w and closed his eyes,
overcome.

Knowing the precarious nature of his present advantage, Mosby then
undertook to deprive Stoughton of any hope of rescue or will to
resist.

"Stuart's cavalry is occupying Fairfax Courthouse," he invented, "and
Stonewall Jackson's at Chantilly with his whole force. We're all
moving to occupy Alexandria by morning. You'll have to hurry and
dress, General."

"Is Fitzhugh Lee here?" Stoughton asked. "He's a friend of mine; we
were classmates at West Point."

"Why, no; he's with Jackson at Chantilly. Do you want me to take you
to him? I can do so easily if you hurry."

It does not appear that Stoughton doubted as much as one syllable of
this remarkable set of prevarications. The Union Army had learned by
bitter experience that Stonewall Jackson was capable of materializing
almost anywhere. So he climbed out of bed, putting on his clothes.

* * * * *

On the way back to the courthouse square, Prentiss got away from them
in the darkness, but Mosby kept a tight hold on Stoughton's bridle. By
this time, the suspicion that all was not well in the county seat had
begun to filter about. Men were beginning to turn out under arms all
over town, and there was a confusion of challenges and replies and
some occasional firing as hastily wakened soldiers mistook one another
for the enemy. Mosby got his prisoners and horses together and started
out of town as quickly as he could.

The withdrawal was made over much the same route as the approach,
without serious incident. Thanks to the precaution of cutting the
telegraph wires, the camp at Centreville knew nothing of what had
happened at Fairfax Courthouse until long after the raiders were
safely away. They lost all but thirty of the prisoners--in the woods
outside Fairfax Courthouse, they escaped in droves--but they brought
Stoughton and the two captains out safely.

The results were everything Mosby had hoped. He became a Confederate
hero over night, and there was no longer any danger of his being
recalled. There were several half-hearted attempts to kick him
upstairs--an offer of a commission in the now defunct Virginia
Provisional Army, which he rejected scornfully, and a similar offer in
the regular Confederate States Army, which he politely declined
because it would deprive his men of their right to booty under the
Scott Law. Finally he was given a majority in the Confederate States
Army, with authorization