“ He enlisted as a private in the Washington Mounted Rifles, which became a part of General J. E. B. Stuart’s 1st Virginia Cavalry, and of which he was adjutant for a time. In June 1862, after having gone over the ground alone on scouting duty, he accompanied Stuart in his ride round McClellan’s entire army. Early in 1863 he secured Stuart’s permission to undertake a quasi-independent command. In Fairfax county and then in Fauquier and Loudoun counties (known as Mosby’s Confederacy) , within the Federal lines, he raised, mounted, armed and equipped a force of irregulars. ”

“ He returned to his legal practice, joined the Republican party, canvassed Virginia in 1872 for General Grant, in 1878–1885 was United States consul at Hong-Kong, and after practising law in San Francisco, was assistant attorney in the Federal Department of Justice from 1904 to 1910. ”