The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-04-10
rDEATH OF GEN. JOHN n. MORGAN
BY AN EYE WITNESS.

IS
orandas of that and its accompanying events. /
| accompanied the expedition into Tennessee made
! for the purpose of driving back Cen Glllem's
/ Brigade of Federal cavalry. We arrived at
Greeuvie early in the evening of the Sd OF Sep
! tember 1864. Greenvile Is distant from Bulls
| GAP (Gen Gem's pos;ton) nineteen miles. The
! General established his headquarters at the house
of Mrs. Williams, in the town OF Greenvllle.
| His own brigade was sent Oh the road leading
to Rogersvile, to point three miles from ureen-
vile, for the purpose of getting forage, and de-
tachment of Tennessee cavalry, SIX hundred
strong. was ordered, under Colonel Bradford, to
encamp on the road leading to Bulls Gap, and
TO nickel the roads leading toward the enemy
This force was not increased because larger
number of horses could not be foragei in that
direction. The country between Greenvie and
the Gap is billy and wild and very poor. Gen.
Gillem stated afterward that he received informa-
ton of the status of affairs about Greenville at
half past nine of that night. He Immediately
moved bis command in the direction OF Green
vile; when about five miles from town he halted
and sent a detachment through the woods, and
succeeded in getting on the flank of Bradford's
command; he drove him (Bradford} back from
! the road, leaving it open to Greenville.
| A detachment of four companies of the Ihlr
teen.h Tennessee cavalry was then sent forward
to charge the town. They met with ress-
lance The square on which Mrs. WIS house is
situated (the house and grounds occupy the
square) was surrounded immediately; officers of
the staff being aroused bv the couriers, of whom
there were three or four at the front gate rushed
out and were captured one by one. Gen. Nor
gan attempted to escape through the garden;
finding exit in that direction cut off, he conceal
ed himself among some grape vines. He had no
weapon at all, Captain Rogers having one of his
-, NJ. IL g <ha othor
While the officers of his staff and couriers were
together under guard within twenty yards of his
place of concealment, he necessarily heard the
questions asked them and the threats made
! against them
The questions were as to his whereabouts
the threats to make them tell his place of conceal
ment. Seeing that there no hope of success
full concealment, he came out and surrendered 10
Captain Wilcox, Company G, Thirteenth Ten
nessee cavalry. He had already both of General
Ms pistols in his possession. This Captain sat
on his horse (he and fifteen or twenty others had
ridden into the garden, having broken down the
plank fence to get in) and conversed with the
General and us for some time-about ten or
twenty minutes; he then rode of, in few min
utes after he left rode up and presented
his gun at General Morgan; the General said
'For Gods sake don't shoot mel am a priso-
| ener" The gun fred and the General fell.
The muzzle of the gun IA Colts army rife) was
within two feet of Morgans breast when it was
discharged; his clothing and his body were black
ened with powder. This man then dsmounted
and threw the Generals body across his horse, i'll
front of the saddle, ard rode about town shouting
there's your horse thief"
When Gen. Gillem gave us permission to 90
and attend to Gen. Ms body, we found it lying
in the road, about one mile from the place where
II h.1l h,,, c,of T. IL
that we could scarcely recognize it. The ball
struck the centre of the breast about three or four
inches below its junction with tie neck, and came
out behind the left hip bone. lie met his death
he met his foes thousand times before; there
was no shrlnking-not culver of a nerve
though he saw murder in that brawney felon's
eye. Kentucky will yet be poud ofJo ohm Morgan
of his gallant, dasLng life, and fearless death.
And IN the 'land of sun and flowers" long will
his death be the theme of song and story. The
man who shot him named Campbell, of Co.
U, Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry. He was pro-
NOTED to lieutenancy for his bravery on this oc-
casion.
At Knoxville the staff officers were locked up
in iron cages, in Jail, whose windows bad Meth
er glass nor sash. They had neither change of
clothing nor overcoats, nor blankets. These had
all been taken from them. They We're permitted
to go into the yard in the day time, and they had
dead line there.
We found at Knoxville several officers and
men of Morgan's command, who had been taken
two weeks before us. They told US that the SOL
ders who captured them said that they had or
ders not to take Gen. Morgan alive.
After thi>sit rumored that the soldiers of
Gen. Morgan's command refused to take as pris- !
oners of war men belonging to the Thirteenth'Ten-
nessee cavalry. Gen. GiIlem sent a communica, I
ton under flag of truce, to Gen. breckenridge |
on this subject complaining that some members !
OF the Thirteenth had been killed, and stating
that he supposed it done ia retaliation for !
the reported" murder of Gen. Morgan He !
stated that Gen. Morgan had been killed in fair |
hght, and enclosed copy of note from Captain
Rogers of Gen. Morgaus staff in answer to one
from hun lnqniring into the circumstances of Gen.
Morgan's death, (Rogers was then prisoner in
Gen. Gillems hands.)
AT the bottom of this note was written: "a
true copy. A C.:Gillem, Brig General" When |
General Breckenridge afterward attacked and |
routed Gen. Glliem, we captured his headuuaI-
tiers desk and private papers, among which was
the original note of Capt. Rogers, altered and |
amended to read as the copy Gen. Gilem sent
Gen. B., and very different from the said copy
These papers are still in existence
GEN. J. G. BRECKINRlDGE We have in
telligence direct from Toronto, Canada. where
the General is residing. lie SAYS that his
health is good, bat that is making its mark
upon him. Four years ago his hair was black
;ot nou &c ho,rv 10 &c ,,o,,,, r