March 2, 1863: The Fight At Aldie:
Aldie Mill On March 2nd, Maj. Joseph Gilmore of the 18th PA organized an expedition of his own men and the 5th NY Cavalry for the purpose of seizing Middleburg, which they assumed as the headquarters of the rebels. Many civilians in town were captured, as were several barrels of alcohol --- consumed by Gilmore and his men.
However, Gilmore failed to capture Mosby and his men as they had an early a.m. rendezvous at Rector's Cross Roads. When the Yankees failed to continue west, Mosby's men raced east to get ahead of them. Mosby lost control of his captured Yankee Horse, which nearly ran him straight into the Yankee lines - he had to do a flying emergency dismount to save himself - jumping off the horse just as it came to the bridge over the Little River. Ranger Henry Furlong Carter dismounted and give Mosby his horse and then grabbed a riderless Yankee horse for himself.This same day, the Rangers had surprised a patrol of 59 men from the First Vermont at Aldie Mill. The Vermonters took refuge in the mill, hiding by burrowing in the flour. Mosby's men took 19 prisoners and 23 horses. Lucky for them -- as they were in danger of being ground up in the mill.
Maj. Gilmore was later found to have bungled the operation because of having drunken too much of the captured liquor in Middleburg. He was court martialled on March 21, found guilty of drunkeness and cowardice. and cashiered on July 23.
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