Killed By A Man He Shot

Confederate John W Mobley was killed April 5^th 1865 when he was ambushed by a group of Loudoun Rangers.

John W Mobley was born June 1^st 1844 near Neersville, Virginia.

Mobley enlisted September 15^th 1862 to fight the Civil War in Company A of the 35^th Virginia Battalion a cavalry unit known as White’s Comanches, from Hillsboro, Virginia.  The first major combat he was involved in was the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9^th 1863, where his horse was shot from under him.  Mobley was riding with Mosby’s Ranger during a skirmish at Waterford, Virginia on May 17^th 1864, in which he wounded one of the Loudoun Rangers, a Charles Stewart, shooting him in the face.  Then there was an attack on November 10^th 1864 on a supply wagon moving from Charles Town, and on November 19^th 1864 Mobley led the 35^th against some Union Dragoons in the central West Virginia area.  Working as a scout he led the advance on January 17^th 1865 in the George’s Schoolhouse Raid.

On April 5^th 1865 that same Loudon Ranger; Charles Stewart who Mobley had shot at Waterford the year before, along with a group of other Loudoun Rangers, ambushed Mobley.  He was killed just outside of Lovettsville, Virginia near Luther H Potterfield’s barn.

Killed Leading His Men

Confederate Brigadier General John Randolph Chambliss Jr was killed August 16^th 1864 at the Second Battle of Deep Bottom.

John Randolph Chambliss Jr was born January 23^rd 1833 in Hicksford, Greensville, Virginia.  He attended West Point, graduating 31^st out of 52 in the class in 1853.  He received a commission of Second Lieutenant, and taught cavalry tactics at military school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  The next year Chambliss resigned his commission and returned to the family home.  From 1858 through 1861 he was a member of the Virginia militia.

In July 1861 he would be commissioned the Colonel of the 13^th Virginia Cavalry.  In November 1862 his regiment was assigned to be part of General William Henry Fitzhugh “Rooney” Lee’s cavalry.  At the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9^th 1863, Chambliss’s men were located at Beverly Ford.  His 50 man unit drove the Union cavalry in their front into the river taking a number of prisoners.  After Rooney Lee was wounded and Colonel Solomon Williams was killed in the battle Chambliss took over command of the brigade.  Riding into Pennsylvania with Confederate General JEB Stuart, he was in the cavalry battle at Hanover, Pennsylvania on June 30^th 1863.  Chambliss’s brigade also saw action at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3^rd 1863 out on East Cavalry Field.  He continued to lead the brigade in the Battle of Bristoe Station, and would be promoted to Brigadier General.

While leading his men on the Charles City Road east of Richmond, Virginia during the Second Battle of Deep Bottom on August 16^th 1864 Chambliss was killed.  His body was left on the Union side of this line and was buried by Union men.  The next day under a flag of truce Confederate General David M Gregg sent a detachment of Confederates across the line to retrieve Chambliss’ body for burial in Emporia, Virginia in the Chambliss Family Cemetery.

Ambushed At His Mother's Home

Confederate Captain Redmond Burke was killed November 25^th 1862 as he approached a home in Shepherdstown, Virginia.

Redmond Burke was born in Ireland in 1816.  He lived in Harper's Ferry and worked as a stonecutter.

When the Civil War started Burke enlisted as a Private in the 1^st Virginia Cavalry.  He was transferred to serve on Confederate Major General JEB Stuart’s staff as aide decamp and scout and was portrayed as "a man of great presence of mind and courage and had done some deeds of desperate gallantry".  He was commissioned on April 3rd 1862 as a Lieutenant.  He was wounded twice, once in the leg at the Battle of Brandy Station and in the wrist at Fredericksburg.  Burke had reached the rank of Captain by November 1862.

Burke and several companions went to the home of his mother in Shepherdstown, Virginia on November 25^th 1862.  It was here that Union soldiers ambushed him.  He was killed.  When Stuart learned of Burke’s death he wrote of him that “he possessed a heart intrepid, a spirit invincible, patriotism too lofty to admit a selfish thought and a conscience that scorned to do a mean act. A devoted champion of the South, his gray hairs have descended in honor to the grave, leaving a shining example of heroism and patriotism to those who survive…”

An Up Front Leader

Colonel Benjamin Franklin “Grimes” Davis was killed June 9th 1863 while leading a charge during the Battle of Brandy Station.


Benjamin Franklin Davis was born 1832 in Alabama. He grew up in Mississippi. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 1856. He saw fighting with the 1st United States Dragoons in New Mexico against Apache.

When the Civil War started Davis stayed with the Union where he was a Captain in the 1st United States Cavalry [he had two brothers who served with the Confederacy]. On June 25th 1862 Davis received a commission to Colonel in the 8th New York Cavalry. He and his cavalry fought their way out of Harpers Ferry when it fell to Confederate General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. Following this he received a promotion to Major. David led the First Brigade in the Untied States Cavalry division for Brigadier General Alfred Pleasonton as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign.

Leading the First Brigade in the early morning hours of June 9th 1863 at the Battle of Brandy Station, his men charged a South Carolina artillery battery near Beverly’s Ford. Davis and his men were met by a Confederate cavalry counterattack. Most of Davis brigade fell back, but he refused to and challenged the on coming cavalry. The men of Confederate Major Caball E Flournoy’s 6th Virginia Cavalry charged Davis. Confederate Lieutenant Owen R Allen hugged his horse’s neck and fired his pistol point blank at Davis. The shot hit Davis in the forehead killing him instantly. Davis is buried in the cemetery at West Point.

If you like to more about Colonel Benjamin Franklin Davis this is a good site.