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MOBY'S APRIL FOOLS #116 /500 : RARE

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:NA
MOBY'S APRIL FOOLS  #116 /500 : RARE
BIDDING STARS SOON!
Approx $250,000 Collection (Original Purchase price per the family. Purchased for an investment )
STILL PROCESSING SALES LOTS. TOTAL PCS OVER 150 :
FROM THE ESTATE OF MR. & MRS. WILLIAM DOYLE
FRANCIS BARNUM SCULPTURES RARE & LIMITED EDITION / 150 PCS PLUS
CIVIL WAR , OLD WEST , WILDLIFE . All MADE IN AMERICA OF THE FINEST PEWTER AND AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP. ALL SIGNED BY FRANCIS BARNUM
MOBY'S APRIL FOOLS #116 /500 : RARE
APPROX : 8 X 8 "
APPROX 6.5 LBS
THE STORY :
Also known as the Skirmish at Miskel Farm, Mosby’s "April Fools" was an American Civil War engagement on April 1, 1863, in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Confederate partisan ranger John S. Mosby and 65 of his men were ambushed by over 200 Union cavalry. Outnumbered and initially caught asleep without lookouts, the Rangers mounted a swift, fierce counterattack, ultimately routing the Union forces and taking numerous prisoners.

The event is remembered as "Mosby’s April Fools" because it turned a highly anticipated Union victory—which was planned as a trap to capture Mosby—into a stunning and embarrassing defeat.
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The Trap and the Camp
On the night of March 31, 1863, Confederate Captain John S. Mosby and his Rangers (the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry) were operating in Northern Virginia. Exhausted after a long day of scouting, they set up camp at Miskel's Farm near Dranesville. Because they believed they were safely hidden behind enemy lines, no lookouts were posted. The men unsaddled their horses, fell asleep in the hay, and settled in for the night.

The Union Advance
Earlier in the day, local Union sympathizers had informed Union forces of Mosby's whereabouts. A detachment of about 200 men from the 1st Vermont and 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanded by Captain Henry Flint, was dispatched to locate and capture the elusive "Gray Ghost".

In the early morning hours of April 1—fittingly, April Fools' Day—the Union cavalry quietly surrounded the Miskel Farm.

The Skirmish
Just as the Union troops prepared to attack, one of Mosby’s men who was staying at a nearby house realized what was happening. He frantically rode into the farm to alert his commander, arriving mere moments before the Union forces came galloping in.

Awakened by the commotion, the Rangers were caught by complete surprise, and the Union forces initially fired upon the sleeping men and the barns. Despite the chaos, lack of saddles, and overwhelming odds, Mosby kept his composure and ordered his men to take cover.

Taking shelter under the eaves of the barn and inside the building, the Rangers grabbed their carbines and pistols. They unleashed a steady, devastating volley of gunfire at the Union cavalry. The gunfire quickly stalled the Union advance, causing confusion in their ranks.

Seizing the momentum, Mosby and his men mounted what horses they could and launched a fierce, aggressive counterattack. The Rangers pushed forward, and the Union cavalry—stunned by the sudden, ferocious resistance of a force they thought was already beaten—panicked and retreated.

The Aftermath
The Union forces were completely routed. Captain Henry Flint, the Union commander, was killed in the fighting, along with several of his men. Dozens of Union soldiers were wounded, and more than 80 were taken prisoner.
Wikipedia

Miraculously, Mosby's forces suffered remarkably light casualties, with only a few men wounded and none killed. The daring defense solidified the legendary reputation of Mosby's Rangers and turned the Union's ambitious April 1st trap into a successful, decisive victory for the Confederates



Mosby's April Fool is a limited-edition pewter sculpture created by renowned
artist Francis J. Barnum as part of the Chilmark "The Adversaries" collection. This series is highly regarded by collectors for its detailed depictions of pivotal Civil War moments and historical figures.

Sculpture Details
Historical Subject: The piece depicts Confederate Colonel John Singleton Mosby (known as the "Gray Ghost") escaping a Union trap on April 1, 1863.
Artist: Francis J. Barnum.
Edition: It was released as a limited edition, often marked out of 500 pieces, and typically features the artist's signature and a specific edition number on the base.
Material: Solid pewter, often mounted on a finished wood base.
What “The Cavalier” statue is
A limited-edition pewter sculpture produced in the 1990s (commonly by Chilmark).
Depicts a mounted Civil War cavalry officer—well-groomed, bearded, and posed in a composed, almost aristocratic style.
The title “Cavalier” reflects the romanticized image of a gentleman soldier (historically, “cavalier” means a horseman or aristocratic fighter).

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