Mosby, John S. (1833-1916) to Chinn
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07347 Author/Creator: Mosby, John S. (1833-1916) Place Written: Washington, D.C. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 March 1909 Pagination: 1 p. ; 26.8 x 20.5 cm. Order a Copy
Written on Department of Justice stationery. Orders Chinn to go to the Gazette Office the following day and obtain fifteen copies for which Mosby previously paid. Declares, "I have no objection to anybody knowing that I am the author but I made the piece anonymous because I disliked the publicity of being in a controversy with such a creature as Binns, & (2) I thought it wd be more effective if I wrote in the third person... Two hundred years from now Binns will be riding around Fairfax begging somebody to kill him... Hereafter Binns should be known as the Wandering Jew. The brand of infamy & the curse of immortality rests upon him."
Mosby served as a colonel during the Civil War, and as a noted (and notorious) leader of Confederate partisan rangers. He was assistant attorney in the Federal Department of Justice from 1904 to 1910. Upon the death of former Mosby Ranger Dulaney Richards in January 1909, Colonel John Singleton Mosby wrote a letter that was printed in the February 22nd issue of The Fairfax (VA) Herald praising Richards' dedicated service to the Confederacy, and making some pointed remarks about Richards' stepfather, Charles Binns, who had served as a guide for the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry stationed in Vienna. Binns replied to Colonel Mosby's letter, and a person identified only as "Confederate" then took up the cause accusing Binns of being a deserter from Colonel Mosby's command. Following are the final letters from both parties that appeared in The Fairfax Herald about this episode.
March 17th 1909
Dear Chinn:
I want you to go in person to the Gazette Office tomorrow afternoon & make them mail me immediately the 15 copies for wh. I paid yesterday. I have no objection to anybody knowing that I am the author - but I made the piece anonymous because I disliked [inserted: (1)] the publicity of being in a controversy with such a creature as Binns, & (2) I thought it wd. be more Effective if I wrote in the third person. I told Snouden & Donohue that if any body inquired who the author is to tell them Two hundred years from now, Binns will be riding around in Fairfax [struck: asking] [inserted: begging] some body to kill him. Tell Hammond to be sure to send a marked copy to John Prout. Here after Binns should be known as the Wandering Jew. The brand of infamy & the curse of immortality rests upon him.
Yours Truly
Jno: S. Mosby
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