Chronology:
Note: This section will continually be expanded with clickable links for all of the major engagements and events, so keep checking back.
1863:
January:
January 1 -- (approx) Mosby given approval by JEB Stuart to stay behind in Loudoun harrassing the enemy, rather than going into winter camp. Original nine men from the 1st Virginia Cavalry detailed to Mosby from this date.
January 4 -- (approx) John Underwood recruited by Mosby as a scout for his first operations in Fairfax. William Hibbs and Dick Moran recruited around the same time, forming the nucleus of new recruits joining those detailed from the 1st Va. Cav.
January 5 (?) -- attack on a picket at Frying Pan Church
January 6 (?) - Attacks on pickets on the Little River Turnpike near Cub Run and near Chantilly (above two dates based on Federal reports in the OR, although John Scott in his 1867 book gives a later date)
Mid January -- The original detail of nine men having completed their assignment, Mosby requested, and obtained from Stuart a further detail of 15 men, including Fount Beattie who had been in the original 9 and possibly others.
January 18 -- Mosby and the 15 leave the camp of the 1st Virginia Cavalry in King William County, fording the Rappahanock at Fox's Mill and stopping at Warrenton. Mosby orders the men to scatter and find lodging with the citizens of Fauquier and Loudoun and to rendezvous on January 26 at Mt. Zion Church, east of Aldie.
January 26 -- Rendezvous at Mt. Zion Church, as planned. Fight at Chantilly Church -- first raid with new detail. Captured 10 Yankee pickets from the 18th Pennsylvania and various weaponry
January 27 -- Skirmish near Middleburg, as Col. Sir Percy Wyndham goes in search of the raiders, capturing 24 Confederates, including Fount Beattie and two other members of the 1st Virginia (Thomas Batey and Edward Walters) as well as a number of convalescing soldiers and old men in Middleburg.
February:
February 1 -- (approx) Walter Frankland joins the command, along with Joe Nelson, Frank Williams and George Whitescarver.
February 2 -- Attack on 18th Pa. picket post near Difficult Run, on Lawyer's Road near Herndon. Federals set a trap for Mosby, which he evades. 11 Federals captured, one killed.
February 3 -- Wyndham issues threat to leading citizens of Middleburg that he will imprisone them if they don't get Mosby to stop. Leading citizens petition Mosby to cease operations, including Lorman Chancellor, at whose house, Mosby was boarding. Mosby wrote to them on February 4 refusing to compromise with the enemy.
February 6 -- Five men of the command captured at a dance at Aldie which they attended in defiance of Mosby's orders.
February 7 -- Mosby and five men capture Federal troopers who had been looting local citizens, returning the plunder to its rightful owners, including restoring to Dr. Francis Drake his horse and scarce medical supplies. The raid was instigated when they encountered Dr. Drake on the road and he told them of his plight.
February 10 -- James "Big Yankee" Ames deserts from the 5th NY Cavalry stationed at Fairfax Courthouse and joins Mosby's command the following day.
February 11 -- Scout to Herndon Station area -- At Frying Pan, JEB Stuart confidante / agent Laura Ratcliffe tips off Mosby about leaked Yankee plans to capture him. Mosby changes plans to avoid the trap and moves toward Herndon Station, capturing a blockade runner who had just returned from Washington. They then rode to Dranesville and captured 15 Federals at a picket post there.
February 15 -- Walter Frankland and James "Big Yankee" Ames walk 25 miles to Germantown to secure mounts "liberated" from Federal cavalry
February 26 -- Attack on a 18th Pennsylvania Cav. picket post at Thompson's Corner. Yankee casualties were one officer and three men KIA, several wounded and 5 soldiers and 39 horses captured. To establish trust with his new comrades, "Big Yankee" Ames rides the raid unarmed.
March
March 2 -- Fight at Aldie (click on the link for story)
March 9 - Fairfax Courthouse Raid: Stoughton kidnapping (click on the link for story)
March 16 -- Fight at Berry's Ferry
March 17 - Herndon Raid (Click on the link for story)
March 19 -- Mosby promoted to Captain, to take effect March 15. (Although he had been termed "lieutenant" by his men, he was actually formally still a private when he began operations. Although he had been promoted to lieutentant when he was adjutant of the 1st Va., he reverted to private when he had resigned that post.
March 22 -- Fight at Chantilly
April
April 1 - Miskell's farm fight (click on the link for story)
(Early April) -- Big Yankee Ames, Daniel and Harry Hatcher engage five union cavalrymen at Hatcher's Mill.
April 19 -- Scout to near Fairfax Courthouse, led by James "Big Yankee" Ames
April 25 -- Fight at Charles Utterback's near Warrenton
April 26 -- Mosby promoted to Major.
(End April) -- attacks on Gen. Stahel's expedition into Fauquier.
May:
(Early May) -- Command receives a 12 lb. mountain howitzer from Gen. Stuart
May 17 -- Fight at the Lynn Farm near Dumfries
May 23 -- Raid on Catlett's Station
June:
June 3 -- Fight at Frying Pan Church, Fairfax Co.
June 10 -- Command formally organized as the 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, at Rector's Cross Roads.
June 11 -- Raid on Seneca Mills, Maryland
June 18 -- Capture of Hooker's dispatches at the Almond Birch home near Arcola
June 28 -- Raid on Mercersburg, PA
July:
(July 1-4 - Battle of Gettysburg)
July 20 -- Skirmish at Benton's Ford near Mountville, Loudoun County.
August:
August 24 -- Fight at Gooding's Tavern near Annandale (Col. Mosby wounded)
September:
September 5 -- Attack on a picket at Gaskin's Mill, near Waterloo, Fauquier County, led by William Thomas "Princes Georges Tom" Turner.
September 16 -- Wagon raid at Fayetteville, Fauquier County
September 23 -- Scout to near Bealeton Station.
September - October -- Raid on Cavalry camp near Chantilly
October:
October 4 - Raid on Cavalry Camp at Lee's Ridge near Warrenton
October 11 -- Raid on wagon train west of Alexandria
October 17 -- Fight near Chantilly
October 27 - Chestnut Forks Wagon Raid, near Warrenton
November:
November 14 -- Raid on sutler's wagon near Fairfax Court House.
November 17 --Raid on a picket post at Sulphur Srpings near Warrenton
November 21 -- Fight near Bealeton Station.
November 26 -- Raid on the wagon camp at Brandy Station
November 27 -- Fight near the Hazel River in Cuppeper County.
December:
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