Morgan's Raid was a diversionary incursion by
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
into the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
states of
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. The raid took place from June 11 to July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederate troops,
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865.
In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in ...
. Although it caused temporary alarm in the North, the raid was ultimately classed as a failure.
The raid covered more than , beginning in
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and ending in northern Ohio. It coincided with the
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi Riv ...
and the
Gettysburg Campaign, and it was meant to draw
Union troops away from these fronts by frightening the North into demanding its troops return home. Despite his initial successes, Morgan was thwarted in his attempts to recross the Ohio River and eventually
was forced to surrender what remained of his command in northeastern Ohio near the Pennsylvania border. Morgan and other senior officers were held in the
Ohio Penitentiary
The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, was a prison operated from 1834 to 1984 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The state had built a small prison in Columbus in 1813, but as the ...
, but they tunneled their way out and took a train to
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, where they crossed the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
to safety.
Tennessee and Kentucky
General Morgan and his 2,460 handpicked Confederate cavalrymen, along with 4
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
pieces,
departed from
, on June 11, 1863, intending to divert the attention of the Union
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.
History
1st Army of the Ohio
General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. Do ...
from
Southern forces in the state and possibly stir up pro-southern sentiments in the North. General
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Weste ...
, the regional Confederate commander, had intended for Morgan's cavalrymen to provide a distraction by entering Kentucky. Morgan, however, confided to some of his officers that he had long desired to invade Indiana and Ohio to bring the terror of war to the North. Bragg had given him
''carte blanche'' to ride throughout Tennessee and Kentucky, but ordered him to under no circumstances cross the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
. On June 23, the Federal
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.
History
The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...
began its operations against General Bragg's Confederate
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
in what became known as the
Tullahoma Campaign, and Morgan decided it was time to move northward into
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
.
![Battle of Tebbs Bend](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Battle_of_Tebbs_Bend.jpg)
On July 2, hoping to disrupt Union communication lines, Morgan rode into Kentucky, where admiring citizens openly welcomed his cavalrymen. Crossing the rain-swollen
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...
at
Burkesville, Morgan's
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
advanced to the
Green River Green River may refer to:
Rivers
Canada
* Green River (British Columbia), a tributary of the Lillooet River
*Green River, a tributary of the Saint John River, also known by its French name of Rivière Verte
*Green River (Ontario), a tributary of ...
, where it was deflected by half of a Union
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
(the 25th Michigan Infantry) at the
Battle of Tebbs Bend
The Battle of Tebbs' Bend (or Tebbs Bend or Green River) was fought on July 4, 1863, near the Green River in Taylor County, Kentucky during Morgan's Raid in the American Civil War. Despite being badly outnumbered, elements of the Union army thw ...
on July 4. Morgan soon surprised and captured the garrison at
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. He trapped 400 men from the 20th Kentucky in the town's railroad depot, but the well-fortified building provided considerable protection. In a sharp six-hour fight, Federal troops killed Morgan's youngest brother Thomas during the final charge. Morgan finally captured and paroled the Federal troops.
![Panic in Louisville as Morgan's force nears](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Panic_in_Louisville_as_Morgan%27s_force_nears.jpg)
A grieving Morgan continued northward towards
Louisville
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
, riding through
Springfield,
Bardstown, and Garnettsville. Along the way, the Confederates endured several more small skirmishes with Union troops and Kentucky
home guard
Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense.
The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting wi ...
units. Just south of the city, however, he turned his remaining men to the northwest and headed for the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
.
At Springfield, Morgan sent a detachment north and east of Louisville, with the intention of confusing Union forces as to where Morgan was really heading. This detachment crossed the Ohio River at Twelve Mile Island, but they were captured near
New Pekin, Indiana
New Pekin is a town in Pierce and Polk townships, Washington County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,401 at the 2010 census.
History
The land for the town of New Pekin was first entered on August 25, 1818. The original town plat ...
, before they could rejoin Morgan. To further mislead the Federals on his objectives, Morgan had his telegrapher,
"Lightning" Ellsworth, tap telegraph lines and, pretending to be a Union telegrapher, send several messages giving different headings for the raiders and false reports of the size of Morgan's force—sometimes reporting it as high as 7,000 men. Ellsworth did this throughout the journey, especially in Indiana.
Indiana
![Brandenburg Morgan marker](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Brandenburg_Morgan_marker.jpg)
Morgan had sent spy
Thomas Hines and a party of 25 Confederates, posing as a Union patrol, on a
secret mission into Indiana in June to determine if the local
Copperheads would support or join Morgan's impending raid. After visiting the local Copperhead leader, Dr. William A. Bowles, Hines learned that no desired support would be forthcoming. He and his scouts were soon identified as actually being Confederates, and, in a small skirmish near
Leavenworth, Indiana
Leavenworth is a town in Jennings Township, Crawford County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The 2010 US Census recorded a population of 238 persons.
History
Foundation and early settlement
Leavenworth was laid out in 1818 in an oxbow of th ...
, Hines had to abandon his men as he swam across the Ohio River under gunfire. He wandered around Kentucky for a week seeking information on Morgan's whereabouts.
By now reduced to 1,800 men, Morgan's main column had arrived on the morning of July 8 at
Brandenburg, Kentucky
Brandenburg is a home rule-class city on the Ohio River in Meade County, Kentucky, in the United States. The city is southwest of Louisville. It is the seat of its county. The population was 2,643 at the 2010 census.
History
Brandenburg was ...
, a small town along the Ohio River, where Hines rejoined them. Here, the raiders seized two
steamboat
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...
s, the ''John B. McCombs'' and the ''
Alice Dean''. Morgan, against Bragg's strict orders, transported his command across the river to Indiana, landing just east of
Mauckport. A small company of Indiana
home guards contested the crossing with an
artillery piece
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, ...
, as did a
riverboat
A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...
carrying a six-pounder. Morgan chased off the local defenders, capturing a sizeable portion as well as their guns. After burning the ''
Alice Dean'' and sending the ''John B. McCombs'' downriver with instructions not to pursue him, Morgan headed away from the river.
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Oliver P. Morton
Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton (August 4, 1823 – November 1, 1877), commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th governor (the first native-born) of Indiana during the Amer ...
worked feverishly to organize Indiana's defense, calling for able-bodied men to take up arms and form militia companies. Thousands responded and organized themselves into companies and regiments.
Col.
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Lewis Jordan took command of the 450 members of the
Harrison County Home Guard (Sixth Regiment, Indiana Legion), consisting of poorly trained civilians with a motley collection of arms. His goal was to delay Morgan long enough for Union reinforcements to arrive.
Maj. Gen.
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American army officer and politician who became a senior Union general in the Civil War and three times Governor of Rhode Island, as well as being a successful inventor ...
, commander of the
Department of the Ohio
The Department of the Ohio was an administrative military district created by the United States War Department early in the American Civil War to administer the troops in the Northern states near the Ohio River.
1st Department 1861–1862
Gener ...
with headquarters in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, quickly organized local Federal troops and home militia to cut off Morgan's routes back to the South. Morgan headed northward on Mauckport Road, with another brother, Colonel Richard Morgan, leading the forward elements. On July 9, south of
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana. Located north of the Ohio River in the extreme southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana, it is the seat of government for Harrison County. Corydon was founded in 1808 and served ...
, the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Harrison County, his advance guard encountered Jordan's small force, drawn in a battle line behind a hastily thrown up
barricade
Barricade (from the French ''barrique'' - 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. Adopted as a military term, a barricade denot ...
of logs. The colonel attacked, and in a short but spirited battle of less than an hour, he simultaneously
outflanked
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver is a movement of an armed force around an enemy force's side, or flank, to achieve an advantageous position over it. Flanking is useful because a force's fighting strength is typically concentrated i ...
both Union wings, completely routing the hapless militia. Accounts vary as to the number of casualties of the
Battle of Corydon, but the most reliable evidence suggests that 4 of Jordan's men were killed, 10-12 were wounded, and 355 were captured. Morgan counted 11 dead and 40 wounded raiders. Among the dead Federals was the civilian toll keeper who perished near his tollgate. Raiders killed a
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
minister, Reverend Peter Glenn, on his farm, from the battlefield, and stole horses from several other farmers.
General Morgan led his division into Corydon, where he paroled his demoralized prisoners and ransomed the town for cash and supplies. Morgan's soldiers then traveled east and reached
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
on July 10, where they burned a railroad bridge and depot, and tapped a telegraph line. After spending the night in Lexington, they headed to the northeast, terrorizing the small towns along the way, including
Vernon,
Dupont
DuPont de Nemours, Inc., commonly shortened to DuPont, is an American multinational chemical company first formed in 1802 by French-American chemist and industrialist Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours. The company played a major role in ...
,
New Pekin,
Salem, and
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
.
On July 11, while crossing
Blue River near New Pekin, Confederate Capt. William J. Davis and some of his men were captured by
73rd Indiana Infantry and a detachment of the 5th U.S. Regulars. Davis and several other soldiers were taken to
New Albany and secured in the county jail.
On July 12, Morgan arrived in the town of
Dupont, Indiana
Dupont is a town in Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 339 at the 2010 census.
History
Dupont was founded in 1849. It was named after the Du Pont family.
Dupont was one of the towns visited by John ...
, where his men burned the town's storehouse and stole 2,000 smoked hams before riding out of town the next day. The hams were eventually discarded as they began to attract flies, leaving a trail of hams along the side of the road for the pursuing
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
to follow.
Morgan then headed for Salem where he immediately took possession of the town and placed guards over the stores and streets. His cavalrymen burned the large brick depot, along with all the railcars on the track and the railroad bridges on each side of town. They demanded taxes from area flour and grist mills. After looting stores and taking about $500, they departed in the afternoon.
In Versailles a group of freebooters invaded the local
Masonic Lodge
A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
, Versailles No. 7, and lifted the Lodge's badges of office which had originally been made from French silver coins. Morgan, himself a
Freemason
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, ordered the officers' jewels returned, punishing the thievery of his own men.
Morgan finally left Indiana at
Harrison
Harrison may refer to:
People
* Harrison (name)
* Harrison family of Virginia, United States
Places
In Australia:
* Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin
In Canada:
* Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...
, closely pursued by Federal cavalry.
Ohio & West Virginia
The Confederates entered Ohio on July 13, destroying bridges, railroads, and government stores. Morgan's Raid spread alarm across southern and central Ohio, and wild speculation as to his destination. ''
Harper's Weekly
''Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization'' was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor, ...
'', a leading Northern newspaper, reported:
Sidestepping Burnside's forces that protected Cincinnati to the south he traveled through such northern communities as
Harrison
Harrison may refer to:
People
* Harrison (name)
* Harrison family of Virginia, United States
Places
In Australia:
* Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin
In Canada:
* Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...
,
New Baltimore,
Colerain,
Springdale,
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''.
It may refer to:
Places Australia
* Glendale, New South Wales
** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre
*Glendale, Queensland, ...
and
Sharonville. Morgan and his men ran into great resistance when trying to capture
Camp Dennison. He would eventually retreat and regroup with the other column of his men in
Montgomery and bypass Camp Dennison through Wards Corner. Morgan continued east to the Ohio River where, just north of modern
Ravenswood, West Virginia, there was a ford at
Buffington Island
Buffington Island is an island in the Ohio River in Jackson County, West Virginia near the town of Ravenswood, United States, east of Racine, Ohio. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Buffington Island took place on July 19, 1863, just ...
that would allow him to cross over into that state. Burnside correctly guessed Morgan's intentions. Federal columns under
Edward H. Hobson and
Henry M. Judah and river
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
s swiftly converged to contest any river crossing. Burnside also sent a militia regiment from
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Ohio, United States. It is located in southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, Mar ...
, to hold the ford until the Federal forces could arrive. Morgan arrived on the evening of July 18, but decided not to attack the militia in the gathering darkness. It proved to be a mistake.
By morning, the cavalry and gunboats had arrived, blocking Morgan's escape route. At the subsequent
Battle of Buffington Island
The Battle of Buffington Island, also known as the St. Georges Creek Skirmish, was an American Civil War engagement in Meigs County, Ohio, and Jackson County, West Virginia, on July 19, 1863, during Morgan's Raid. The largest battle in Ohio d ...
in
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, Union troops won a decisive victory and captured 750 of Morgan's men, including his brother Richard and noted cavalryman Col.
Basil W. Duke
Basil Wilson Duke (May 28, 1838 – September 16, 1916) was a Confederate States Army, Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Mo ...
. Cut off from safety by the Union gunboats, Morgan and his remaining cavaliers headed northeast back into Ohio. A second attempt at crossing upriver (opposite
Belleville, West Virginia) also failed, with several of Morgan's men drowning in the swirling river as the gunboats and Union cavalry again drove off the raiders. Col.
Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson and over 300 raiders did escape into West Virginia and safety, but General Morgan chose to remain on the Ohio side with the rest of his dwindling force. He was turned away at skirmishes in
Gallia County
Gallia County (pronunciation: ''GAL-yuh'') is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,220. Its county seat is Gallipolis.
Named after the French people who originally settled there, its name ...
at Coal Hill and
Hockingport, losing more of his force.
As Morgan with 400 remaining men headed away from the river into the interior of southern Ohio, he paused at
Nelsonville, a small town on the
Hocking Canal
The Hocking Canal, in southeastern Ohio, was a small 19th century lateral/feeder canal of the Ohio-Erie Canal. It began in Carroll, Ohio (which was on the Ohio-Erie Canal) and ran to Athens, Ohio. It paralleled the Hocking River in most places, ...
. His men burned ten wooden canal boats and set a
covered bridge
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...
ablaze to slow their pursuers. However, as soon as Morgan's raiders rode off, citizens rushed to save the burning span. Two hours later, Union cavalry arrived, delighted to find that the townspeople had prepared a feast for them.
![Morgans Men POW 1863](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Morgans_Men_POW_1863.jpg)
With his men somewhat rested on Weaver's homestead near Triadelphia on the 22nd of July, and guided down Island Run by John Weaver who was held hostage, Morgan forded the broad
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River (Shawnee: ') is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country o ...
at Eagleport, just south of
Zanesville
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state capit ...
, before turning northward in
Guernsey County. He still hoped to cross the Ohio River at some point and head through West Virginia to safety. At the village of
Old Washington, Morgan's weary men fought a skirmish in the streets before hastily departing, pursued by Union cavalry under Brig. Gen.
James M. Shackelford
James Murrell Shackelford (July 7, 1827 – September 7, 1907) was a lawyer, judge, and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He has the distinction of having captured Confederate cavalry commander John Hunt Morgan in mid-186 ...
. On July 26, Union forces defeated Morgan at the
Battle of Salineville
The Battle of Salineville occurred July 26, 1863, near Salineville, Ohio, during Morgan's Raid in the American Civil War. It was the northernmost military action involving an official command of the Confederate States Army. The Union victory sha ...
and finally caught him that afternoon near
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
in
Columbiana County
Columbiana County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is Lisbon, Ohio, Lisbon and its largest city is Salem, Ohio, ...
. They were held in
Wellsville, Ohio
Wellsville is a village in southern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. Its population was 3,113 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Salem micropolitan area, north of Steubenville and south of Youngstown. In its he ...
, then taken to the
Ohio Penitentiary
The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, was a prison operated from 1834 to 1984 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The state had built a small prison in Columbus in 1813, but as the ...
in
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
rather than to a
prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. P ...
, because of reports that captured Union officers had received similar treatment. Many of his enlisted men ended up in the
Camp Douglas stockade in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
The general and six officers
made a daring escape on November 27 by tunneling from an air shaft beneath their cells into the prison yard and scaling the walls.
[Ohio Historical Society](_blank)
/ref> Only two of Morgan's men were recaptured, and he and the rest soon returned to the South. Morgan was killed less than a year later in Greeneville, Tennessee, by a Union cavalryman after refusing to halt while attempting to escape.
Impact
During his raid, Morgan and his men captured and paroled about 6,000 Union soldiers and militia, destroyed 34 bridges, disrupted the railroads at more than 60 places, and diverted tens of thousands of troops from other duties. He spread terror throughout the region, and seized thousands of dollars worth of supplies, food, and other items from local stores, houses, and farms. Since the timing somewhat coincided with the Gettysburg Campaign and raids towards Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
by John D. Imboden
John Daniel Imboden (; February 16, 1823August 15, 1895), American lawyer, Virginia state legislator, and a Confederate army general. During the American Civil War, he commanded an irregular cavalry force. After the war, he resumed practicing la ...
's cavalry, many assumed at the time that Morgan's Raid was part of a coordinated effort to threaten the Ohio River commerce and spread the war to the North. Few in the North realized that Morgan's adventure was a violation of his orders and had nothing to do with Robert E. Lee's simultaneous movement into Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
In Ohio alone, approximately 2,500 horses were stolen and nearly 4,375 homes and businesses were raided. Morgan's Raid cost Ohio taxpayers nearly $600,000 in damages and over $200,000 in wages paid to the 49,357 Ohioans called up to man 587 companies of local militia.
To Morgan's men, the long raid had accomplished much, despite their military defeat and high casualties. Col. Basil Duke, Morgan's brother-in-law and second-in-command of the raid, later wrote, "The objects of the raid were accomplished. General Bragg's retreat was unmolested by any flanking forces of the enemy, and I think that military men, who will review all the facts, will pronounce that this expedition delayed for weeks the fall of East Tennessee, and prevented the timely reinforcement of Rosecrans by troops that would otherwise have participated in the Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...
."
To many Confederates, the daring expedition behind enemy lines became known as The Great Raid of 1863, and was initially hailed in the newspapers. However, along with Gettysburg and Vicksburg, it was another in a string of defeats for the Confederate army that summer. Some Northern newspapers derisively labeled Morgan's expedition as The Calico
Calico (; in British usage since 1505) is a heavy plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may also contain unseparated husk parts. The fabric is far coarser than muslin, but less coarse and thick than ...
Raid, in reference to the raiders' propensity for procuring personal goods from local stores and houses.
Memorialization
Kentucky and Indiana have well-marked John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trails that allow tourists to follow the route of Morgan's Raid through their states, along with websites and written tour guides. In November 2001, the State of Ohio placed a John Hunt Morgan historical marker on the site of the Ohio State Penitentiary, remembering his imprisonment and daring escape. An equestrian statue of General Morgan was erected and dedicated in 1910 in downtown Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
. Ohio's plans for a similar formal trail finally came to fruition in 2013, when the state erected over 600 directional markers and 56 interpretive signs commemorating the route and the important incidents of the raid. Signage was installed during the spring and summer of 2013, in the months leading up to the 150th anniversary of the "Great Raid."
On the weekend of July 27–28, 2013, communities in Carroll, Jefferson, and Columbiana County, Ohio, held a driving tour to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the raid, with a Civil War era church service, the dedication of a Morgan's Raid Heritage Trail tablet to mark the location of the fighting at Sharp's farm, and events in towns on and near the raid route.
The oil painting “Morgan’s Raiders” is hung at the Federal Building and US Courthouse in Gainesville, Georgia. The painting was made in 1936 by artist Daniel Boza commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (President Franklin Roosevelt administration).
Notes
References
* "An Incident of Morgan's Raid: Valueless Bill Left to Pay for Fine Horse and Wheat Crop," ''The Zanesville Signal'', vol. 28, no. 219 (Tuesday, 4 December 1906), p. 2, col. 4.
* Duke, Basil Wilson, ''A History of Morgan's Cavalry.'' Cincinnati, Ohio: Miami Printing and Pub. Co., 1867
On-line version
* Harper, Robert S., ''Ohio Handbook of the Civil War.'' Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio Historical Society, 1961.
* Horwitz, Lester V., ''The Longest Raid of the Civil War.'' Cincinnati, Ohio: Farmcourt Publishing, Inc., 1999. .
* Kelsey, D.M., ''Deeds of Daring by the American Soldier North and South During the Civil War.'' New York, Akron, and Chicago: The Saalfield Publishing Company, 1903.
* Mingus, Scott L., "Morgan's Raid," ''CHARGE! Magazine'', Volume 4, August, 2004, pages 12–13. Text used by permission of the Johnny Reb Gaming Society.
* Mosgrove, George Dallas,
Following Morgan's Plume in Indiana and Ohio
" ''Southern Historical Society Papers'', Vol. XXXV. January–December, 1907.
* Ramage, James A., ''Rebel Raider: The Life of General John Hunt Morgan.'' Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1986. .
* Simmons, Flora E., ''A complete account of the John Morgan raid through Indiana and Ohio, in July, 1863.'' Self-published, 1863.
* Thomas, Edison H., ''John Hunt Morgan and His Raiders.'' Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1975. .
* U.S. War Department, ''The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'', 70 volumes in 4 series. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1880-1901
On-line version
Further reading
* Boyer, Margrette. "Morgan's Raid in Indiana." ''The Indiana Quarterly Magazine of History'' 8.4 (1912): 149-165
online free
* Brown, Dee A. ''Morgan's Raiders''. New York: Konecky & Konecky, 1959. .
*
* Conway, W. Fred. ''Corydon — The Forgotten Battle of the Civil War''. New Albany, IN: FBH Publishers, 1994. .
* Conway, W. Fred., and James M. Wells. ''The Most Incredible Prison Escape of the Civil War''. New Albany, IN: FBH Publishers, 1994. .
* Funk, Arville L. ''The Morgan Raid in Indiana and Ohio (1863)''. Superior Printing Company, 1971.
* Mowery, David L. ''Morgan's Great Raid: The Remarkable Expedition from Kentucky to Ohio''. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2013. .
* Robertson, Middleton. "Recollections of Morgan's Raid." ''Indiana Magazine of History'' (1938): 188-194
online
* Simms, Jeremiah Hickman, ed. ''The Last Night and Last Day of John Hunt Morgan's Raid: Eyewitness Accounts of Morgan's Ohio Raid of 1863''. West Jefferson, OH: Genesis Publishing, 1997. . First published by the author in 1913.
* Still, John S. "Blitzkrieg, 1863: Morgan's Raid and Rout." ''Civil War History'' 3.3 (1957): 291-306
summary
* Swiggett, Howard. ''The Rebel Raider: A Life of John Hunt Morgan'' (1934).
External links
* ttp://www.in.gov/history/3993.htm Geib, George W., Emeritus Professor of History, Butler University. "Indiana Historical Bureau: Morgan's Raid"
Indiana Historical Marker for Morgan's Raid
John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail
Morgan's Men Association
Buffington Island Battlefield Preservation Foundation
Longestraid.com; website for definitive work on Morgan's Raid
"The Battle of Corydon, Indiana"
— Article by Civil War historian/author Bryan S. Bush, which contains rare images of Morgan shown courtesy of the Civil War Museum of the Western Theater in Bardstown, Kentucky.
"Morgan's Christmas Raid"
— Article by Civil War historian/author Bryan S. Bush
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1863 in the United States
Meigs County, Ohio
Union victories of the American Civil War
Cavalry raids of the American Civil War
Military operations of the American Civil War in Indiana
Military operations of the American Civil War in Kentucky
Military operations of the American Civil War in Ohio
Military operations of the American Civil War in Tennessee
Military operations of the American Civil War in West Virginia
June 1863 events
July 1863 events