od immediately by the Rebel families within
our lines, and is very easily borne to those outside the lines between
two days. Thus movements even in contemplation have been heralded before
the incipient steps had been taken, and consequently thwarted. Our only
safety from this source of trouble would be to drive out of our lines
all Rebel families, thus preventing the means of communicating the news
to the outer world.

Another simple statement will explain the chances of the enemy and the
causes of many of our casualties. Our picket-lines are too much
extended, covering too wide a territory to make them as strong as they
should be. Only a brigade is doing the work of a division, and
consequently the picket-posts are not sufficiently near each other.
Thus, in the night, it requires no very great dexterity to creep through
the bushes between the pickets unobserved, and, once within our lines,
any amount of mischief may be done by the miscreants. The method
indicated here is usually the one employed by these active guerillas,
and it forms the chief stratagem of all their movements upon us.

Their first important attack upon our pickets took place on or about the
tenth of January. A small Federal picket was doing duty at Herndon
Station, on the Loudon and Hampshire Railroad. Mosby determined to
effect their capture. Led by a skilful guide, he dismounted his command
some distance from the picket-lines. Then they all crept cautiously
between the vedettes, until they reached the rear of the post, and from
that direction advanced upon the unsuspecting boys, whose forms could be
distinctly seen by the flaring light of their bivouac fire. While the
pickets were thus a fine shot and mark for the enemy, the attacking
force was concealed perfectly by the darkness of night and the shades of
the thick pines. A pistol-shot from the guerillas was followed by a
charge, when our boys were suddenly surrounded and captured.

This attack and capture was followed by another similar enterprise a few
nights afterwards at Cub Run, near the Little River Turnpike. The picket
relief was captured by a charge made in their rear, and only the two
vedettes made their escape. Later in the same night a similar assault
was made upon our post at Frying-Pan Church. Not far from this church
resides a Miss Laura Ratcliffe, a very active and cunning Rebel, who is
known to our men, and is at least suspected of assisting Mosby not a
little in his movements. Th