The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-28
An Authentic account of the
Death Of Gen. j. I'll. Morgan.
BY AN EYE WITNESS.
From the Columbus [ohio] Crisis.

Happening to be present at the death
of General John III. Morgvn, I have
concluded to send you memoranda of
that and its accompanying events /
accompanied the expedition into Ten
nessee, made for the purpose of dri-
wing back Gen. Gillem's brigade of
Federal cavalry. We arrived at Green
vile on the Sd of September, 1864.
Greenyille is distant from Bulls Gap
(Gen. Gillem's position) nine miles.
The General established his headquar-
ters at the house of a Mrs. Williams,
IN the town of GreenvilIe. His own
brigade was sent on the road leading
to Rodgersville, to point three miles
from Greenville for the purpose of get
ting forage, and detachment of Ten
essee cavalry, six hundred strong, was
ordered under Col. Bradford to en-
camp on the road leading to Bulls
Gap, and to picket the road leading to-
ward the enemy. This force was not
increased because a larger number of
horses could not be foraged in that
direction. The country between Green
vile and the Gap is hilly, and wild and
very poor. Gen. Gillem stated after
ward that he received information of
the status of affairs about Greenville
that night at half past nine. He i'm
mediately moved his command in the
direction of Greenville; when about
five miles from town he halted and
sent a detachment through the woods,
and succeeded in getting 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 18th Tennes-
nessee cavalry was sent forward to
charge the town. They met with no
resistance. The square on which Mrs.
WIS house is situated (the house and
grounds occupy the square) was sur
rounded Immediately; officers of the
staff being aroused by the couriers, of
whom there were three or four at the
gate, rushed out and were captured
one by one. Gen. Morgan attempted
to escape through the garden; finding
exit in that direction cut off, he con-
cealed himself among some grape vines.
He had no weapons at all, Capt. Rog-
ers having one of his pistols, Mr.. John
son, A. A. G.'s clerk, the other, while
the officers of his staff and couriers
were together under guard within
twenty yards of his place of conceal
ment. Seeing that there was no hope
for successful concealment, he came
out and surrendered to Capt. Wilcox,
Co. g.. 18th Tennessee cavalry. He
had already both of General Ms pis-
tolls in his possession. This captain
sat on his horse he and fifteen or
twenty others had ridden into the gar
den, having broken down the plank
fence to get I'M and conversed with
the General and us for some twenty
he then rode off. In few
minutes after he, had left man rode
up and presented his gun at Gen. Nor
gan; the General said: "For Gods
sake don't shoot mel am prisoner.
The gun was fired and the general fell.
The muzzle of the gun-Colt's army
within two feet of Morgan's
breast when it was discharged; his
and body were blackened with
powder. This man then dismounted
and threw the Generals body across his
horse, in front of the saddle, and rode
about town shouting-"Here's your
horse thief" When Gen. Gillem gave
US permission to go and attend to Gen.
Ms body, we found it lying in the
road, one mile from the place where
ne had been shot. It was so covered
with mud that we could scarcely recog-
nize It, The ball struck the centre of
,he breast, about three or four inches
below its junction with the neck, and
came out behind the left hip bone. He
net his death as he met his foes
thousand times before; there was no
quiver of nerve
,hough he saw murder in that brawny
elon's eye. Kentucky will yet be
proud of John Morgan-of his gallant
flashing life and fearless death. And
n ''the land of sun and flowers" long
will his deeds be the theme of "song
md story" The man who shot him
vas named Campbell, of Co. g., 18th !,
Tennessee cavalry. He was promoted
o ieutenancy for his baiauery on his
occasion.
At Knoxville the staff officers were
ocked up in iron cages, In jail whose
windows had neither glass nor sash.
They had neither change of clothing, !;
FFyI