ttalion. They learned that this force had turned in the direction of
Leesburg, and that they were accompanied by the deserter, Binns.

Mosby made up his mind to ambush the Californians on their way back to
their camp at Vienna. He had plans, involving a length of rope, for
his former trooper, Binns. The next morning, having crossed Bull Run
Mountain the night before, he took up a position near Dranesville,
with scouts out to the west. When the enemy were finally reported
approaching, he was ready for them. Twenty of his 150, with carbines
and rifles, were dismounted and placed in the center, under
Lieutenant Mountjoy. The rest of the force was divided into two equal
sections, under Chapman and Frank Williams, and kept mounted on the
flanks. Mosby himself took his place with Williams on the right. While
they waited, they could hear the faint boom of cannon from Washington,
firing salutes in honor of Washington's Birthday.

A couple of men, posted in advance, acted as decoys, and the Union
cavalry, returning empty-handed from their raid, started after them in
hopes of bringing home at least something to show for their efforts.
Before they knew it, they were within range of Mountjoy's concealed
riflemen. While they were still in disorder from the surprise volley,
the two mounted sections swept in on them in a blaze of revolver fire,
and they broke and fled. There was a nasty jam in a section of fenced
road, with mounted Mosby men in the woods on either side and
Mountjoy's rifles behind them. Before they could get clear of this,
they lost fifteen killed, fifteen more wounded, and over seventy
prisoners, and the victorious Mosby men brought home over a hundred
captured horses and large quantities of arms and ammunition. To their
deep regret, however, Binns was not to be found either among the
casualties or the prisoners. As soon as he had seen how the fight was
going, the deserter had spurred off northward, never to appear in
Virginia again. Mosby's own loss had been one man killed and four
wounded.

* * * * *

For the rest of the spring, operations were routine--attacks on wagon
trains and train wrecking and bridge burning on the railroads. With
the cut-and-try shifting of command of the Union Army of the Potomac
over and Grant in command, there was activity all over northern
Virginia. About this time, Mosby got hold of a second twelve-pound
howitzer, and, later, a twelve-pound Napoleon an