The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-01-20


within about two hundred yards Of him
rode up into fence corner, and taking de-
liberate aim at him I fred. When the
smoke cleared away saw the horse stando
ing on the opposite side of the road from
where he was when fred with nothing
but the empty saddle on his back. rode
up to the horse and saw the body of my
tall friend lying face downward and per-
fectly still. I got off of Bally and let
him go, and was just crawling on my new
horse when thirteen of the secesh devils,
who had dismounted and were coming
back, rushed on to me and took me pris-
Oner. As they led me away they got very
Conscientious about bushwhacking. Talk
ed the biggest kind cf chivalrous talk, and
informed me in language not to be mis-
understood, that they regarded my "lit-
tie affair with the tall gentleman" as
a deliberate murder, and assured me in
the most positive manner that when We ar
rived at their camp I would be either hung
or shot. They took me about three miles,
as near as could judge of the distance,
from the pike, to their camp in a deep
woods amongst the hills. Here we found
a squad of about twenty men under the
command of a Lieutenant, and / learned
that the main body of the force that be-
longed to that camp were absent on duty.
The men did not use abusive language to-
ward me, but all of them with whom I
oonversed, informed me that I would be
either hung or shot when the regiment
came in. They guarded me closely that
night, and gave me nothing to eat, nor did
the inhuman wretches offer me a bite to
eat next day. When the second evening
of my captivity came, and night begin to
close in upon US, determined to risk my
life in an attempt to escape; and while I
was deliberating as to what plan should
adopt, an opportunity fortunately offered
A single hOrseman came riding into camp
and after talking with the officer for few
moments, he rode of, followed by every
man in camp, save one, who was left to
guard me until they returned. My guard
informed me that they had only gone a
short distance over the hill and would
soon return. He asked me to sit down by
tree and talk with him till they return
ed. 1 Iassented and we walked to the tree,
and leaning his shotgun against the tree
he sat down. Now was my time, and seiz-
ing the peice, I presented the muzzle and
cooked both barrels. He raised Lis hand
imploringly but he was too late, for the
next moment there was a report of two
heavily loaded barrels, and his brains were
spattered against the tree. I had no time
to tarry, for Immediately after the report I
heard the gathering of hOOfs and the yell
of the returning rebels. I threw down
the gun and took to my heels. fairly
few through the woods, but the iufuria-
ted hOrsemen gained on me, until the
sound of their horses hoofs and their saw
age yells got alarmingly near. At length
upon reaching the top Of hill they we're
almost upon me, and I felt for a moment
that I should be overtaken. Running a
little way down the hill I threw myself
down in a thieket,of underbrush and lay
perfectly quiet. Almost instantly, they
crossed the summit of the hill and gallop-
ed past me, without seeing me; and I
was safe for the time being. But they
stopped at the foot of the hill and having
left guard there came back and search
ed slowly and carefully. When I saw
them coming toward the thicket in which
I was concealed, I felt that "it was not
good to be there" So getting down as
close to the ground as I could, craWled
through the grass for nearly three quart
ers of mile before got far enough from
the Rebs to risk an upright position.
When did get on my "pins" struck
out like a racer. And boys, expect I'd
be a running yet, if I hadn't been
"broughtup" by our pickets in Edgofeld
But I worked my way through the pick
cts, and here am, a horse, a gun, hat
and a coat out of pocket; but duly sober,
and ready to fight the whole COnfederaey
if they've got any one man who will rep>
resent it all |"
So ended MOrgan's story, and he was
soon stretched upon the tent floor, taking
that grateful ropOse which his Wearied
limbs so much needed.
In conclusion, it is due to Morgan to
say that notwithstanding many of the boys
had their doubts about the correctness Of
this story of his adventures, the writer
hereof, was soon aftez that time captured
by Col. Benefits rebel cavalry and while
a prisoner, he saw the Identical revolving
rife which Morgan carried on that mem
orable day. He also saw Bills q valua-
Die " horse, and from the lips Of the reb~
els themselves, be heard anew the story Of
the exploits Of Burgess Morgan
Mount Ararst