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Thomas Johnson Claggett 1901
Of Virginia, Mosby's Rangers
The descendants of Thomas Beasley and Thomas Claggett confused the two men. They believed Thomas William Beazley had fought with the the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry Partisan Rangers commanded by Maj. John Singleton Mosby.
John Beasley, grandson of Thomas Beasley, was a bit of a family history buff. He wrote, "Grandfather [Thomas] Beasley was a carpenter and farmer, and served with the famous regiment of Col. Mosby in the Civil War. Several books have been printed on Col. Mosby and his 'guerilla band' who were feared and respected by the Northern Armies."
The obituary of Madge Matella Grimes, also a descendant of Thomas Wesley Beasley, stated, "Madge was the granddaughter of Aaron Grimes, Private, Co. B 77th Inf. IL, Union Army and great-granddaughter of Thomas Beasley, member of John Mosby's Rangers, Virginia CSA."
While there are no records of Thomas Beasley as a soldier in Mosby's Confederate Army guerilla band, his brother-in-law Thomas Claggett was a member of Mosby's Rangers, as illustrated below.
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| Provost Marshal's report on Confederate captive Private Johnson Claggett, captured September 20, 1864 at Rock Fork, Virginia. |
Mosby's Rangers ranged deeply into the Union rear, harrassing their forces and capturing couriers with essential information. They operated in the Manassas and Culpeper area where the Claggett and Beasley families lived. The Union leadership was so frustrated by Mosby's predations that they ordered:
"The Secretary of War directs that, in retaliation for the murderous acts of guerrilla bands, composed of and assisted by the inhabitants along the Manassas Gap Railroad, and as a measure necessary to keep that road in running order, you proceed to destroy every house within five miles of the road which is not required for our own purposes, or which is not occupied by persons known to be friendly. All males suspected of belonging to, or assisting the robber bands of Mosby, will be sent, under guard, to the provost marshal at Washington, to be confined in Old Capitol Prison..."
Thomas Johnson Claggett (1841-1901) was John Beasley's great-uncle, his grandmother Ann Elizabeth Claggett's brother. Thomas was born in Fauquier County, VA., on June 1, 1841. On Aug. 5, 1861, he married his first cousin, Columbia Claggett, who was born in Buckland, Fauquire county Virginia, September 25, 1836.
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| Route taken by Col. Mosby Raiders with prisoners captured during their Jones-Imboden Raid into western Virginia, Nov. 27th-29th, 1863. It's likely that Thomas Claggett was part of this action. Larger map |
As required by orders from the War Department, the Artillery Company was disbanded. It was reorganized as Company G, on November 28, 1864, Thomas was a private. The men of the 7th Virginia Cavalry took part in the famous Jones-Imboden Raid into western Virginia, held at the time by Union forces. The northern Army of the Potomac had departed Culpeper County for the Mine Run campaign, leaving only a few dozen troops to guard the wagons and supplies.
On the night of Thursday, November 26, 1863, Mosby captured a heavily guarded wagon train near Brandy Station. After removed the supplies, Mosby's men burned the 40 wagons. The startled teamsters awoke too late to do anything. Mosby's troops left with 23 prisoners, 112 mules, and 7 horses.
Mosby escaped unharmed; his horse was not so lucky, taking a ball in the breast. Brandy Station is located about six miles northeast of Culpeper, Virginia on State Route 29.
Thomas was captured by Union forces on September 20, 1864 at Rock Fork, Virginia, and sent to Old Capitol Prison until February 1, 1865, and then transferred with other members of Mosby's Rangers to Fort Warren in Boston. A Provost Marshal's report stated that he was 17 years old, 5' 10" tall, had light hair, dark eyes, and fair complexion. The report said, "This man belonged to Moseby's Guerilla Band & was attached to Maj. Gen. [Christopher Columbus] Augur Comd'g Military District of Washington, D.C., by order of Maj. Gen. [Phil] Sheridan Comd'g M. M. [Middle Military] Dist." Thomas and the rest of Mosby's men in Fort Warren were released after the war ended, on June 13, 1865.
After the war, his mother submitted a claim to the Southern Claims Commission for reimbursement for property seized by Union troops. William gave a deposition about his mother's claim, stating he avoided conscript officers a "dozen times", hiding out in the bush or escaping to Prince William County until the Union forces arrive.
Thomas and Columbia Claggett and their four children moved to Lexington, Illinois in February 1879, joining four other siblings who had relocated there earlier.
Ironically,