Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-09-02

last nBps lOrsOOh the gallant Dand. inward
in their front still moved the advancing col
umu, while with loud cheers the command Of
/ Urea prepared 10 make fnal and desperate
charge The troope in front had by this
time advanced 30 near that they ublimbered
sheir cannon end placed Il in position. Draw
/ ing his men 10 position where they would in
'ome measure be covered by the dense chapa-
raj Morgan and his devoted comm and had
but to hope for speedy death for to be
taken by the men OF General Urrea's com.
mand was death With more than savage tor.
ments. The cannon opened with grape and
canister, aud that instant amid the wild
screams ofthe wounded enemy, the American
flag was seen waving amid the smoke Of the
advancing host. They we're saved. One of
the messengers Mexcans 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 the great sufferings we're
the men OF Morgsn's command, that, when
the excitement was over, they dropped down
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 save 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
clockwork, and in wheeling from open line
into hollow square to resist cavalry, scarce
seemed a moment of time. Awaiting the
approach OF the enemy until sure their FIRE
would be effective, 1t was delivered, and then,
before the horse Of the enemy could reach
them, the hollow square was formed, the
front rank kneelng with fixed bayouets, and
the second with bayonets at charge resist
ing every effort to break the serried line.
A day or two before these scenes occurred,
the great battle Of Buena Vista was fought,
and being the great battle, General Taylor
summoned up Morgan command near Morio,
and thus one of the hardest battles Of the
Mexican war is paled by that of the greater
one that made General Taylor President
After the term of service had expired,
Colonel Morgan, in leading his veterans home,
was met bv a commission appointing him to
the command Of one of the additional regi-
ments raised by the United States to serve
during the war, and be proceeded to SCOTS
lines where he joined his new command, and
participated in all the battles Of Mexico, until
at the battle OF Chernbusco, he was 30 Sc
verely wounded while leading his command,
as to ncspacitAte him for further service
On the day preceding the battle of Cher.
ubusco, while the lingering and hard fought
field of Contreras was in suspense, with the
signs of victory in favor of the enemy, Colonel
Morgan's regiment was detached from its di.
vision and ordered to perform duty in cap
turing position of the enemy its POSSESSION
by our troops being deemed an essential
to success The position was taken and held
aud from that momentthe victory was secured
SO much Importance was attached to the
storming of the position on the Pedrijal, by
the Fifteenth Morgan regiment) that the
great quarrel between Generals Scott and
Pillow owed its origin to teach of these
Generals claiming to have given the order for
Its execution--and upon their establishment
oftbe 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 executed this movement, hazardous
as it was, with eonsu inmate skill ana to it
is the fact owning that Contreras was not q
Mexican victory. For his gsllsntry in Mexi-
co Colonel Morgan was breyetted Brigadier
General. .H Iat
In order to the re-establshment of his
health General Morgan was appointed Consul
to Marseilles, in France, and upou the in
coming of Mr. Buchanans Administration was
transferred to Lisbon as Resident Minister oil
the United States TO the Kingdom of Portu-
gal, where he remained until removed 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 oil
much conversation and of newspaper remark
The Secretary of the American Legation,
while bathing some distance from land, was
seized with cramp and was drowning. Nor
gan saw his struggles, aud, 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 preserver, and it
was doubtful for the moment wether either
would be saved BY an almost incredible
effort, Morgan succeeded in releasing himself
from the grasp of the dying man, and in hold
ing his head above water until assistance came,
and both were rescued. The daring of Gen.
Morgan, aud his cool courage in saving his
friend, and the terrible risk he ran of his own
life, made him hero with the Portuguese
public, and their press teemed with 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 domestic Institutions of
States, accepted a Brigaaier Generals com
mission, and was put in charge Of that corps
Of the army which captured and held Cum
berand Gap. There be was besieged, large
force of men surrounded him, and his pro.
visions failed. The authorities at Washington |
were informed of his desperate situation, his
troops living on half rations, but no provis-
ions were sent him. They knew, as did Nor
gan, the Importance of holding the pass, but
day after day, the gallant commander and his
men saw their provisions dwindle, aud their
horses beng without forage they were killed |
and used to exc out the scauty rations And