Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-30
ALI Reading Matter on this page
is from Saturday Evenings Edition.
Gen. George w. AIorEan---yyhat an Ohioar
Has Done.

esn. George W. nIOrrun---wbat an Ohloan
Has Done.
We copy the following high compliment
to the genius and strategic skill Of Gen.
George w. Morgan, who commanded the
Union forces at Cumberland Gap, Tennes-
see, from the correspondence Of the Cincin-
natl Commercial. It pays the Ohio GEN
eral well-deserved compliment for the
skin with which he foiled the plan Of tho
rebel General, Kirby Smith, an accom-
plished officer, and forced him to evacuate
one Of the strongest entrenched camps
taken during the war.
Speaking of Gen. Morgan reminds us Ofa
fact highly creditable to Senator Sherman
and Representative Riddle, of this State.
These gentlemen, although Gen. Morgan
had always previous to his residence
abroad, as Consul to Marseilles, and subse-
quently as Minister Resident at Lisbon,
been identified with the Locofoeo party,
recommended him in the strongest manner
to President Lincoln for a Brigadier Gen
eralship, while his own political friends
stood alOof, OF refused to concur in the
Recommendation. These gentlemen recol-
leeted the gallantry and courage of Morgan,
while commanding the Fifteenth Regi-
ment, principally raised in Ohio, in the
Mexican War, and his appointment was
urged on the ground of his being one Of
the ablest military men in the State, and
truly in that the Messrs. sherman and
Riddle were not mistaken in their esti-
mate Of the man:
CUMBERLAND Gar, June 20, 1862.
The rebel Gibraltar, Of which we heard
50 much, and which has been held IN ter
Torem over the heads Of Union people in
Kentucky, has fallen. The boasted mill
tary genius Of Kirby Smith has gone down
before the superior strategic powers of the
Buckeye Morgan; in a word, Cumberland
4'ep is ours, and without the loss Of a life
or The firing of a gun Could you stand
where 7 have stood within the hour, aud
view the rebel 40 ks and fortihcations,
you would be constrained to say, as the
bows have already said, " Well, if they
won [ eNunA anu uHul Deuluu oNcu WOIkfa1
ana IN such position as this, where will
they hght A naturally strong position
has been worked upon for one year and
two days, until the word impregnable
comes nearer telling the strength Of the
works, aud the situation here, than any
:, elaborate effort Of mine could do. Works
are piled upon works, rifle pits upon rifle
pits, until the whole face of the mountain
both sides forms one vast gallery Of
g defences, easily held by a resOlute
against four lines the assailing col
But, thank fortune, there's such a
I'd as @strategy' in war, and, thanks 20
pod head and strong intellect we have
n at the head Of this Division who
Us what the word means, as also how
toapply the meaning to practical account
Eorfeu days we had man0uvred around
the country to get into the proper position.
To tell what hardships we endured what
marches we made, how we Jared, and the
other ct ceteras that went in, in not small
patches, to make up the great whole Of our
achievement, would be uninteresting TO
your readers.
Suffice it TO say, we did all that mortal
man could do in that time, and suffered as
many privations as any have done during
Lhe war. lually, we AEIlNeu At our QeS-
tination, at Baptists Gap, ten miles from
here, where we were to have met the reb-
els, who were understood to be on the
march with their whole force to attack
Us at that place. Had they eome-but they
didn't, and it is useless to speculate upon
the result When we had arrived here, al
their communications with their base line
Of supplies, save by one road, was entirely
cut of, and that artery would have had 3
tOurniquet applied to il to-day that would
have effectually stopped all circulation
Thus, then, the rebels were entirely pow
erless-With the road leading to Cumber
q land Ford and Barbourville entirely anC
effeetually blockaded, with very sca1ty
supply Of provisions on hand, with a largt
force in their front and chance Of throw
ing a still larger force in their rear, thre
things stared them in the faee-victory
starvation, or surrender. They cut tn
GOrdian knot, however, and ran. To Gen
Geo. w. Morgan are we indebted for thi
victory, and for the possession Of thi
stronghold, which has, not inapily, beel
termed the Gibraltar Of America. To tn
skill and care Of the General are we ais
indebted for the occupancy of the CREATES
rebel stronghold, withoutits costing us
life. Honor to the brave son of the Buck
eye State.