Pvt. Richard Y. "Dick" Moran, Co. A,
b. 1814, in Loudoun County, son of Elizabeth Moran
m. Wife's name to be researched, had 10 children in 1860
d. ???Dick Moran was one of the key early recruits to Mosby's command, along with John Underwood and William "Major" Hibbs. He was probably the oldest man in the command, being nearly 50 when he started riding with Mosby.
The first engagement in which he is documented as participating is the March 2, 1863 fight at Aldie, but it is probable that he joined earlier. He is described as being quite tall, at 6'1", with a sallow complexion, snow grey hair and grey eyes. Perhaps his most renowned feature was his loud voice, decribed as being like a fog horn. Despite his age, he was known as being very plucky and always ready to fight the enemy.
At the beginning of the War, he lived in Arcola (then called Gum Springs) and after the war, his residence was listed as Bellmont Post Office, Loudoun County.
He was single handled responsible for saving the Command on April 1, 1863 at Miskell's Farm. Following their successful raid on Herndon Station a few days earlier (March 17), in which several members of the First Vermont Cavalry were captured, the First Vermont came looking for revenge. At the time, Mosby and his men were sleeping, at Miskell's Farm, near Dranesville. Moran did not stay with the rest of the unit, as he had friends with a cottage nearby. There, he received early warning of the Federals approach and quickly made his way to Miskell's Farm, sounding the alarm in time to rouse the Rangers and enabling them to carry the day.
The following month, he was captured (5/3/63) in the fight at Warrenton Junction and sent to the Old Capitol Prison. He was paroled sometime before June 10, as he was present on that date when Mosby formally enrolled the command as the 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry at Rector's Cross Roads.
A week later, he was captured again and sent back tot he Old Capitol Prison. This time, he was incarcerated much longer, and sent to Maryland's Point Lookout in August. He was paroled on April 27th and sent to City Point to be exchanged.
The conditions at Point Lookout had taken their toll on the odler man and before returning to Mosby, he was admitted to the Chmborazo Hospital in Richmond with "debilitis."
After he got out of the hospital, he returned to the command and took part in several raids before being captured yet again, in the fight at Myer's Ford, in Jefferson County, West Virginia (9/4/64). He was sent back to the Old Capitol Prison, where by then, he must have been on a first name basis with the guards Still in less than optimal health from his Point Lookout experience, he was transfered to the prison's hospital in January of 1865. The following month, he was transferred to Fort Warren, where he remained for the balance of the War and where he took the oath on June 15.
Keen and Mewborn do not provide any information on Moran's activities after the war, and it's not clear whether anything is known. They note that he is buried on the Nelson Farm, 2 miles from Waxpool in Loudoun County, but do not give a death date, which suggests that there is no headstone.
Mentions in various references:
(incomplete, more to be added)Virgil Carrington Jones, Ranger Mosby (1944)
88, 111, 116, 132Links Online:
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