetbag party in the South. Deprived of that, it would die tomorrow. I admit, as every Southern man must admit, the gross wrongs that have been perpetrated upon the Southern people. I am no apologist for them, but neither party proposes any atonement or indemnity for the past. I propose at least to give security for the future by an alliance between the Southern people and General Grant's administration....

Reporter: Has the president ever tendered you any position under his administration?

Colonel Mosby: Shortly after the presidential election the president said something to me on the subject of giving me an office. I told him while I would as lief hold an office under him as under any other man who had ever been president, yet there was no office within his gift that I desired or would accept. I told him that my motives in supporting him had been assailed, and my accepting a position under his administration would be regarded as a confirmation of the truth of the charge that I was governed by selfish motives. But my principal reason for not accepting anything from him was that I would have far more influence for good by taking nothing for myself....

Reporter: Colonel, I have heard that you are now promoting claims against the Government, --is that a fact?

Colonel Mosby: It is not. I have filed one claim for a citizen before the Southern Claims Commission. I shall turn this over, however, to a claim agent. I have had hundreds of claims of all sorts for prosecution against the Government offered me, but have declined them all, as I have no idea of bartering my political influence.... I do not think that any man nominated at Lynchburg will stand the most remote chance of success, because he will only be supported by the negroes of the state, led by a few white men. No matter what my relations to the administration may be, I wouldn't assist in putting this set in power.

Excerpt from John S. Mosby, The Memoirs of Colonel John S. Mosby. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1959.

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: hhhah ()
Date: November 21, 2011 02:35AM

Mosby was fucking hilarious. Smart man. Surprisingly humane.

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: Check the facts... ()
Date: November 21, 2011 07:30AM

Mosby was not a part of nor was he a instrumental in establishing the KKK. Check your facts asshat.

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Re: Civil War museum opens in Centreville - Stuart-Mosby Civil War Cavalry Museum free to public
Posted by: Jim Lewis ()
Date: January 06, 2012 07:41PM

I totally agree with the assessment that Mosby was not connected with the KKK. It was Bedford Forest, and he bailed rather soon after it morphed into the organization it is known as today...

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