Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-09-07

him for further service
On the day preceding the battle of Cher
ubusco, while the lingering and hard fought
fold OF Contrcras was in suspense, with the
signs of victory in favor of the enemy, Col.
Morgan's regiment was detached from its
division and ordered to perform a duty in
capturing position of the enemy, its posses
sion by our troops being deemed an essen
tial to success The position was taken and
held, and from that moment the victory was
secured. So much importance was attach
cd to the stormng of the position on the
Pcdriial by the Fifteenth Morgan $ reg
imcnt) that the great quarrel between Gems.
Scott and Pillow owed its origin to it-cach
Of these Generals claiming TO have given
the order for its cXecution-und upon their
establishment of the fact, claiming the |
award of the honors of the day, as upon its
execution depended success or defeat
Whether Scott or Pillow gave the order, it |
matters not at this moment. Morgan cx-
ocutcd this movement, hazardous as it was, |
with consummatc skill, and TO it is the fact
owning that Contreras was not a Mexican
victory. For his gallantry in Mexico Col. !
Morgan was breveted a Brigader General.
In order to the rc-establishment of his
health, Gen. Morgan was appointed Consul
to Marscilles, in France, and upon the in
coming of Mr., Buchanan Administration
was transferred to Lisbon as Resident Min
lister of the United States to the Kingdom
Of Portugal, where he remained until re-
moved by Mr.. Lincoln, and Mr.. Harvey Of
this city was appointed in his place.
While in Portugal, an incident occurred
which made General Morgan the subject of
much conversation and of newspaper re-
mark. The Secretary of the American Ie-
cation, while bathing some distance from
land, was seized with u cramp and was
drowning. Morgan saw his struggles, and
guessing the cause, plunged in and reached
his friend just in time to seize him as he
was sinking. The drowning man caught
at his prescrver, and it was doubtful for the
moment whether either would be saved. -,
By an almost incredible effort, Morgan sue
cceded in releasing himself from the grasp
Of the dying man, and i'll holding his head
above water until assistance came, and both
were rescued. The daring of General Nor
gan, and his cool courage in saving his
friend, and the terrible risk he ran Of his
own life, made him hero with the Portu-
guesc public, and their press teemed with
his praise.
Upon his return to the United States
from his long residence abroad, General
Morgan, believing that the war was for the
Union alone, and not to make dependent
colonies of States or to interfere in the do
nestle institutions Of States, accepted a
Brigadicr General $ commission, and was
put in charge Of that corps Of the army which
captured and held Cumberland Gap. There
he was beseged-a very large force of men
surrounded him, and his prov ~isions failed
The authorities at Washington were in
formed Of his desperate situatioih his troops
living on half rations but no provisions were
sent him. They knew, as did Mtgan, the
importance of holding the pass, bu4 4lay after
day, the gallant COMMANDER aUC his men
saw their provisions dwindle, &nd their
horses being without forage they Terc killed
aud used to exc out the scanty Mations.-
And it was not until nearly the .1ast horse
and mule were eaten, the army for six days
having no bread, that, with sad heart he
blew up the Notifications, and, blocking up
the pass, evacuated the place. and com
mcnccd a retreat to the Ohio river. For
seventeen days he pursued his onward
march, his men subsiSting alone ON the corn
found in the few fields they passed, harasscd
each day by the enemy that were pressing
him on all sides, and fighting for his road
almost every step Of the way. With but a
comparatively small loss he gained the Ohio
at Greenupsburgh. In the annals of the
late war, for danger, and in the surrounding
Of difficulties, and i'll its success, that march
stands among the most successful of the
war.
General Morgan was with General Sher-
man, as second in command, when the first
attempt to take Nicksburg by storm was
made. He was also second in command at
the sanguinary battle of Arkansas Post, one
Of the most brilliant affairs Of the war, and
in both of these fierce battles he acted a con-
spicuous part.
Failing in his cndcavors to get Justice
done him while in command Of Cumberland
Gap, the Administration laying that blame
upon the General which was alone caused
| by the neglect of General llalleck to send on
supplies, and falling to get either IL court of
inquiry or IA court martial, his health too
failing, General Morgan resigned his com
mand and retired to private life. This re-
solve was strengthened by the fact that
about this time the Administration gave
signs Of making the war not one for the
| Union, and the restoration Of the forts and
places of the United States, but for the ad-
vancemcnt Of the negro race. AS life
long Democrat, he had ever held the Con-
stituton as the supreme law of the land. =
AS the gift Of the States to the Union, he
was unwilling to see these States relt of
their reserved rights and made dependen-
ciGs upon the General Government, and their
people, under the plea of military neces-
sity, without law and without crime, i'm
INJURED within political bastiles.
!, As the nominee of the Ohio Democracy,
for Governor of the State, General Morgan
, will make a gallant race, and we trust that
, he will receive every Democratic and con
seryatiyc vote. He is worthy Of it.