John S. Mosby | |
|---|---|
 Mosby during the 1860s | |
| Birth name | John Singleton Mosby |
| Nickname(s) | "The Gray Ghost"[1] |
| Born | December 6, 1833 Powhatan County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | May 30, 1916 (aged 82) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Buried | Warrenton Cemetery Warrenton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Service/ |  Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Unit |  43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry |
| Commands held | Mosby's Rangers |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Signature |  |
John Singleton Mosby (December 6, 1833 – May 30, 1916), also known by his nickname "Gray Ghost", was an American military officer who was a Confederate army cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War. His command, the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, known as Mosby's Rangers or Mosby's Raiders, was a partisan ranger unit noted for its lightning-quick raids and its ability to elude Union Army pursuers and disappear, blending in with local farmers and townsmen. The area of northern central Virginia in which Mosby operated with impunity became known as Mosby's Confederacy.
After the Civil War, Mosby became a Republican and worked as an attorney, supporting his former enemy's commander, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. He also served as the American consul to Hong Kong and in the U.S. Department of Justice.