Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-04-13
Death of Gen. John II. Morgan.
ny AN EYE. WITNESS.

Z 4
Gen. j. H. Morgan, says a writer in the Co.
lunbus Crisis, I have concluded to send you
few memoranda of that and its accompany
ing events. / accompanied the expedition
into Tennessee made for the purpose Of dri-
wing back Gen. Gillem's Brigade of Federal
cavalry. We arrived at Greenville early in
the evening of the 3rd Of September, 1864
Greenville is distant from Bulls Gap (Gen.
Gillem's position nineteen miles. The Gen
eral established his headquarters at the house
of Mrs. Williams. IN the town Of Green
VILE
His own brigade was.sent on the road lead
ing to Rogersville, TO point three miles
from Greenville, for the purpose Of getting
forage, and. detachment Of Tennessee cav
airy. six hundred strong, was ordered under
Col Bradford, to encamp on the road leading
to Bulls Gap, and 10 picket the roads lead
ing toward the enemy This force was not
increased because larger number Of horses
could not be foraged III that direction. The
country between Greenville aud the Gap, is
billy and wild and very poor. Gen. Gillem
stated afterward that he received information
of the status of affairs about Greenyille, at
half past nine of that night. He Immediate
" moved his command in the direction Of
Greenville; when about FIVE miles from town
he halted and sent 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
Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry was then sent
forward to charge the town. They met with
no resistance. The square on which Mrs. WIS
house is situated Nhe house and grounds oc-
cupy the square, was surrounded Immediate
ly; officers Of the staff being aroused by the
courers, of whom there were three or four at
the front gate, rushed cut and were eaptur-
ed one by one. Gen. Morgan attempted to
escape through the garden; finding exit in
that direction cut off, he concealed himself
among some grape vines. lie had no wea
pom at all, Captain Rogers having one Of his
pistols, Mr.. johnson, A. A. G.'s clerk, the
other. While the officers Of his staff and
couriers were together under guard within
twenty yards of bis place Of concealnent, he
necessarily heard the questions asked them
and the threats made againt them.
The questions were as to bis whereabouts
the threats to make them tell his place Of
concealment. Seeing that there was no hope
of successful concealment, he came out and
surrendered to Captain Wilson, Company G.
Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry. He had al
ready both of General Ms pistols in his pos
4o,n cot0 hn
and fifteen or twenty others had ridden into
the' garden, having broken essvn the plank
fence to get in) and eonversed with the Gen
eral and us for some time-about ten or
twenty minutes he rode off, In few min
utes after he left, a man rode up and present
ed his gun at General Morgan; the General
said: :. For Gods sake, don't shoot me-
am prisoner" The gun was fired, and the
General fell. The muzzlc Of the gun "a Colts
army rife, was within two feet Of Morgan's
breast when it was discharged; his clothing
and his body were blackened with powder.
This man then dismountod and threw the
Generals body across his horse, in front Of
the saddle, and rode about town shouting,
. here's your horse thief"
" ieu Ven. NHicil SttfC uS pci lHleoioi1 "
90 and attend to Gen. Ms body, we found
it lying in the road, about one mile from the
place where it had been shot It was 50 COW
cred with mud that we could scarcely recog
nizc it. The ball struck the center of the
breast, about three or four inches below its
junction with the neck, and came out behind
the left hip BONE He met his death as he
met his foes thousand times before there
was no sllrinking-not a culver Of nerve
though he saw murder in that brawny felon's
eye Kentucky will yet be proud Of John
Morgan-of his gallant, dashing life, and
fearless death And in the Gland of sun
and flowers long will his death be the theme
Of song and story. The man who shot him
was named Campbell, Of Co. G. Thirteenth
Tennessee cavalry. He was promoted to a
for his bravery on the occasion. A
At Knoxville the staff officers were locked
up in iron cages, in Jail, whose windows
had neither glass nor sash. They had nei-
Their change of clothing nor overcoats, nor
blankets These had all been taken from
them. They were permitted to 60 into the
prison 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 ia
ken two weeks before us. They told us
that the soldiers who captured them said
that they had orders not to take Gen. Morgan
alive.
After this it was rumored that the soldiers
Of Gen Morgan's command refused to take
as prisoners Of war men belonging to the
Tennessee cavalry. Gen. Gillem
sent communication under a flag Of truce,
to General breckenridge, on this subject
that some members Of the Thir
teenth had been killed and stating that he
supposed it was done in retaliation for the
"reported" murder of Gen. Morgan. He
stated that Gen, Morgan had been killed
in fair fight, and inclosed a copy Of note
from Captain Rogers Of Gen. Morgan's staff,
in answer to one from him inquiring into
the circumstances of Gen Morgan's death.
Rogers was then a prisoner in Gen Gillem's
hands.)
At the bottom Of this note was written
GA true copy. A. G. Gillem, Brigadier
General" When Gen. Breckenridge after
ward attacked and routed Gen. Gllem, we
captured his head quarters desk and private |
nanorc among which was the oririnal note I