Yet, Mosby’s command made material inroads on the enemy. During a six-month period in 1864, he killed, wounded, or captured 1,200 Federals and took more than 1,600 horses and mules, 230 head of cattle, and 85 wagons and ambulances and it must be remembered that Mosby skirmished with few men, the largest number he ever led into battle being approximately 300 on the Berryville Wagon Train raid of August 13th, 1864. Yet, the Count of Paris, a staff officer in the Union army states, quote:

“In Washington … General Heintzelman was in command, who … had under his control … Stahel’s division of cavalry, numbering 6000 horses, whose only task was to pursue Mosby and the few hundred partisans led by this daring chief.”

Regarding this, Mosby notes in his War Reminiscences, quote:

“If Pleasanton had had those 6000 sabres with him … on June 9, 1863, in his great cavalry combat with Stuart at Brandy Station, the result might have been different. Hooker had asked for them, but had been refused, on the ground that they could not be spared from the defense of Washington.”

Mosby also includes General Hooker’s testimony before the committee on the conduct of the war, quote:

“I may here state that while at Fairfax Court House my cavalry was reinforced by that of Major-Gen. Stahel. The latter numbered 6100 sabres, and had been engaged in picketing a line from Occoquan River to Goose Creek… The force opposed to them was Mosby’s guerrillas, numbering about 200 {Mosby puts in the phrase, quote: “not over thirty men”}; and, if the reports of the newspapers were to be believed, this whole party was killed two or three times during the winter. From the time I took command of the Army of the Potomac there was no evidence that any force of the enemy, other than that above named, was within 100 miles of Washington City; and yet, the planks on the chain bridge were taken up at night during the greater part of the winter and spring.”