The Placer herald., 1858-11-20

corps bore the brunt of the days peris and
reaped large share of its glories. After
the decisive victory over Burgoyne at the
second battle of Saltwater, Morgan, upon
his return to headquarters the same night,
was met by Gates, who Immediately embrac-
ed him saying
Morgan, you have done wonders this day.
You have immortalised yourself and honored
your country; if you are not promoted i'm
mediately, l will not serve another day."
Feeling at the moment preference for
pudding over praise, Morgan merely replied:
"For Gods sake, General, forbear this
stuff and give me something to eat and drink
for am ready to die with hunger, fatigue
and exhaustion"
He doubtless had an instinct Of General
Gates duplicity, for in spite Of the brilliancy
of his services in this campaign, they were
not deemed worthy Of more than a cursory
notice in the Generals dispatches. Hisname
is not even mentioned in the official account
of the surrender, and after the close of the
campaign, he was treated by Gates with
decided reserve, both in their official and
personal intercourse.
"The clue to this otherwise inexplicable
circumstance is probably furnished in the
following anecdote, related by Morgan him
self: Immediately after the surrender, Morgan
visited Gates on business, when he was taken
aside by the General, and confdentially told
that the main army was extremely dissatisti-
ed with the conduct of the war by the Com
mander in Chief and that several of the best
officers threatened to resign, unless change
took place. Morgan perfectly understood
the views of Gates, in this conference, al
though he was then stranger to the cores,
pondence which he had held with Conway
and others, and sternly replied, 4 have one
favor to ask of you, sir, which is, never to
mention that dctestabe subject to me again;
for under no other man than Washington
as Commander in Chief would | ever serve
"Frcm this time, until the Spring of 1881,
all intimacy between Gates and Morgan ceas
ed. day or two after the foregoing inter
change of views, Gen. Gates gave dinner
to the principal officers of the British army.
A large number of American officers were
also invited; but Morgan was not among the
humber. SO signal mark of Gates un
triendliness to Morgan, could not have pass
ed unobserved, either by himself or by his
brother officers The cause was buried in
the bosoms of the parties themselves, and
conjecture, though wide spread was at loss
to account for it. Before the entertainment
was over however, the petty indignity re-
coiled with severity upon its author. Nor
gan had occasion during the evening to
seek an interview with Gen Gates, on bust
ness connected with his command. He was
ushered into the dining room; and having
arranged the matter in hand, was permitted
by the General to with draw, without
even the empty ceremony of an introduction
to the British officers present A number
of the latter, struck by the commanding fig
ures and noble mein of the Colonel, and no.
ticng that he was a field officer, inquired his
name, as soon as he had retired. On learn
ing that it was Col. Morgan, they instantly
rose to man from the table, overlook him
in the road, and severally taking him by the
hand, made themselves known to him frank
y declaring, at the same time, that they had
felt him severely in the field"
We cannot follow the gallant rheman
through the remainder of his military career.
One feature of the discipline by which he
won the ardent attachment of his men must
be noticed.
"lle held himself accessible to his men on
all suitable occasions, and encouraged them
to come to him whenever they had any just
cause Of complaint. He knew what every
soldier was entitled to, and would never suffer
them to be wronged or imposed on. He took
great pains to have them provided, at all
times, with sufficiency Of provisions, clo-
thing, and everything necessary to their
comfort; and the wounded and sick expert
enced his constant attention and care. One
of the effects of this policy was, that the
officers and men from the influence and ex-
ample of their commander regarded them
selves as one great family, or as band of
ties of the strict disciplinarian were observed.
The affection with which Morgan was regard
ed by his men is instanced by the fact that
almost every one of those who marched un-
der his command to Quebec, and who sur
vived the disastrous expedition, was now 10
be found in the ranks of his regiment.
"He never permitted one of them to be
brought before court-martial, or to be pun
ished by whipping When one of them
was charged with an offence which called
for punishment, the accused, if guilty, was
taken by Morgan to some seluded place,
where no one could witness what might oc-
cur, and thereafter a lecture on the impro-
priety Of his conduct would receive thump-
ing more or less severe according to the ma
ture of his offence"
His health had-become so impaired from
exposure in his different campaigns that in
l770 he was compelled to retire from the
army and return to his home in Virginia.
He, however, resumed his position in the
field on several occasions, and held the COM