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Moss, William S., 1839-1924

 Person

Biographical Note

Born 12 October 1839 in Buckingham County, Virginia, William Stephen Moss became a member of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Moss served in the 4th Virginia Cavalry, Company B from Chesterfield, Virginia. Captured at Germana Ford on 19 September 1863 when scouting the Union Army, Moss was brought to Washington as a prisoner of war. Moss was quickly transferred to "Point Lookout" in Maryland. On 16 August 1864, Moss was again transferred to Elmira Prison in New York-a prison with a reputation for its unhealthy conditions and high rates of scurvy. On one occasion, as related in the biography of Moss written by his son, Moss attempted to escape by tunneling out of prison with common utensils; but, guards thwarted the plot. After the war, Moss opened a general store with his brother (James Knox Polk Moss) and married Cora A. Leadbetter. William Stephen Moss died in 1924.

Citation:
Biographical information was obtained largely from the biography of Moss found within the collection.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

William Stephen Moss Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2008-019
Abstract

The collecon consists of papers centering on William Stephen Moss, a Confederate prisoner of war during the American Civil War. Includes an identification card, letters from Moss to his mother, a biography written by his son, and a photograph of Moss.

Dates: 1863 - 1864