Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Virginia Herndon Mosby's Rock
AO Edited

Mosby's Rock

A secret rendezvous spot where John S. Mosby and his Rangers would meet to divvy up their loot after raids.

Herndon, Virginia

Added By
Ian Hall
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Mosby’s Rock with marker missing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
  Craig Swain
John S. Mosby   Brady-Handy photograph collection, Library of Congress
A sign nearby   Robert/CC BY-SA 2.0
Mosby’s Rock with plaque missing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

John S. Mosby, also known as the "Gray Ghost," was a first-class rabble-rouser who commanded the 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. 

His unit was a partisan ranger unit known as Mosby's Raiders (also Mosby's Rangers and Mosby's Men), and they were infamous for lightning-fast raids on Union targets and their uncanny ability to elude capture as they repeatedly disrupted Union supply lines and communications. In 1863, a southern spy named Laura Ratcliffe suggested this rock to Mosby as a meeting place where Mosby and his men could convene after conducting raids.

After the war ended, Mosby acknowledged that the Confederacy had lost thethe war even as the vast majority of Confederate officers perpetuated the "Lost Cause" myth. This caused Mosby to be held contemptuously by most of his fellow Virginians. Mosby worked as an attorney, supporting President Ulysses S. Grant. He also served as the American consul to Hong Kong and in the U.S. Department of Justice.

The rock still remains in its original location, but it now backs up to a townhouse development. The Mosby's Rock plaque was removed at some point during the summer of 2020 and was still missing as of August 2021.  The plaque read as follows: "Mosby’s Rangers (43d Bn., Va. Cav.) used this rock as a rendezvous point and met here to divide the spoils after raids. The renowned Southern spy and scout Laura Ratcliffe, who lived nearby, showed this rock to Col. (then Captain) John S. Mosby, CSA, in 1863, and suggested he use it as a meeting place."

Related Tags

Spycraft Us Civil War Rocks

Know Before You Go

The rock is located along the property line with a row of townhouses, so please respect the residents' privacy.

Community Contributors

Added By

blimpcaptain

Edited By

AF, Michelle Cassidy

  • AF
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 28, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=9957
Mosby's Rock
2525 Squirrel Hill Rd
Herndon, Virginia, 20171
United States
38.944896, -77.417291
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Murphy Dairy Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Kidwell Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Laura Ratcliffe Hanna Family Cemetery

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Herndon

Herndon

Virginia

Places 8

Nearby Places

Murphy Dairy Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Kidwell Farm

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Laura Ratcliffe Hanna Family Cemetery

Herndon, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Herndon

Herndon

Virginia

Places 8

Related Stories and Lists

11 Places to Explore Spycraft

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Vancouver, British Columbia

    Siwash Rock

    According to the local First Nations folklore, this rock was once a man.

  • Along the main wall you’ll find a list of every show every played at Red Rocks.

    Morrison, Colorado

    Red Rocks Hall of Fame

    Drift through decades of high desert music history at this funky hometown museum.

    Sponsored by Visit Denver
  • Morioka, Japan

    Rock-Splitting Cherry Tree

    A 360-year-old cherry tree grows out of a granite boulder.

  • As you enter the beach, from the road

    Patmos, Greece

    Rock of Kalikatsou

    A Christian pilgrimage site that may have also been a temple for the Greek goddess of love.

  • Taipei, Taiwan

    Xianjiyan: Rock of the Deity’s Footprint

    A rock, a temple, and a window into Taiwan’s rich cultural mythology—wrapped in a serene city escape.

  • The Ju-oh-iwa (Ten Kings Rock).

    Kamakura, Japan

    Ju-oh-iwa

    A rock with images of infernal judges sculpted on it, offering a panoramic view of Kamakura.

  • Robert E. Lee House from Evergreen Street.

    Boerne, Texas

    Robert E. Lee House

    This small, 19th-century structure is all the remains of a once lively travelers' inn that General Robert E. Lee frequented.

  • Grover Cleveland Thompson worked on this masterpiece for more than two decades.

    Phoenix, Arizona

    Sunnyslope Rock Garden

    This trippy wonderland is the result of one man's obsessive, decades long passion project.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.