Military officer; born in
Huntsville, Ala., June 1, 1826; killed at
Greenville, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1864.
Settled near
Lexington, Ky., in 1830, with his parents; served under
Taylor in the
war with
Mexico; and in 1861, at the head of the Lexington Rifles, he joined
Buckner of the Kentucky State Guard.
At the
battle of Shiloh he commanded a squadron of Confederate cavalry, and soon afterwards began his career as a raider.
His first noted exploit was his invasion of
Kentucky from
eastern Tennessee (July, 1861), with 1,200 men, under a conviction that vast numbers of young men would flock to his standard and he would become the “liberator” of that commonwealth.
Dispersing a small National force at
Tompkinsville, Monroe co., he issued a flaming proclamation to the people of
Kentucky.
He was preparing the way for
Bragg's invasion of that State.
Soon recruits joined
Morgan, and he roamed about the
State, plundering and destroying.
At
Lebanon he fought a Union force, routed them, and took several prisoners.
His raid was so rapid that it created intense excitement.
Louisville was alarmed.
He pressed on towards the
Ohio, destroying a long railway bridge (July 14) between
Cynthiana and
Paris, and laying waste a railway track.
On July 17 he had a sharp fight with the Home Guards at
Cynthiana, who were dispersed.
He hoped to plunder the rich city of
Cincinnati.
His approach inspired the inhabitants with terror; but a pursuing cavalry force under
Green Clay Smith, of
Kentucky, caused him to retreat southward in the direction of
Richmond.
On his retreat his raiders stole horses and robbed stores without inquiring whether the property belonged to friend or foe.
In June and July, 1863, he crossed the
Ohio River for the purpose of plunder for himself and followers; to prepare the way for
Buckner to dash into
Kentucky from
Tennessee and seize
Louisville and, with
Morgan, to capture
Cincinnati; to form the nucleus of an armed counter-revolution in the
Northwest, where the “Knights of the Golden circle,” or the “Sons of liberty” of the peace faction, were numerous; and to prevent reinforcements from being sent to
Meade from that region.
Already about eighty Kentuckians had crossed the
Ohio (June 19) into
Indiana to test the temper of the people.
They were captured.
Morgan started (June 27) with 3,500 well-mounted men and six guns, crossing the
Cumberland River at
Burkesville, and, pushing on. encountered some loyal cavalry at
Columbia (July 3), fought them three hours. partly sacked the town, and proceeded to destroy a bridge over the
Green River, when he was driven away, after a desperate fight of several hours, by 200
Michigan troops under
Colonel Moore, well intrenched.
Morgan lost 250 killed and wounded;
Moore lost twenty-nine.
He rushed into
Lebanon, captured a small Union force there, set fire to the place, and lost his brother—killed in the fight.
He reached the
Ohio, 40 miles below
Louisville, July 7.
His ranks were swelled as he went plundering through
Kentucky, and he crossed the
Ohio with 4,000 men and ten guns.
He captured two steamers, with which he crossed.
He was closely pursued by some troops under
General Hobson, and others went up the
Ohio in steamboats to intercept him. He plundered
Corydon, Ind., murdered citizens, and stole 300 horses.
On he went, robbing mill and factory owners by demanding $1,000
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as a condition for the safety of their property.
In like manner he went from village to village until the 12th, when, at a railway near
Vernon, he encountered
Colonel Lowe with 1,200 militiamen.
Morgan was now assured that
Indiana was aroused, and that there was a great uprising of the loyal people against him. The victories at
Gettysburg and
Vicksburg now inspirited the people.
Governor Morton called on the citizens to turn out and expel the invaders.
Within forty-eight hours 65,000 citizens had tendered their services, and were hastening towards the rendezvous.
Morgan was alarmed.
He stole fresh horses for the race before
Hobson, his persistent pursuer.
He passed swiftly north of
Cincinnati through the southern counties, and struck the river a little above
Pomeroy.
The people of
Ohio, also, were aroused.
General Judah went up the
Ohio, from
Cincinnati, in steamboats, to head him off; and the people were gathering from different points.
At Buffington Ford he attempted to cross the river and escape into
Virginia; but there the head of
Hobson's column, under
General Shackleford, struck his rear,
General Judah struck his flank, and two armed vessels in the stream opened upon his front.
Hemmed in, about 800 of his men surrendered, and the remainder, leaving all their plunder behind them, followed their leader up the river, and again attempted to cross to
Belleville by swimming their horses.
About 300 crossed, but the remainder were driven back by a gunboat, when
Morgan fled inland to
McArthur, fighting militia, burning bridges, and plundering.
At last he was obliged to surrender to
General Shackleford, July 26, 1863, at New Lisbon, the capital of
Columbiana county.
Morgan and some of his officers were confined in the
Ohio penitentiary at
Columbus, from which he and six of them escaped in November, and joined the Confederate forces in
northern Georgia.
The race between the troops of
Morgan and his pursuers had continued three weeks, without cessation, at the rate of 35 miles a day.
Morgan afterwards received an ovation at
Richmond as a great hero.
When
Longstreet left
Knoxville, Tenn., late in 1863, he lingered awhile between there and the
Virginia border.
He had been pursued by cavalry, and near
Bean's Station he had a sharp skirmish (Dec. 14), when the Nationals were pushed back with a loss of 200 men;
Longstreet's loss was greater.
Longstreet finally retired to
Virginia, leaving
Morgan in
eastern Tennessee.
Gen. John G. Foster was there, in command of the Army of the Ohio; and on Dec. 29
Gen. S. D. Sturgis, with the
National advance at
Knoxville, between
Mossy Creek and
New Market, met and fought
Morgan and
Armstrong, who led about 6,000 Confederates.
The latter were defeated.
On Jan. 16, 1864,
Sturgis was attacked by
Morgan and
Armstrong at
Dandridge, the capital of
Jefferson county.
After a severe encounter,
Sturgis fell back to Strawberry Plains, where his soldiers suffered intensely from the extreme cold.
Morgan lingered in
eastern Tennessee until May, and late in that month, with comparatively few followers, he went over the mountains into
Kentucky, and raided rapidly through the eastern counties of that State, plundering as they sped on in the richest part of that commonwealth.
They captured several small places, dashed into
Lexington, burning the railway station and other property there, and hurried towards
Frankfort.
General Burbridge, who, when he heard of
Morgan's passage of the mountains, had started in pursuit, struck him a severe blow near
Cynthiana, by which 300 of the raiders were killed or wounded.
400 made prisoners, and 1,000 horses captured.
Burbridge lost about 150 men. This staggering blow made
Morgan reel back into
eastern Tennessee.
Early in September he was at
Greenville with his shattered brigade.
Morgan and his staff were at the house of
Mrs. Williams in that town, when it was surrounded by troops under
General Gillem, and
Morgan, attempting to escape, was shot dead in the garden, Sept. 4, 1864.