Littleberry Mosby - Military Service

Military Service

In October 1776, serving as a captain, Mosby led the Virginia Line company recruited at Mosby Tavern in Cumberland County, Virginia. In the winter of 1776–77, they marched to Savannah, Georgia, remaining in the area under the command of Robert Howe until the capture of Savannah by Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell in December 1778.

In April 1780, Mosby, again serving as a captain, raised a volunteer company of cavalry, which included his brother Wade as second lieutenant, and Horatio Turpin as first lieutenant. Records show that in 1780 and 1781 Mosby was captain of a cavalry company in service at Petersburg, Virginia.

Soon after, Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson wrote Mosby to raise all the cavalry he could and go to the aid of General Lafayette. Mosby called on his former lieutenants, Wade Mosby and Horatio Turpin, to each raise a company, while Littleberry led the battalion as major.

A typed summary in Mosby's pension application summarizes his Revolutionary War service:

Littleberry Mosby, Junior, was a captain and paymaster of Colonel Samuel Elbert’s 2" Regiment of Georgia troops; he was captured at Savannah, Georgia, in December, 1778, held a prisoner twelve months, then furloughed home to Virginia. While on furlough, at the request of Mr. Jefferson, the Governor of Virginia, he raised about sixty men and joined General Baron Steuben at Petersburgh, and after the battle of Petersburgh, he was under General Lafayette until the siege of York.

Mosby also served throughout the War of 1812, reaching the rank of brigadier general in the Virginia militia. He retired in late 1815 or early 1816.