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Re: John Cussons
In Response To: Re: John Cussons ()

This certainly looks like him and in the way he operated.

At dawn on the third day of the struggle at Gettysburg, Captain Cussons was captured on the slope of Round Top, and from the crest of the hills, as a prisoner of war, he witnessed the splendid attack of Pickett's corps that afternoon. [Men of Mark in Virginia: Ideals of American Life; a Collection of the Leading Men in the State , Vol. 3, edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Washington, D. C., 1907, p. 105

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Bob Krick may provide the information you seek.

See: Civil War Preservation Trust, Hallowed Ground Magazine, FALL 2005, Volume 6, Number 3

"John Cussons: Flamboyant Confederate Scout and Staff Officer" By Robert E. L. Krick
http://www.civilwar.org/hallowed-ground-magazine/recent-issue-index.html

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The Richmond Daily Dispatch: May 30, 1862.

Daring adventure-shooting on the Peninsula.

We copy from the Selma (Ala.)Reporter a narrative, related by a correspondent, of an adventure of two soldiers on the Peninsula, one of whom (Mr. Cussons) was formerly an editor of that paper:

I may here mention an act of bravery which is worthy the attention of the historian, whose duty it will be to chronicle the daring and gallant feats accomplished by our soldiery during this bloody struggle. It being of great importance that our Commanding General should be well informed as to the locations and numbers of the enemy's force then landing near West Point, private Cussons and Sergeant Hartley, of our regiment, readily volunteered for this dangerous service. They were both men universally liked, and well fitted, by some experience of frontier life, for this perilous duty. They left the regiment at dusk on the evening of the 6th, armed with their trusty rifle. The night was clear, and a full moon shone on their figures as they disappeared from my view beneath the dark shadows of the woods. This was the last I saw of poor Hartley.

Pursuing their way cautiously and in silence, they soon reached the enemy's outposts, which they succeeded in safely passing. Once within the enemy's line, their progress was somewhat slow, as greater caution had to be exercised to evade the numerous pickets, which were posted through the woods. It was near midnight, when those two brave scouts reached the bank of the river. From the position they occupied, just below the crest of the bank, and within three hundred yards of the enemy, they had a fine bird's eye view of everything that was going on. Two boats were rapidly disembarking artillery and wagons, and forty three were lying off in the river. After remaining in this position for about half an hour, the scouts determined to pass a few hundred yards higher up the river, for the purpose of getting nearer the enemy's forces, and learning something from their conversation. To do this, it was necessary for them to withdraw from the bank, and make a detour through the woods, and while thus changing position, a most lamentable casualty occurred. Passing continuously through the deep shade of a narrow vista in the woods, just as the moon was going down, their attention was attracted by the sharp "click" of a gun-lock, and at the same instant they discovered the faint outline of four of the enemy standing within five paces of them. The scouts halted, side by side, with their guns cocked and at the "ready." After a brief pause one of the four, who appeared to be in command, ordered the scouts to advance. Cussons replied by a demand to surrender. There was another pause; then a quick motion on the part of the Yankee who had first spoken, then four shots, almost simultaneous, and in an instant later, two more. At the first fire poor Hartley fell dead, and two of the enemy bit the dust. Cussons reloaded, and stepped behind a tree. While capping his gun at that moment, the four men on the next picket post, attracted by the firing, advanced at a run. Cussons waited until they were within about fifteen paces, and then shot down the foremost one. The others, seeing their companion fall, turned and fled without firing. By this time the entire picket was arouse, and Cussons drew off some sixty or seventy yards into the woods, when he lay down and waited until the enemy had formed into squads, and carried the pursuit half a mile beyond him. He then quietly ranked up the river, and passed around them, reaching our camp about sunrise, evidently none the worse for the night's adventure. In the fight of Wednesday, our forces look the remain for of the picket (one company) prisoners, and from them we learn that two were killed and the other mortally wounded. One of the killed was orderly sergeant of the comp

Mr. Hartley was O. S. of the ville Guards" Though a Canadian was devoted to the Southern evinced a noble order to be useful able to the country. We all dee the sad but gallant end of this you and accomplished soldier. Cussons several times within the enemy's lines that night, and from the important information which he collects, has rendered himself invaluable to Gens Smith and Whiting.

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