On Tuesday January 3, 2023, author and historian Eric Buckland gave a fascinating presentation called “Mosby’s Rangers, A Fiery Fall” on some of the operations of Mosby’s Rangers, a group of “partisan” fighters for the Confederacy. “Partisan Rangers” were those authorized by the CSA to engage the enemy but also allowed to keep or sell plunder from their activities against the enemy.
Speaking without notes, Buckland, told of a number of raids, including the surprise attack on the Berryville Wagon Train, where the rangers captured 500 mules, 30 horses, 200 cattle, 200 prisoners, and destroyed 75 wagons. They suffered 2 fatalities and 3 wounded.
During the “Greenback Raid” Mosby’s Rangers captured $176,000 Yankee greenbacks, which were divided among the men.
Buckland spoke of the execution of 6 Rangers in Front Royal and the subsequent “Death Lottery” conducted on November 6, 1864 by the Rangers, where 29 captured union troops which told to draw slips of paper out of a hat and the 7 marked with an X were to be executed in retaliation.
Buckland has written several books about the lives of some of the men who rode with the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry – Mosby’s Rangers and has given over 100 presentations about the stories in his books. He has appeared on C-Span and had two articles published in America’s Civil War magazine.
<——- In addition to the presentation we also held the usual book raffle for preservation, and a special print raffle featuring Mosby’s Rangers. (below)
