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The Black Horse cavalry.
The Black Horse Cavalry was organized, or rather first set in line, by
Captain D. H. Jones, United States Army, afterward a Confederate general, at
Waterloo, on the
Rappahannock river, in Farquier county, Virginia, on the 18th of June, 1859, the anniversary of the
battle of Waterloo.
On that day, so auspicious for liberties of mankind, did this command come into existence which was destined to act so distinguished and important a part in the prolonged effort to establish the independence of a Southern Republic.
Already had the storm-cloud began to gather, the hurricane to lower in the distance, and the organization of the
Black Horse Cavalry was the first step which was taken in
Fauquier county to meet the prognosticated war. The first captain elected was
John Scott, a planter, residing in the neighborhood of
Warrenton, and the author of “The lost principle.”
Robert Randolph, a young lawyer of the
Warrenton bar, was chosen first lieutenant;
Charles H. Gordon, a planter, residing near Bealton, was elected second lieutenant.
The noncommissioned officers were:
William R. Smith, first sergeant, who was during the war elected a lieutenant of the command, and was afterward one of the most distinguished captains of
Mosby's Partisan Battalion, but was killed, sword in hand, in a night attack on a Federal camp at
Harper's Ferry;
James H. Childs was elected second sergeant;
Richard Lewis was elected third sergeant;
Robert Mitchell was elected fourth sergeant.
The corporals were:
Wellington Millon,
Madison Tyler,
N. A. Clopton, and
M. K. James.
These were all young gentlemen of the first respectability, and were either themselves planters or
