The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-04-18
Death Of General John E. Morgan

Death Of General John E. Morgan
BY AN EYE WITNESS.
Happening to be present at the death Of
General John II. Morgan, says writer in
the Columbus Crisis. have concluded to
send you a few memoranda of thatand its
accompanying events. / accompanied the
expedition into Tennessee, made for the
purpose Of driving back General Gillem's
Brigade Of Federal cavalry. We arrived
at Greenville early in the evening Of the Sd
| Of September, 1864. Greenville is distant
from Bulls Gap Gen. Gillen's position)
nineteen miles. The General established
his headquarters at the house of Mrs.
Williams, in the town of Greenyille.
His own brigade was sent on the road
leading to Rogersville, to q point three
miles from Greenville, for the purpose Of
getting forage, aud % detachment Of Ten
nesse cavalry, six hundred strong, was or
dered under Col. Bradford to encamp on
the road leading to Bulls Gap, and to
picket the roads leading toward the enemy.
This force was not increased because a
larger number OF horses could not be for
aged in that direction. The country be-
tween Greenville and the Gap is billy and
wild and very poor. Gen. Gillem's stated
afterward that he received information of
the status of affairs about Greenyille, at
balf-past nine Of that night. he immedi-
ately moved his command in the direction
of Greenyille; when about Eve miles from
town he halted and sent a detachment
through the woods, and succeeded in get
ting on the flank Of Bradfords command he
drove him Bradford back from the road
leaving it open to Greenville.
A detachment Of four companies of the
Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry was then
sent forward to charge the town. They
met with no resistance, The square on
which Mrs. VS. house is situated lthe
house and grounds occupy the square) was
surrounded Immediately; officers Of the staff
being aroused by the couriers, whom there
were three or four at the front gate, rushed
cut and were captured one by one. Gen.
Morgan attempted to escape through the
garden; finding exit in that direction cut of
/ he concealed himself among some grape
vines. He had no weapons at all. Captain
Rogers having one Of his pistols, Mr.. John.
son, A. A. G's clerk, the other. While the
officers OF his staff and couriers were to.
eether under guard within twenty yards Of
! his place OF concealment, he necessarily
heard the questions asked them and the
threats made against them.
i The questions were as to his whereabouts
!. = the threats to make them tell his place
Of concealment. Seeing that there was nc
Ihope Of successful coneealment, he came
! out and surrendered to Captain Wilcox
I. CompanyG. Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry
He had already both Of General M's'pis
tols in his possession. The captain sal
on his horse Che and fifteen or twenty other:
mad ridden into the garden, having broken
i down the plank fence to get I'M and con
4 versed withsthe General and us for some
time-aboutt ten ortwenty minutes; he thel
rode of. In few minutes after he left {
man rode up and presented his gun al
General Morgan; the General said: "Fol
II Gods sake, don't shoot mel am a priso
J, ner" The gun was fred and the Genera
fell. The muzzle oft he gun "a Colts ar
my riAle) was within two feet of Morgan''
breast when it vas discharged; his cloth
ing and his body were blackened witt
powder. This man then dismounted ant
] threw the Generals body across his hors'
, in front of the saddle, and rode about tow
] shouting. "here's your horse theft
! When Gen. Gillem gave us permission t
80 and attend to Gen. Ms body, We fount
it lying in the road about one mile from TIL
place where it had been shot. 1t was 81
covered with mud that we; could scarcel,
recognize it. The ball struck the cente
of the breast, about three O. four niche
f below its junction with the neck. and cam
out behind the left hip bone. he met hi
/, death as he met his foes a thousand time
before; there was no shrinking-not a quiy
S er Of nerye-thought he saw murder !
g that brawney fellon's eye. Kentucky WI
Il yet be proud of John Morgan--of his ga
Z liant, dasbing life, and fearless death. An
: in the "land of sun and flowers" long wi
= his death be the theme Of song and story
: The man who shot him was named Camp
!. bell. of Company g, Thirteenth Tennessee
\ cavalry He was promoted to q ieutenal
' cy for his bravery on this occasion. s..
). At knoxville the staff officers were loci
n ed up infiron cages, in a Jail, whose vii
v dows had neither glass or sash. They ha
neither change Of clothing nor overcoat
n nor blankets. These had all been take
) from them. They were permitted to &
h into the prison yard in the day time, an
: they had a dead line there
e | We found ut Knoxville several Officer
' and men of Morgan's command, who ha
! been taken two weeks before us. The
e told us that the soldiers who captured the
a said that they had orders not to take Gel
IS Morgan alive.
n After this it was rumored that the SO
II diers Of Gem Morgan's command refused
a take as prisoners of war men belonging
II the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry. Ge
n Gillem sent q communication under fla
n of truce, to General Breckenridge, on TIL
subject, complaining that some membe
of the Thirteenth had been killed, az
" stating that he supposed it was done in T
- taliation for the reported" murder Of &c
: Morgan. lie stated that Gen. Morgan b;
: been killed in fair fight, and inclosed
. copy of d note from Captain Rogers Of Ge
: Morgan's staff, in answer to one from hi
i inquiring into the circumstances Of Gle
= Morgan's death. Rogers was then a pr
oner in Gen. Gillem's hands, t
At the bottom Of this note was writes
: "a true copy. A. G. Gillem, Brigade
* General" When Gen. Breckenridge att
ut ward attacked and routed Gen. Gillem,
er captured his headquarters desk and priya
:. papers, among which was the original no
Of Capt Rogers, altered and amended
le read as the copy Gen. Gillem sent Gen.
O. and very different from the said COZ
4. These papers are still in existence.