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.

A Raid On Home Ground

The George’s Schoolhouse Raid in Lovettsville, Virginia on January 17^th 1865 was the last move in Loudoun County by White’s Comanche’s.

The end of 1864 found Confederate Colonel Elijah V White the commander of the 35^th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry in the Shenandoah Valley.  His rations were running out, and men leaving the ranks in recorded numbers.  White moved his men back into their home territory of Loudoun County, Virginia, to forage and regroup.  About the same time Union cavalry Colonel Thomas C Devin on a regular patrol of the area made camp northwest of Lovettsville near George’s Schoolhouse.

On January 12^th 1865 some members of White’s 35th were at a party in Hillsborough, Virginia when they were surprised by the Union leaning Loudoun Rangers.  One member of the 35^th was killed and two captured.  White put together a unit of about 80 men made up of the 35^th and Mosby’s Rangers.

On the night of January 17^th 1865 White’s raiding party moved on Devin’s camp, capturing the pickets.  The raiding party charged the Union cavalry camp, only to find that Devin had recently been reinforced and had about 400 men.  Union men assembled in the dark, most in a state of undress, and advanced on the raiders.  The raiders quickly broke off the attack, making a retreat, taking about 50 captured horses with them.