previous next


Morgan's Indiana raid.

Morgan has not yet been caught, though for the last ten days he has been "entirely surrounded, and his escape impossible." The Washington Star thinks his raid the most destructive in every sense ever undertaken by the Confederates. He has drawn troops from other States to hurt him; he has destroyed almost everything in his track, and has introduced the "terror of war into a country never before visited by hostile troops." Writing under the mistaken impression that Morgan had been captured, the Star says:

‘ The destruction or capture of John Morgan's force is an event of much more importance than is generally known. It is safe to say that his four thousand light cavalry have given our troops more work, and destroyed and taken more property, than any sixteen thousand other rebels in arms. For more than a year past these guerillas have kept occupied, principally in Kentucky, a Union force of some 20,000 men; the rapidity of their movements making it necessary to endeavor to be prepared for their sudden appearance, go where they might. Even if Shackelford fails to capture Morgan himself, in the present desperate condition of the fortunes of the rebellion, if it be possible for him to set another formidable squadron in the field, he can give us little trouble indeed for a year hence.

We therefore regard his utter defeat and the capture of nine tenths of his entire force, which has just occurred, as being of great value to the Union cause, not only because it gives us twenty thousand of our own troops to be employed otherwise than in watching him, but also because it crushes out the remnant of native treason in Kentucky--a consummation greatly to be desired.

’ Our Northern files do not give any connected account of the movements of the great raider. We have a number of letters from different portions of Ohio and Indiana, describing the movements of the Confederates and the great success of their pursuers. We have added up the statements of captures in seven letters and find that out of 4,000 men and six pieces of artillery that the Yankees said Morgan entered Indiana with, there have been captured 31,000 men and 28 pieces of cannon. The guns, which were 12 pounder Parrott's when he entered, grew before they were captured to 60 pounders. We make some interesting extracts from the correspondence, chiefly of the Cincinnati papers. A letter from Portsmouth, Ohio, dated the 16th, says:

‘ Our expedition which left Cincinnati under Gen. Judah, reached this place at 5 o'clock this evening, and disembarked amid the cheers of a delighted populace. It should be said, however, that we met the Magnolia a few miles below, and made her return with us, and from her we first learned that the rebels were at Piketon.

Immediately upon our arrival we learned that the telegraph wires had been cut at Piketon, but communication was kept up by mounted couriers, one of whom came in at 6 o'clock with the startling intelligence that Morgan was at Piketon, having driven in all the pickets and out posts of the place, and was thrashing the militia in the most satisfactory manner to himself. At this moment, 9 o'clock P. M., another courier arrives with the intelligence that Piketon is in flames, but cannot speak intelligently of Morgan's movements; but, as usual, everybody — by whom I mean our military — says that he can never get out of the State--Ohio, I presume, is meant — but in his present state I am inclined to think that he is in a condition to change it when he deems proper.

’ The same writer, writing from Columbus on the 20th, gives an account of the fight at Baffington:

It is now definitely ascertained that in the fight yesterday morning at Burlington, Morgan lost all his cannon, (which consisted of only three pieces,) fully seven hundred prisoners, a large number of horses, with their entire equipments, and a large quantity of his pistols, revolvers, carbines, etc. This no crippled him as to compel him to return possible, which he did by proceeding up the river, but keeping out of the range of the gunboats.

When he reached a place opposite Belleville, which is situated on the Virginia side, and is about fifteen miles below Parkersburg, he threatened to destroy the place unless the citizens furnished boats, rafts, &c., that would enable him to cross. The citizens, with much reluctance, commenced getting out their old water traps, and severely tried John's patience by the leisurely manner in which they went about it. It was their object to delay his crossing as long as they could, hoping that our gunboats would make their appearance. Flat boats, rafts, &c., were in due course of time ready, but altogether they would not hold more than three hundred men. They were filled to their utmost capacity, and were moving for the Virginia shore, which was nearly reached, when a gunboat appeared in sight, but too late to prevent the rebels from landing. The boats were, however, destroyed, and a shelling of the rebels who had crossed was commenced and continued, with fatal effect in several cases. A second gunboat made its appearance, and was soon engaged in shelling the rebel force remaining on the Ohio side, which compelled the enemy to fall back. He then formed a line of battle, as if anticipating an attack from the forces which he supposed would be landed from the gunboats. Indeed, our men were preparing for such a measure, when it became unnecessary by the appearance of Col. Wallace with a large force from Parkersburg.

It should here be stated that Generals Judah and Hobson had in the meantime been closely following the rebels, and at the time of their interception at Belleville they were only two or three miles in the rear, it being the object of our forces to capture Morgan's whole command if possible. Colonel Wallace landed his men at some distance from the town, and by a quietly executed march succeeded in reaching the enemy's rear. When this had been accomplished, Judah and Hobson were there, and their forces were united in an attack on morgan, which proves to have been a complete surprise, the rebels not having the least idea that such a movement would be made. They were dumfounded and showed their bewilderment in their efforts to escape capture. It was but easy work for our boys to pick up the raiders, and when they had finished their work all but 1,500 were taken, and those who escaped did so by breaking though our lines. This remnant of Morgan's force immediately retraced their steps in the direction of Pomeroy, and this morning about nine o'clock, worn out and in the most pitiable condition, they passed through Harrisonville, a village ten or twelve miles in a north westerly direction from Pomeroy, and which is on the pike leading to Jackson Court House, near which place they were when our latest information was received.-- Our forces are supposed to be after them again but as yet we have heard no positive knowledge that such is the case.

There can now be but little doubt of their entire capture, for in their present condition they cannot travel fast nor much further. It might be mentioned that a force to head them off has already been sent to the proper locality.

The scene on shore at 10 o'clock, on the Ohio side, after the Burlington fight, was that of squads of rebels, in size from three to a hundred, galloping in every direction, or flying on foot down the river, up the river, over the hills, and through the roads, pursued by our men. There were also squads to be seen marching back to our camp guarded by their captors. The immense amount of plunder which had been gathered up in Ohio and Indiana was also retaken, in the wagons which had been stolen to transport it. There were thousands of dollars worth of groceries, provisions, and dry goods of every variety. There were silks and satins, cotton, linens, vestings, broadcloth — in short, an abundance of everything to eat, drink, or wear, which these thieving cut throat knaves had stolen in their progress, and were here obliged to relinquish. The most variable of the recaptured plunder, however, was the horses, over a thousand of which were taken, together with a long train of buggies, carts, market-wagons, and vehicles of every description. The fore of the rebels in killed and wounded is nearly two hundred.--Our forces ashore lost thirty, and two of the gunboat men were slightly wounded. The number of prisoners a into camp up to 5 o'clock Sunday evening was reported at 1,700. It will be found, however, that in every little town around there are square which have been picked up by the militia; for instance, as the gunboat passed Syracuse on Monday, coming down, they were hailed by around of militia, who said they had seventy eight prisoners, and that in the next town above there were eighty five.

Another letter, dated Athens, Ohio, July 26, says:

‘ A line of couriers has been kept up from here to the column of the enemy for several days, and yesterday we received dispatches from the battle field, forty miles distant, in one hour and forty minutes. Morgan burned the bridge and mills at Chester, and robbed the stores of course. In looking for spoils they knocked at the closed door of a worthy Taunton, who is a disciple of the great martyr Rap, rap, went the heavy sabre hits against the door; thump, thump, went the heavy brogans. The old fox was playing gone away from home; but the rebels soon smelled the game and stirred the old man out, when they opened on him thus: "Hello, old man, are you secesh or Union?" "Yaw, py tam, sure I Fallandigham." The answer to this was a general stamping, smashing up everything that would break or amash.

Leaving Chester, Morgan marched toward Burlington island, attempting a crossing under cover of a heavy fog. But from the white mass burst the red flames of death, bearing consternation and dismay into the ranks of the astounded rebels. They stood but a few minutes, when they whetted and retired by the same road upon which they advanced.--They formed an ambuscade the top of the hill, and met Helbonia forces. At first we were a little surprised, but soon rallied and charged them down the hill; capturing wearily three thousand men and free pieces of artillery. This happened about eight o'clock in the morning. The gunboats drove them back about seven o'clock. There was no fight worth the name. Morgan appeared to be very sparing of powder. There is no ammunition found in the cartridge boxes of the prisoners. There is a report that four hundred got to the other side of the river, and that they were caught by some Kentucky cavalry. Our scouts who were on the field say that they were coming in in droves; that one Captain nine men brought in one hundred and fifty men. They saw a little boy who brought a rebel to on this wise: "See here, mister, are you a Secesh?" "Yes." "What did you do with your gun?" "Threw it away, for fear they would shoot me," "Come along with me; we won't shoot you," The scout says he marched him into the lines. They were so much worn and fatigued that they laid down all over the grass in the orchard where they were placed, and were asleep in ten minutes after they were brought within the lines of our guards.

One of our scouts says no one is hurt on our side. I have been up all night, hearing news and writing, and just at this writing one company of the 13th Ohio cavalry has arrived from Camp Chase. I learn from a number of the 7th Ohio that they have been twenty three days in the saddle.

A young man, who gives his name as — Rice, son of Dr. Rice, late of Chicago; has been with them through their whole journey in Ohio They took him prisoner from a train of cars in Indiana. He says they have rested but one night in the last six; the man have slept a few moments at a time while their horses were feeding. They plundered every store and took the products of their the its in buggies and express wagon. He says, and our scouts who were in at the death confirm the story, that some of them had their carpet sacks full of greenbacks, jewelry, and watches. Our scouts say they saw our boys ordering them to shell out the greenbacks, which they did with evident reluctance.

The Cincinnati Commercial gives some reasons why the raid of Morgan was so successful:

We have never believed that Morgan, after having crossed the Ohio at Brandenburg, would succeed in getting back again into Kentucky with anything like the force he brought into Indiana and Ohio; but we must say, knowing what preparations had been made to take him, that we did not expect he would have succeeded in traveling the distance he has without being checked at some point by our forces.

General Bolely on the militia to stop Morgan and impede his way until Hobson could overtake him, and there was great difficulty in organizing and moving these raw forces. Morgan's threats to destroy towns, burn villages, and plunder generally, if he was attacked and bush whacked by the people, deterred many from burning bridges and felling cress in his way, and he was therefore permitted to pass along unmolested.

Gen. Hobson, following immediately in the wake of Morgan, was unable to obtain fresh horses, for Morgan gathered these up as he went along and left his jaded ones behind.

There are other reasons which might be given why Morgan has passed so far through Indiana and Ohio without being captured, which we propose to refer to at another time; but thus much we will say now; Gen. Burnside has labored day and night since Morgan crossed the Ohio, to destroy and capture his force, and all the means at his command were promptly and energetically made use of.

The news this morning is that we have captured one thousand prisoners, all his artillery and killed one hundred and fifty of his men.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

hide People (automatically extracted)
Sort people alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a person to search for him/her in this document.
John Morgan (22)
Hobson (4)
Judah (3)
Wallace (2)
Rice (2)
Shackelford (1)
Pomeroy (1)
Parrott (1)
Chester (1)
Burnside (1)
hide Dates (automatically extracted)
Sort dates alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a date to search for it in this document.
July 26th (1)
20th (1)
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: