The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-04-25
Death of General J. II Morgan,
by AN EYE wITNE IS.

/ by AN EYE wITNEss.
Happening to be present at the death OF Gen. j. ii.
Morgan have concluded to send you lew memor-
auda of that and its accompanying events. l accom-
panied the expedition into Tennessee mace ior the Pur
pose of driving back Gen. Gem's brigade Of federal
cavalry We arrived at Greenville early in the even
ing of the Sd Sept 1864. GreenVlle is distant from
Bulls gap (Gen Glems position) nineteen miles The
general established his headquarters at the mousse OF
| Mrs Williams in the town of Greenvllle His own
brigade was sent on the road leading to Rodgersville
to point three miles from Greenve, for the purpose
OF getting forage and detachment oI tennessee cav
airy six hundred strong, was ordered uhaeF Coiohel
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 larger number
of horses could not be foraged in that direction. Tho
country between Greenyille and the gap hily, and
Wild and very poor. Gen. Gillcm stated afterwards
that be received information of the status OF affairs
about Greenvle at half past nine of that night. He
Immediately moved his command in the direction OF
GFeenvie; when about five miles from town he halted
and sent detachment through the woods, and sue
ceeded in getting the flank of Bradord'S command;
he drove him (Bradford back from the road, leaving
it open to Greenville A detachment of four
panies of the 18th Tennessee cavalry then sent
forward to charge the town. They met with no resls
tance The square on which Mrs. WIS house is situat-
ed (the house and grounds occupy the square) was
surrounded immediately officers of the staff being
aroused by the courers, of whom there three
four the front gate rushed out and we're captured
one by one. Gen. Morgan attempted to escape through
the garden; finding exit in that direction cut off, he
concealed himself among grape vines He had
no weapon at all, captain Rogers having OF his
pistols Mr.. Johnson A. A. G. s clerk the other Whle
the officers of his staff and courers together
der guard within twenty yards OF his place OF conceal
ment 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 conceament Seeing that there was
no hope of successful concealment he came OUT and
surrendered to Capt. Wilcox, Co. G, 18th Tennessee
cavalry He had already both Of Gen NJ. g pistols in
his possession This captain his horse (he and
fifteen twenty others had ridden into the garden,
having broken down the plank fence to get in and con-
versed with the general and US for some tfme-abOut
ten or twenty minutes; he then rode off In few
minutes after he left man rode up and presented his
gun ut Cen Morgan; the general said For Gods
sake don't shoot mel am prisoner" The gun
fired and the general fell The muzzle of the gun "a
Colts army rAe) was within two feet of Morgans
breast when it discharged; his clothing and his
body were blackened with powder
This man then dismounted and threw the generals
body his horse in front of the saddle and rode
about town shouting there's your horse thief" When
Ger. Giem gave US permission to go and attend to
Gen MS body found it lying in the road about
mile distant from the place where it had been shot 1t
covered with mud that could scarcely recog
Mise it. The ball struck the centre of the breast about
three four inches below its junction with the neck
and came out behind the left hip bone. He met his
death he met his foes thousand times before; there
was no shrnking-not culver of uerye-though he
saw murder in the brawny elons eye. Kentucky will
vet be proud of John Morgan-of his gallant dashing
life and fearless death. And in the Gland of sun and
flowers long will his deeds be the theme of ''song
and story" The who shot him named Camp
bell of Co G, 18th Tennessee cavalry. He was pro-
NOTED leutenancy for his 6rayery this occasion.
At Knoxville the staff officers were locked up in iron
cages, JAIL whose windows had neither sash nor
glass. They had neither chang of clothing nor over
coats, nor blankets. These had all been taken from
5en. They permitted to 60 into the prison yard
in the day time, and they had a dead line there
We found at Knoxville several officers and men of
Morgan's command, who bad been taken two weeks
before They told that the soldiers who captured
them said they had orders not to take Morgan alive
After this it rumored that the soldiers of Gen.
Morgans command refused to take prisoners of war
men belonging to the 18th Tennessee cavalry Gen
Glem sent communication under flag of truce to
Gen Breckenridge, this subject complaining that
some members of the Thirteenth had been killed. and
stating that he supposed it done in retaliation for
the reported" murder of Gen. Morgan. He stated
that Cen Morgan had been killed in fair fight and en-
closed a copy of note from Capt. Rogers of Gen.
Morgan's staff in to from him inqurng into
the circumstances of Gen Morgans DEATH (Rogers was
then prisoner in Gilems hands
At the bottom of this note was written, "a true
copy, A c. Gillem, Brig. general" When Gen Breck-
inridge afterwards attacked and routed Gen Gillem
captured his headquarters desk and private papers,
among which the original note of Capt Rogers
altered and amended to read the copy Gen. Gillem
tent to Gen b. and very different from the said COPY
Ehese papers still in existence.
[Coombus (0hio) Crisis.