September 23rd, 2025
by Donald C. Hakenson
by Donald C. Hakenson
On September 27, 1863, Major John S. Mosby with eight men, left Fauquier County and made a reconnaissance in the vicinity of Alexandria. Mosby’s intention was to capture the provisional governor of the restored government of Virginia, Francis Pierpont. While on his way to Alexandria, Mosby passed within half a mile of a detached camp of the Second Massachusetts Cavalry, whose headquarters were at Centreville.
Near Springfield Station, they captured two teams, consisting of four mules each. From Springfield Station they traveled toward Alexandria by unfrequented roads, but following the direction of the Little River Turnpike. Mosby and his men finally stopped and slept in the pines somewhere outside Alexandria. Afterwards they penetrated the enemy’s lines to the very gates of Alexandria.
On reaching the City Hotel, in Alexandria, where Mosby expected to find the governor, he learned Pierpoint had left that evening for Washington City. The next day Mosby attempted to burn a railroad bridge across Cameron Run, a quarter of a mile from Fort Ellsworth and Fort Lyon, and directly in the range of their two batteries, near George D. Fowle’s Burgundy farm. It was at the Fowle farm and some neighboring houses that Mosby obtained turpentine that he used to set fire to the bridge, but fearing Fort Ellsworth would open upon them, they withdrew, and unfortunately for Mosby the fire failed to ignite. So, the bridge was not damaged.
Mosby then captured a half dozen stragglers that were sent off under guard late in the afternoon reducing his party to five rangers. Two farmers, William Reid and Lewis Tresler were eventually released, minus their valuable possessions. Tresler claimed the Confederates took some $200 in gold and approximately $40 in Treasury greenbacks. However, Reid was known to pass information to the Confederacy and was a friend of the South. Reid’s farm was located on the Old Fairfax Road [the Old Fairfax Road is today’s Franconia Road] and was adjoining the Rose Hill plantation. So, it is possible that Reid led Mosby’s small band across his land towards Maynadier Mason’s Rose Hill farm to surprise Colonel Daniel F. Dulany, who was residing there. It is also feasible that Reid and Fowle were Confederate agents who assisted men like Mosby, Frank Stringfellow, and other Southern spies to enter and exit Alexandria.
Mosby, on entering the Rose Hill mansion, was met at the door by the colonel. Dulany expressed delight “at meeting with Jesse scouts” [Union troopers dressed as Confederate cavalrymen],” and invited Mosby in, and asked him his business, when to his amazement, French Dulany, Colonel Dulany’s own son, who rode with Mosby, stepped in and invited his father to get on his horse and accompany them to Fauquier County.
Near Springfield Station, they captured two teams, consisting of four mules each. From Springfield Station they traveled toward Alexandria by unfrequented roads, but following the direction of the Little River Turnpike. Mosby and his men finally stopped and slept in the pines somewhere outside Alexandria. Afterwards they penetrated the enemy’s lines to the very gates of Alexandria.
On reaching the City Hotel, in Alexandria, where Mosby expected to find the governor, he learned Pierpoint had left that evening for Washington City. The next day Mosby attempted to burn a railroad bridge across Cameron Run, a quarter of a mile from Fort Ellsworth and Fort Lyon, and directly in the range of their two batteries, near George D. Fowle’s Burgundy farm. It was at the Fowle farm and some neighboring houses that Mosby obtained turpentine that he used to set fire to the bridge, but fearing Fort Ellsworth would open upon them, they withdrew, and unfortunately for Mosby the fire failed to ignite. So, the bridge was not damaged.
Mosby then captured a half dozen stragglers that were sent off under guard late in the afternoon reducing his party to five rangers. Two farmers, William Reid and Lewis Tresler were eventually released, minus their valuable possessions. Tresler claimed the Confederates took some $200 in gold and approximately $40 in Treasury greenbacks. However, Reid was known to pass information to the Confederacy and was a friend of the South. Reid’s farm was located on the Old Fairfax Road [the Old Fairfax Road is today’s Franconia Road] and was adjoining the Rose Hill plantation. So, it is possible that Reid led Mosby’s small band across his land towards Maynadier Mason’s Rose Hill farm to surprise Colonel Daniel F. Dulany, who was residing there. It is also feasible that Reid and Fowle were Confederate agents who assisted men like Mosby, Frank Stringfellow, and other Southern spies to enter and exit Alexandria.
Mosby, on entering the Rose Hill mansion, was met at the door by the colonel. Dulany expressed delight “at meeting with Jesse scouts” [Union troopers dressed as Confederate cavalrymen],” and invited Mosby in, and asked him his business, when to his amazement, French Dulany, Colonel Dulany’s own son, who rode with Mosby, stepped in and invited his father to get on his horse and accompany them to Fauquier County.
Anne S. Frobel wrote in her diary, “One night a party of Mosby’s boys came very unexpectedly to Rose Hill and took off Colonel Dulaney [Dulany]. One of them was his own son. I was very much amused when I heard the story, and the whole scene narrated. This boy’s first greeting to his father when he rushed into the room where his father was in bed. In his gruff boyish voice, “How do Pa-I’m very glad to see you,” and the father’s answer sitting up in bed, with proper dignity, “Well sir, I’m d-sorry to see you.” But they took him down to Richmond nevertheless.”
Ranger Mosby penned a letter to his wife shortly after the raid and wrote: "...It was quite an amusing scene, between Colonel Dulaney [Dulany] and his son. Just as we were about leaving the Colonel sarcastically remarked to his son that he had an old pair of shoes he had better take, as he reckoned they were darned scarce in the Confederacy, whereupon the son holding up his leg which was encased in a fine pair of cavalry boots just captured from a sutler, asked the old man what he thought of that."
Anne Frobel continued to write in her diary, “I laughed although I always liked Colonel Dulaney [Dulany] and think it was well for us to have such a person in the neighborhood, he is kindhearted and inoffensive, and could do, and did do many things for the people around that they could not have gotten done otherwise.” Colonel Dulany, even though he was a “Yankee,” was well respected by the Southerners in the Franconia area.
Unfortunately, there is a sad end to this tale that must be communicated to the reader. Colonel Dulany would be sent to Libby Prison, in Richmond, would be exchanged and returned to Fairfax County before the war ended. The Second Massachusetts Cavalry would kill young French Dulany in mid-May 1864 in a raid near Herndon. Colonel Dulany would survive the war, but nobody knows where he is buried today. Additionally, the real tragedy is that no one today knows where young French Dulany was put to rest either. There is no tombstone recorded in Fairfax County identifying these two men. We can only hope that someone in the Dulany family knows the final resting places of these two Virginians.
Ranger Mosby penned a letter to his wife shortly after the raid and wrote: "...It was quite an amusing scene, between Colonel Dulaney [Dulany] and his son. Just as we were about leaving the Colonel sarcastically remarked to his son that he had an old pair of shoes he had better take, as he reckoned they were darned scarce in the Confederacy, whereupon the son holding up his leg which was encased in a fine pair of cavalry boots just captured from a sutler, asked the old man what he thought of that."
Anne Frobel continued to write in her diary, “I laughed although I always liked Colonel Dulaney [Dulany] and think it was well for us to have such a person in the neighborhood, he is kindhearted and inoffensive, and could do, and did do many things for the people around that they could not have gotten done otherwise.” Colonel Dulany, even though he was a “Yankee,” was well respected by the Southerners in the Franconia area.
Unfortunately, there is a sad end to this tale that must be communicated to the reader. Colonel Dulany would be sent to Libby Prison, in Richmond, would be exchanged and returned to Fairfax County before the war ended. The Second Massachusetts Cavalry would kill young French Dulany in mid-May 1864 in a raid near Herndon. Colonel Dulany would survive the war, but nobody knows where he is buried today. Additionally, the real tragedy is that no one today knows where young French Dulany was put to rest either. There is no tombstone recorded in Fairfax County identifying these two men. We can only hope that someone in the Dulany family knows the final resting places of these two Virginians.
FRANCONIA REMEMBERS
This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area’s history. If you would like a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconia.museum.newsletter@gmail.com Membership is also encouraged, so that we can continue our work. The Museum is in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501 (c) tax exempt organization, as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area’s history. If you would like a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconia.museum.newsletter@gmail.com Membership is also encouraged, so that we can continue our work. The Museum is in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501 (c) tax exempt organization, as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
________________________________________
For previous stories, go to franconiamuseum.org and click on history blog.
Join or contribute to the Franconia Museum electronically by accessing Franconiamuseum.org and clicking on Become a Member. You can also join the old fashioned way by mailing a check made payable to the Franconia Museum at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA, 22310. Levels of memberships and giving are presented below.
The Museum will soon move into new quarters at the relocated Franconia Government Center on Beulah Street, near its intersection with the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. We need your help to make the move, so please consider making a contribution or becoming a member for 2025. Contributions in excess of the membership fee are encouraged. The Museum is a volunteer effort, but there are also costs for insurance of our artifacts, printing and postage. Please help!
2025 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE – PLEASE JOIN OR RENEW
Join us in celebrating our 24th year of preserving and protecting the history of our unique community. Our collections are growing, and we are starting to purchase electronic equipment for displays that will be available in the new Franconia Govt. Center coming in 2025 next to Lane Elementary and Beulah Park. Make the move with us by becoming a member! Additional donations are especially welcome! We are a tax-exempt, volunteer organization. There are no fund-raising costs! Come see us and learn about our past, present and future! Join us as a new member, renew your 2024 membership, or become a Lifetime or Founding member. We need to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors, and need volunteers to help man the Museum on Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat.
Annual dues $25.00
Donation $______________
Total Enclosed $_____________
or Lifetime Member…$350.00 (one time payment)
or Founding Member…$1,000.00 (one time payment)
Name............................................................................................................................................
Address.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
Phone.................................................. E-mail...........................................................................
Please complete application and mail with payment to
Franconia Museum, 6121 Franconia Rd, Franconia, VA 22310
Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Questions: Call Carl Sell at 703-971-4716 or email sellcarl@aol.com
For previous stories, go to franconiamuseum.org and click on history blog.
Join or contribute to the Franconia Museum electronically by accessing Franconiamuseum.org and clicking on Become a Member. You can also join the old fashioned way by mailing a check made payable to the Franconia Museum at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA, 22310. Levels of memberships and giving are presented below.
The Museum will soon move into new quarters at the relocated Franconia Government Center on Beulah Street, near its intersection with the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. We need your help to make the move, so please consider making a contribution or becoming a member for 2025. Contributions in excess of the membership fee are encouraged. The Museum is a volunteer effort, but there are also costs for insurance of our artifacts, printing and postage. Please help!
2025 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE – PLEASE JOIN OR RENEW
Join us in celebrating our 24th year of preserving and protecting the history of our unique community. Our collections are growing, and we are starting to purchase electronic equipment for displays that will be available in the new Franconia Govt. Center coming in 2025 next to Lane Elementary and Beulah Park. Make the move with us by becoming a member! Additional donations are especially welcome! We are a tax-exempt, volunteer organization. There are no fund-raising costs! Come see us and learn about our past, present and future! Join us as a new member, renew your 2024 membership, or become a Lifetime or Founding member. We need to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors, and need volunteers to help man the Museum on Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat.
Annual dues $25.00
Donation $______________
Total Enclosed $_____________
or Lifetime Member…$350.00 (one time payment)
or Founding Member…$1,000.00 (one time payment)
Name............................................................................................................................................
Address.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
Phone.................................................. E-mail...........................................................................
Please complete application and mail with payment to
Franconia Museum, 6121 Franconia Rd, Franconia, VA 22310
Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Questions: Call Carl Sell at 703-971-4716 or email sellcarl@aol.com
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