Morgan's Raid
Encyclopedia
Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate
cavalry
into the Northern
states of Indiana
and Ohio
during the American Civil War
. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen.
John Hunt Morgan
.
For 46 days as they rode over 1,000 miles (1,600 km), Morgan's Confederates covered a region from Tennessee
to northern Ohio. The raid coincided with the Vicksburg Campaign
and the Gettysburg Campaign
, although it was not directly related to either campaign. However, it served to draw the attention of tens of thousands of Federal troops
away from their normal duties and strike fear in the civilian population of several Northern states. Repeatedly thwarted in his attempts to return to the South
by hastily positioned Union forces and state militia
, Morgan eventually surrendered what was left of his command in northeastern Ohio. He escaped through Ohio, and casually took a train to Cincinnati, where he crossed the Ohio river.
To many Southerners, 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 Raid, in reference to the raiders' propensity for procuring personal goods from local stores and houses.
pieces, departed from Sparta, Tennessee
, on June 11, 1863, intending to divert the attention of the Union Army of the Ohio
from Southern forces in the state. Gen. Braxton Bragg
, 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 under no circumstances was he to cross the Ohio River
. On June 23, the Federal Army of the Cumberland
began its operations against General Bragg's Confederate Army of Tennessee
in what became known as the Tullahoma Campaign
, and Morgan decided it was time to move northward into Kentucky
.
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
at Burkesville
, Morgan's division
advanced to the Green River
, where it was deflected by half of a Union regiment
(the 25th Michigan Infantry) at the Battle of Tebbs Bend
on July 4. Morgan soon surprised and captured the garrison at Lebanon
. 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.
A grieving Morgan continued northward towards Louisville
, riding through Springfield
, Bardstown
, and Garnettsville. Along the way, the Confederates endured several more small skirmishes with Federals and Kentucky home guard
units. Just south of the city, however, he turned his remaining men to the northwest and headed for the Ohio River
.
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
, 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.
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
, 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
, a small town along the Ohio River, where Hines rejoined them. Here, the raiders seized two steamboat
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
, as did a riverboat
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
Oliver P. Morton 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.
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.
Ambrose Burnside
, commander of the Department of the Ohio
with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio
, 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, Col. Richard Morgan, leading the forward elements. On July 9, one mile south of Corydon
, the county seat
of Harrison County, his advance guard encountered Jordan's small force, drawn in a battle line behind a hastily thrown up barricade
of logs. The colonel attacked, and in a short but spirited battle of less than an hour, he simultaneously outflanked
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 minister on his farm, four miles (6 km) from the battlefield and stole horses from several other farmer
s.
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
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
, New Pekin
, Salem
, and Versailles
.
In Versailles
a group of freebooters invaded the local Masonic Lodge and lifted the Lodge's silver coin jewelry. Morgan, himself a Mason, ordered the jewels returned, punishing the thievery of his own men.
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.
Entering Salem the next day, Morgan 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. Morgan finally left Indiana at Harrison
, closely pursued by Federal cavalry.
, a leading Northern newspaper, reported:
Sidestepping Burnside's forces that protected Cincinnati to the south he traveled through such northern communities as New Baltimore, Colerain, Springdale, Glendale, Sharonville and on east. Morgan continued east to the Ohio River where, just north of modern Ravenswood, West Virginia there was a ford at Buffington Island
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
s swiftly converged to contest any river crossing. Burnside also sent a militia regiment from Marietta, Ohio
, 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
in West Virginia
, Union troops won a decisive victory and captured 750 of Morgan's men, including his brother Richard and noted cavalryman Col. Basil W. Duke
. Cut off from safety by the Union gunboats, Morgan and his remaining cavaliers headed northeast back into Ohio. A second attempt at crossing twenty miles (32 km) 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 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
. His men burned ten wooden canal boats and set a covered bridge
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.
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
at Eaglesport, just south of Zanesville
, 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
. On July 26, Union forces defeated Morgan at the Battle of Salineville
and finally caught him that afternoon near West Point
in Columbiana County
. They escorted Morgan and his officers to the Ohio Penitentiary
in Columbus
, rather than to a prisoner-of-war camp
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.
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. 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 Tennessee by a Union cavalryman after refusing to halt while attempting to escape.
and raids towards Pittsburgh
by John D. Imboden
'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
.
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 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."
was erected and dedicated in 1910 in downtown Lexington, Kentucky
.
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
into the Northern
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
states of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
.
For 46 days as they rode over 1,000 miles (1,600 km), Morgan's Confederates covered a region from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
to northern Ohio. The raid coincided with the Vicksburg Campaign
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 River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
and the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
, although it was not directly related to either campaign. However, it served to draw the attention of tens of thousands of Federal troops
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
away from their normal duties and strike fear in the civilian population of several Northern states. Repeatedly thwarted in his attempts to return to the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
by hastily positioned Union forces and state militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, Morgan eventually surrendered what was left of his command in northeastern Ohio. He escaped through Ohio, and casually took a train to Cincinnati, where he crossed the Ohio river.
To many Southerners, 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 Raid, in reference to the raiders' propensity for procuring personal goods from local stores and houses.
Tennessee and Kentucky
General Morgan and his 2,460 handpicked Confederate cavalrymen, along with 4 artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
pieces, departed from Sparta, Tennessee
Sparta, Tennessee
Sparta is a city in White County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of White County. It was the hometown of Lester Flatt of the bluegrass music legends Flatt and Scruggs.-Geography:...
, on June 11, 1863, intending to divert the attention of the Union Army of the Ohio
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:...
from Southern forces in the state. Gen. Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
, 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 under no circumstances was he to cross the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. On June 23, the Federal Army of the Cumberland
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:...
began its operations against General Bragg's Confederate Army of Tennessee
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 in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
in what became known as the Tullahoma Campaign
Tullahoma Campaign
The Tullahoma Campaign or Middle Tennessee Campaign was fought between June 24 and July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. William S...
, and Morgan decided it was time to move northward into Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
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
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
at Burkesville
Burkesville, Kentucky
Burkesville is a city in Cumberland County, Kentucky, United States. Nestled among the rolling foothills of Appalachia and bordered by the Cumberland River to the south and east, it is the county seat of Cumberland County...
, Morgan's division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
advanced to the Green River
Green River (Kentucky)
The Green River is a tributary of the Ohio River that rises in Lincoln County in south-central Kentucky. Tributaries of the Green River include the Barren River, the Nolin River, the Pond River and the Rough River...
, where it was deflected by half of a Union regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
(the 25th Michigan Infantry) at the Battle of Tebbs Bend
Battle of Tebbs Bend
The Battle of Tebbs' Bend 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 thwarted repeated attacks by Confederate Brig. Gen...
on July 4. Morgan soon surprised and captured the garrison at Lebanon
Battle of Lebanon
The Battle of Lebanon occurred July 5, 1863, in Lebanon, Kentucky, during Morgan's Raid in the American Civil War. Confederate troops under Brig. Gen...
. 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.
A grieving Morgan continued northward towards Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, riding through Springfield
Springfield, Kentucky
Springfield is a city in and county seat of Washington County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1793 and probably named for springs in the area.-Geography:...
, Bardstown
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, and Garnettsville. Along the way, the Confederates endured several more small skirmishes with Federals and Kentucky home guard
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
units. Just south of the city, however, he turned his remaining men to the northwest and headed for the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
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, 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.-Geography:New Pekin is located at ....
, before they could rejoin Morgan. To further mislead the Federals on his objectives, Morgan had his telegrapher, "Lightning" Ellsworth
George Ellsworth
George "Lightning" Ellsworth was a Canadian telegrapher who served in the Confederate army during the American Civil War, specifically with the cavalry forces under Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan...
, 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
Morgan had sent spy Thomas HinesThomas Hines
Thomas Henry Hines was a Confederate spy during the American Civil War. A native of Butler County, Kentucky, he initially worked as a grammar instructor, mainly at the Masonic University of La Grange, Kentucky. During the first year of the war, he served as a field officer, initiating several...
and a party of 25 Confederates (posing as a Union patrol) on a secret mission into Indiana
Hines' Raid
The Hines' Raid was a Confederate exploratory mission led by Thomas Hines, on orders from John Hunt Morgan, into the state of Indiana in June 1863 during the American Civil War...
in June to determine if the local Copperheads
Copperheads (politics)
The Copperheads were a vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. Republicans started calling anti-war Democrats "Copperheads," likening them to the venomous snake...
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, Indiana
Leavenworth is a town in Jennings Township, Crawford County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 238 at the 2010 census.- Foundation and early settlement :...
, 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, Kentucky
Brandenburg is a city in Meade County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,049 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Meade County.-History:...
, a small town along the Ohio River, where Hines rejoined them. Here, the raiders seized two steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s, the John B. McCombs and the Alice Dean
Alice Dean
PS Alice Dean, which had a capacity of 411 tons, was a side-wheel, wooden-hulled packet steamer. It was launched from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1863, running a scheduled route between Cincinnati and Memphis, Tennessee. Its captain was James H. Pepper....
. Morgan, against Bragg's strict orders, transported his command across the river to Indiana, landing just east of Mauckport
Mauckport, Indiana
Mauckport is a town in Heth Township, Harrison County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 81 at the 2010 census.-History:In the earliest times Daniel Boone and his brothers, most notably Squire Boone, were regularly in the area of Mauckport. Squire Boone settled in the area in 1806...
. A small company of Indiana home guards
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
contested the crossing with an artillery piece
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, as did a riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat 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 units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
carrying a six-pounder. Morgan chased off the local defenders, capturing a sizeable portion as well as their guns. After burning the Alice Dean
Alice Dean
PS Alice Dean, which had a capacity of 411 tons, was a side-wheel, wooden-hulled packet steamer. It was launched from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1863, running a scheduled route between Cincinnati and Memphis, Tennessee. Its captain was James H. Pepper....
and sending the John B. McCombs downriver with instructions not to pursue him, Morgan headed away from the river.
Governor
Governor of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
Oliver P. Morton 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
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Lewis Jordan took command of the 450 members of the Harrison County
Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
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
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
, commander of the Department of the Ohio
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.General Orders No...
with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, 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, Col. Richard Morgan, leading the forward elements. On July 9, one mile south of Corydon
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Harrison County, his advance guard encountered Jordan's small force, drawn in a battle line behind a hastily thrown up barricade
Barricade
Barricade, from the French barrique , 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...
of logs. The colonel attacked, and in a short but spirited battle of less than an hour, he simultaneously outflanked
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
both Union wings, completely routing the hapless militia. Accounts vary as to the number of casualties of the Battle of Corydon
Battle of Corydon
The Battle of Corydon was a minor engagement that took place July 9, 1863, just south of Corydon, which had been the original capital of Indiana until 1825, and was the county seat of Harrison County. The attack occurred during Morgan's Raid in the American Civil War as a force of 2,500 cavalry...
, 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 minister on his farm, four miles (6 km) from the battlefield and stole horses from several other farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s.
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
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
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
Vernon, Indiana
Vernon is a town in Vernon Township, Jennings County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 330. As the county seat of Jennings County, it is the smallest town with that designation in the state of Indiana. It is nearly surrounded by the Muscatatuck River...
, Dupont
Dupont, Indiana
Dupont is a town in Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 339 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Dupont is located at ....
, New Pekin
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.-Geography:New Pekin is located at ....
, Salem
Salem, Indiana
Salem is a city in Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana, United States. Salem serves as the county seat, and its downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places...
, and Versailles
Versailles, Indiana
Versailles is a town in Johnson Township, Ripley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,113 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Ripley County.-Geography:Versailles is located at...
.
In Versailles
Versailles, Indiana
Versailles is a town in Johnson Township, Ripley County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,113 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Ripley County.-Geography:Versailles is located at...
a group of freebooters invaded the local Masonic Lodge and lifted the Lodge's silver coin jewelry. Morgan, himself a Mason, ordered the jewels returned, punishing the thievery of his own men.
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
73rd Regiment Indiana Infantry
The 73rd Regiment Indiana Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 73rd Indiana Infantry was organized and mustered in at Camp Rose, South Bend, Indiana for a three year enlistment on August 16, 1862 under the command of Colonel...
and a detachment of the 5th U.S. Regulars. Davis and several other soldiers were taken to New Albany
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
and secured in the county jail.
Entering Salem the next day, Morgan 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. Morgan finally left Indiana at Harrison
West Harrison, Indiana
West Harrison is a town in Harrison Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 289 at the 2010 census.-Geography:West Harrison is located at ....
, 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 terror across southern and central Ohio, and wild rumors persisted as to his destination. Harper's WeeklyHarper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly 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 New Baltimore, Colerain, Springdale, Glendale, Sharonville and on east. Morgan continued east to the Ohio River where, just north of modern Ravenswood, West Virginia there was a ford at Buffington Island
Buffington Island
Buffington Island is an island in the Ohio River in Jackson County, West Virginia, United States, east of Racine, Ohio. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Buffington Island took place on July 19, 1863, just south of the Ohio community of Portland....
that would allow him to cross over into that State. Burnside correctly guessed Morgan's intentions. Federal columns under Edward H. Hobson
Edward H. Hobson
Edward Henry Hobson was a merchant, banker, politician, tax collector, railroad executive, and an officer in the United States Army in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He is most known for his determined pursuit of the Confederates during Morgan's Raid.-Early life and career:Hobson...
and Henry M. Judah
Henry M. Judah
Henry Moses Judah was a career officer in the United States Army, serving during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War...
and river gunboat
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:...
s swiftly converged to contest any river crossing. Burnside also sent a militia regiment from Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, 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
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 during the war, Buffington Island contributed to the...
in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, 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 W. Duke
Basil Wilson Duke was a 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 Morgan; Duke would later write a popular account of Morgan's most famous raid: 1863's Morgan's Raid...
. Cut off from safety by the Union gunboats, Morgan and his remaining cavaliers headed northeast back into Ohio. A second attempt at crossing twenty miles (32 km) 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
Adam Johnson (colonel)
Adam Rankin "Stovepipe" Johnson was an antebellum Western frontiersman and later an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
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 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
Nelsonville, Ohio
Nelsonville is a city in northwestern Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,230 at the 2000 census. Hocking College is located in Nelsonville.-Geography:...
, a small town on the Hocking Canal
Hocking Canal
The Hocking Canal was a small 19th Century canal in southern Ohio that once linked Athens to Lancaster and the Ohio and Erie Canal, but was destroyed by flooding and never rebuilt...
. His men burned ten wooden canal boats and set a covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
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.
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles 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 of Ohio...
at Eaglesport, just south of Zanesville
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
, before turning northward in Guernsey County
Guernsey County, Ohio
Guernsey County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 40,087. Its county seat is Cambridge and is named for the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel, from which many of the county's early settlers came....
. He still hoped to cross the Ohio River at some point and head through West Virginia to safety. At the village of Old Washington
Old Washington, Ohio
Old Washington is a village in Guernsey County, Ohio, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-History:In July 1863, Old Washington was the site of a small engagement during the course of Morgan's Raid...
, Morgan's weary men fought a skirmish in the streets before hastily departing, pursued by Union cavalry under Brig. Gen. James M. Shackelford
James M. Shackelford
James Murrell Shackelford was a lawyer, judge, and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
. On July 26, Union forces defeated Morgan at the Battle of Salineville
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 one of the northernmost military actions involving the Confederate States Army. The decisive Union victory shattered John Hunt Morgan's remaining Confederate cavalry and...
and finally caught him that afternoon near West Point
Lisbon, Ohio
Lisbon is a village in Center Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Columbiana County.-History:...
in Columbiana County
Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 107,841. It is named for Christopher Columbus and the county seat is Lisbon....
. They escorted Morgan and his officers to the Ohio Penitentiary
Ohio Penitentiary
The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, or less formally, the Ohio Pen or State Pen, was a prison operated from 1834-1983 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The prison housed 5,235 prisoners at its peak in 1955...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, rather than to a prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
because of reports that captured Union officers had received similar treatment. Many of his enlisted men ended up in the Camp Douglas
Camp Douglas (Chicago)
Camp Douglas, in Chicago, Illinois, was a Union Army prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate soldiers taken prisoner during the American Civil War. It was also a training and detention camp for Union soldiers. The Union Army first used the camp in 1861 as an organizational and training camp for...
stockade in Chicago.
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. 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 Tennessee by a Union cavalryman after refusing to halt while attempting to escape.
Impact
During his daring 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 CampaignGettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
and raids towards Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
by John D. Imboden
John D. Imboden
John Daniel Imboden was a lawyer, teacher, Virginia state legislator. During the American Civil War, he was a Confederate cavalry general and partisan fighter...
'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
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's simultaneous movement into Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
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 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."
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. Ohio's plans for a similar formal trail have not yet come to fruition, but the state has erected more than 100 separate historical markers commemorating specific actions or towns visited by the raiders. In November 2001, the state 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 MorganJohn Hunt Morgan Memorial
The John Hunt Morgan Memorial in Lexington, Kentucky, is a monument created as a tribute to Confederate General John Hunt Morgan, who was from Lexington and is buried in nearby Lexington Cemetery....
was erected and dedicated in 1910 in downtown Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
Further reading
- Brown, Dee A., Morgan's Raiders. New York : Konecky & Konecky, 1959. ISBN 0914427792.
- Conway, W. Fred, Corydon — The Forgotten Battle of the Civil War. FBH Publishers, 1994.
- Conway, W. Fred, The Most Incredible Prison Escape of the Civil War. FBH Publishers, 1994.
- Simms, Jere. H., ed., The Last Night and Last Day of John Hunt Morgan's Raid: Eyewitness Accounts of Morgan's Ohio Raid of 1863. (originally published 1913; reprinted by Genesis Publishing Co., 1997).
- Funk, Arville L., The Morgan Raid in Indiana and Ohio (1863). Superior Printing Company, 1971.
External links
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Role of Geology in Morgan's Raid
- Indiana Historical Marker for Morgan's Raid
- John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail
- Morgan's Men Association
- Buffington Island Preservation
- 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, KentuckyCivil War Museum (Bardstown)The Civil War Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky is a collection of five attractions along what is called "Museum Row". It was established in 1996 by Dr. Henry Spalding. The star attraction is the Civil War Museum, which is the fourth largest American Civil War Museum and is dedicated to the Western...
. - "Morgan's Christmas Raid" — Article by Civil War historian/author Bryan S. Bush