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All the United States Virginia Herndon Mosby's Rock
AO Edited

Mosby's Rock

A secret rendezvous spot where John S. Mosby and his Rangers would meet to divvy up their loot after raids.

Herndon, Virginia

Added By
Ian Hall
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Mosby’s Rock with marker missing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Mosby’s Rock with marker missing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
  Craig Swain
John S. Mosby   Brady-Handy photograph collection, Library of Congress
A sign nearby   Robert/CC BY-SA 2.0
Mosby’s Rock with plaque missing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
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About

John S. Mosby, also known as the "Gray Ghost," was a first-class rabble-rouser who commanded the 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. 

His unit was a partisan ranger unit known as Mosby's Raiders (also Mosby's Rangers and Mosby's Men), and they were infamous for lightning-fast raids on Union targets and their uncanny ability to elude capture as they repeatedly disrupted Union supply lines and communications. In 1863, a southern spy named Laura Ratcliffe suggested this rock to Mosby as a meeting place where Mosby and his men could convene after conducting raids.

After the war ended, Mosby acknowledged that the Confederacy had lost thethe war even as the vast majority of Confederate officers perpetuated the "Lost Cause" myth. This caused Mosby to be held contemptuously by most of his fellow Virginians. Mosby worked as an attorney, supporting President Ulysses S. Grant. He also served as the American consul to Hong Kong and in the U.S. Department of Justice.

The rock still remains in its original location, but it now backs up to a townhouse development. The Mosby's Rock plaque was removed at some point during the summer of 2020 and was still missing as of August 2021.  The plaque read as follows: "Mosby’s Rangers (43d Bn., Va. Cav.) used this rock as a rendezvous point and met here to divide the spoils after raids. The renowned Southern spy and scout Laura Ratcliffe, who lived nearby, showed this rock to Col. (then Captain) John S. Mosby, CSA, in 1863, and suggested he use it as a meeting place."

Related Tags

Spycraft Us Civil War Rocks

Know Before You Go

The rock is located along the property line with a row of townhouses, so please respect the residents' privacy.

Community Contributors

Added By

blimpcaptain

Edited By

AF, Michelle Cassidy

  • AF
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 28, 2021

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  • https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=9957
Mosby's Rock
2525 Squirrel Hill Rd
Herndon, Virginia, 20171
United States
38.944896, -77.417291
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Murphy Dairy Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Kidwell Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Laura Ratcliffe Hanna Family Cemetery

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Herndon

Herndon

Virginia

Places 8

Nearby Places

Murphy Dairy Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Kidwell Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Laura Ratcliffe Hanna Family Cemetery

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Herndon

Herndon

Virginia

Places 8

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