in mere boyhood--fighting
duels as a pastime--roving the country far and wide in search of
pleasure or profit--a thorough student of human nature and of the
country in which he operates--bold and daring to a fault and romantic in
his make--and finding now his chief delight in the adventures of
guerilla life.

His commission is a roving one, and his command seems to be limited
neither to kind or number. Many of his men are citizens, who spend a
portion of their time in their ordinary business, and who hold
themselves in readiness for any movements indicated by their
commander-in-chief. Occasionally he is accompanied and assisted in his
forays by daring men from various commands, who are at home on leaves
of absence or furloughs, while a few seem to be directly and continually
under his control. The principal stimulus of the entire party (except
the bad whiskey which they are said to use), is the plunder which they
share. It is their custom at times to parole their prisoners and send
them back to our lines, though often, when large numbers are taken, they
are sent to Richmond; but all horses and equipments, which now command
enormous prices in Dixie, are the property of the captors.

The region of the country they have chosen for their operations is
certainly well adapted to facilitate their designs. Deep ravines
traverse the country, skirted with dense, dark foliage, which affords
them shelter, and through which they pass like so many wild turkeys or
wild boars, knowing, as they do, all the roads and by-paths. Indeed,
some of their parties are dwellers in these regions, and are acquainted
with every nook and corner, where they can hide securely with their prey
and elude their pursuers. When the immediate neighborhoods of their
depredations do not offer a sufficient asylum, they fly to the
fastnesses and caverns of the Bull Run Mountains.

Then, too, there is a certain degree of carelessness on the part of our
own men, which merits censure and causes trouble. For instance, they
frequently call at the homes of bitter Rebels for the purposes of
pleasure, or to get articles of food, which they purchase or take, and
while at these places they are too free to talk about the condition of
our army, the position of our picket lines and posts, etc.--information
which is grasped with wonderful avidity and as readily transmitted to
Mosby and his men. Scarcely does any important event transpire among us,
that is not fully understo