Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1865-09-20


non and placed it in position. Drawing
his men in a position where they would
in some measure be covered by the
dense cbaparal, Morgan and his devoted
command had but to hope for speedy
death: for to be taken by the men Of
Gen. Urrea's command was death with
more than savage torments. The cannon
opened with grape and canister, and that
instant, amid the wild screams Of the
wounded enemy, the American flag was
seen waving amid the smoke of the ad-
vanciug host. They we're saved. One
of the messengers-the Mexicans had
killed but Stewart-had got through and
communicated with Colonel Irwin, and
thus at the minute all seemed to be lost
the command was saved So borne down
with their great suferings we're the men
of Morgans command, that, when the
excitement was over, they dropped in
their tracks, and many Of them had to be
carried to Morio, being unable to walk.
The concurrent testimony of all the
officers and men is that nothing saved
the command but the perfect drill of the
men. Even at the moment when hope
itself forsook them, each command was
executed with the precision of cloekwork,
and in wheeling from open line into a
hollow square to resist cavalry, scarce
seemed a moment of time. Awaiting the
approach of the enemy until sure their
fire would be effective, it was delivered,
and then, before the horse of the enemy
could reach them, the hollow square was
formed, the front rank kneeling with
fixed bayonets, and the second with bayo-
nets at charge. resisting every effort to
break the serried line.
A day or two before these scenes Oc-
cured, the great battle Of Buena Vista
was fought, and being the great battle
General Taylor summoned up Morgan's
command near Morio, and thus one Of
the hardest battles OF the Mexican war is
paled by that of the greater one thai
uade General Taylog President.
After the term Of service of the %
1 Ohio had expired, Gel. Morgan, in lead.
ing his veterans home, was met by a com
mission appointing him to the command
of one Of the additional regiments raised
by tho United States to serve during thu
war, aud he prooeeded to scott's lines
where he Joined his pew command, ant
participated in all the battles of Mexico
until, at the battle of Cherubusco, ht
was so severely wounded while leading
his command, as to incipacitatc him fol-
further service.
On the day preceding the battle o
Cherubusco, while the lingering and hare
fought field-of Contreras wasin suspense
with the sigus of victory in favor Of thr
enemy, Colonel Norgan's regiment wa
detached from its division and ordereo
to perform a duty in capturing position
of the enemy, its possession by ou
troops being deemed an essential to sue
! cess The position was taken and held
and from that moment the victor wa
secured. So much importance was at
tached' to the storming of the position OIL
the Pedrijal, by the Fifteenth (Morgal
, regimen0 that the great quarrel betweer
Gems. Scott and Pillow owed its origint t.
it-oach Of these Generals claiming t
g have given the order for its execution
and upon their establishment of the fact
claiming the award ofthe honor Of th
i day, as upon its execution depended sue
cess or defeat. Whether Scott or Pillo7
gave the order, it matters not at thi
> moment. Morgan executed this move
3 ment. hazardous as it was, with consun
mate skill, and to it is the fact OWN
that Contreras was not Mexican victc
ry. For his gallantry in Mexico Co
u Morgan was breyeted Brigadier-Genel
i al.
a In order to the re- establishment of hi
c health, Gen. Morgan was appointc
: Consul to Marseillss, in-FraDce, and upo
e. the incoming of Mr.. Buchanan's Admin
e istration was transferred to Lisbon a
n Resident Minister of the United State
It to the Kingdom Of Portugal, where
: remained until removed by Mr.. Lincolr
0 aud Mr.. Harvey of this city was appOinte
J. in his place.
IS While in Portugal, an incident occur
II red which made General Morgan th
d subject of much conversation and {
e newspaper remark. TheSecretary of th
lr American Legation, while bathing som
d distance from land, was seized with
n crqmp and was drowning. Morgan sa
+ his struggles, and, guessing the caus
# plunged in and reached his friend just
2, time to seize him as he was sinking
d The drowning man caughtathis preserve
l. and it was doubtful for the momer
e whether either would be saved. By a
/ almost incredible effort, Morgan succeed
/ ed in releasing himself from the grasp ,
RS the dying man, and in holding his hea
e above water until assistance came, an
o both were rescued. The daring of Gel
d Morgan, and his cool courage in saVin