Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-04-10
BY AN EYE WITNESS.

Happening to be present at the death of
Gen. j. ii. Morgan, l have concluded to
send you few memoranda Lf that and its
accompanying events. l accompanied the
expedition into Tennessee, made for the pur-
pUse OF driving back Gen. q illem's brigade
of Federal cavalry. We were ut Grcrnville
early in the evening of the Sd of September,
1861. GrceuviIle is distant from Bulls
Gap Gen. GIllems positOn) nineteen miles.
The General established his / eadquarters at
the house of Mrs. Williams in the town of
Grecnville. His own brigade was sent on
the road leading to RodgersviTle, to u point
three miles from GreenvilIe, for the purpose
of getting forage, and a detachment Of Ten
nes>ee cavalry, 6JU strong. was ordered under
CUlOuel Bradford, to eucamp on the road
leading to Bulls Gap, and to picket the road
leading towards the enemy. This furce was
not increased because u larger number of
horses could not be toraged in that direction
The country between GOeenv. lie and the Gap
is hilly, and wild. and very poor. Gen Gil
III stated afterwards that he received in
formation If the status of affairs about Green
vile at half past nine Of that night He i'm
nedateIy muveu his command in the drec-
tim of Greeuville when about five miles
from town he halted ane sen: u detachment
through the woods, and succeeded in getting
on the flank OF Bradford's command he
drove him (BradfUrd) buck from the road,
leaving it open to Greenville. A detachment
OF four companies of the 18th Tennessee cav
airy was then sent f. rward to charge the
town. They ret with no resistance. The
square OH which Mr.. W's house is situated
(the house aud grounds occupy the suuarc)
WAS surrounded Immediately, officers OF the
staff being aroused by the c0urers, of whom
there were three or four at the front gate,
rushed out and were captured one by one
Zen. Morgan attempted to escape through
the garden finding exit in that direction cut
off, he concealed himself among some grape
vines. lie had 10 weapon ut ALL Captain
Rogers having one of his pistols, and Mr.
johnson. y. y. G.s clerk, the other.
While the officers OF his staff and couriers
were together under guard within twenty
yards of his cOnccaImemt, he necessarily heard
the questions asked them aud the threats
nluGe against them. I he questions asked
were us to his whereab"uts-the threats to
make them tell lis place Of cOncealment
Seeing that there no hope Of success
tuI cUmceaInIemt, lie came out and surrendered
to Capt. Wilcox, Go. e, 18th Tennessee cav
airy. lie had already both of Gen. NJ. S pis-
to's in his prsSeSsiun. This captain Sat on
his horse (he and Fl teen or twenty others
had ridden into the garden, having broken
down the plank fence To get IND and cOnversed
with the general and us Tor some time-abuut
ten or twenty minutes !; lie then rode off
few minutes after lie left, man rode up and
presented his gun ut Gen. Morgan the c. ~
eral said - For God sake don't oOt me
L am IL prisoner" The gun was fired and
the General fell. The muzzle of the gun Ia
Colt S army rlfe) was within two feet of Nor
gan breast when it was discharged ; his
ell, hi l,;., l..,l l l.
powder. This Gan then dsmUunred and
threw the Generals body across his horse.
III front Of the sa idle, and rode about town
shooting ''hcIe's Your horse th;et4" When
Gen. Gillem gave us permission to 20 and
attend to Gen NJ body, we found it lying
i'll the road about one mile from the place
whe c he had b-Cm shot. 1t was so covered
with mud that we could scarcely recognize it.
The ball struck rhc centre Of the breast. about
three or four inches below its junction with
the neck, and came out behind the hin bone
lie met his death as he met his fueS a thou
sand times before there was 10 shrinking
not quiver OF nerve-though he saw uIur.
der i'll that brawuy felon's eye. Kentucky
will yet be proud Of J"hn Morgan-of his
gallant, dashnS lite and fearless death. And
IN the ''land OF sun and flowers" long will his
deeds be the theme of ''Somg and torv"-
The man who shot him was named Canrpbell
Of Co. u, 18th Tennessee cavalry. He was
promoted to lieutcnancy for his Lruue,y on
this OCCASION
AT Knoxville the staff officers were locked
up i'll iron cages. in a jail, whose windows
had neither glass nor sash. They had neither
change ut clothing nor UvercOats nor Blankets
These had all been tukem from them They
were erm tied to 90 into the prison yard in
the day time. and they had Il deu.I line there.
We found at Knoxville several officers and
men "t Mor%ans command, who had been
token two weeks before US. Thy told us
that the sold ers who captured them said that
they had orders not to take General Mor.,un
alive.
Alter this 1t was rumoreh that the soldiers
Of Gen. MOrgan's command refused to take
as prisoners vi war men belonging to the 18th
Tennessee cavalry. Gen. GiIlem sent a CON-
munlcatiun, under flag of truce, to Gen.
Brecklnridge "n this subject. complaining
that some members of the Thirteenth had
been killed, and stating that lie supposed it
WAS done i'll retaliation for the reported"
murder Of Gen. Morgan. lie stated that
Gen. Morgan had been killed in fair fi.,ht.
aud enclOHed cOIy of a note from Captain
RO"crs. OF Gen. MS staff. in answer to one
from him inquiring into the circumstances of
Gen Morgun's death. (Rogers was then
prisoner III Gen. Gillem's hands)
At the bottom Of this copied note was
written: "a true copy. A. c. Gillem, Brig
adler General
When Breckinridge afterwards attacked
and routed Gen. Gil!em. we captured his
headquarters, desk. and private papers among
which was the original note of Capt. RoYers,
altered and amended to read as the copy
Gen. Gillem sent Gen. Breckinrid.e and very
different from the Smid COPY. These naaare
are still in existence.
HI6HFALUT1S A faceiinus gentleman, travelling
in The cOmnIrv, arriving his lndping nIace in