Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-03-14

Morgan had given himself particular
work TO accomplish. He determined, as
has been stated, to traverse Ohio.
To have recrossed the river at Cinclr-
matt would have shortened the raid by
many days, have released the troops pur-
suing us, and have abandoned the prin.
cipal benefits expected to be derived
from the expedition.
In this night march around Cincinnati
we met with the greatest difficulty in
keeping the column together The
guides were all in front with General
Morgan, who rode at the head OF the
second brigade, then marching in the
advance. This brigade had no trouble,
consequently. But the first brigade was
embarrassed beyond measure. Cluke S
regiment was marching in the rear Of
the second brigade, and, had it kept
closed up, we would have had no trouble,
for the entire column would have been
directed by the guides. But this regi-
ment, although composed Of superb ma
terial, and unsurpassed in fighting quail
tiles, had from the period Of its organi-
zation, been under lax and careless dis
cipline, and the effect Of it was now OBJ
servable.
The rear companies struggled, halted,
delayed the first brigade, for it was i'm
possible to ascertain Immediately wheth-
er the halt was that of the brigade in ad-
vance, or only Of these stragglers, and
when forced to move on they would go
off at gallop. A great gap would be
thus opened between the rear of one
brigade and the advance of the other,
and we who were behind were forced to
grope our way as best we could. When
we would come to one Of the many juno
ton roads which occur in the suburbs of
large city, we would be compelled to
consult all sorts of indications in order
to hit upon the right road. The night
was intensely dark, and we would set on
fire large bundles of paper CT splinters of
wood to afford light The horses
track. ION roads SO much .traveled) would
give us no clue to the route which the
other brigade had taken, at such points,
but we could trace it by noticing the di-
rection in which the dust " settled or
floated. When the night is calm, the
dust kicked up by the passage of large
number of horses will remain suspended
in the air for considerable length of
time, and it will also move slowly in the
same direction that the horses which
have disturbed it have Travelled. We
could also trace the column by the SLAYER
dropped from the horses mouths
1t was terrible, trying march. Strong
men fell out of their saddles, and at every
halt the officers we're compelled to move
continually about in their respective
companies and pull and haul the men,
who would drop asleep in the road-it
was the only way to keep them awake.
Quite number crept off into the fields
and slept until they were awakened by
the enemy. At length day appeared,
Just as we reached the last point where
we had to anticipate danger We had
passed through Glendale, and across all
the principal suburban roads, and were
near the Little Mama railroad We
crossed the railroad without meeting op-
position, and halted to feed the horses in
sight of Camp Dennison. After short
rest here, and picket skirmish, we re-
sumed our march, burning in this neigh
borhood park of Government wagons
That evening, at A p m, we were at Will.
Harrisburg, twenty.eight miles east of
Cincinnati, having marched, since leav.
ing Summahsville, in Indiana, in q pc
riod of thirty-fve hours, more than
ninety miles-the greatest march that
Morgan had ever made. Feeling COM
paratively safe here, Gen. Morgan per
mitted the division to 90 into camp and
remain for the night.
OF the pillaging and plundering Of the
Confederate soldiers, the General says
The disposition for Wholesale plunder
exceeded anything that any of us had
ever seen before. The men seemed
actuated by desire to "pay off in the
enemy's country" all scores that the
Federal army had chalked up in the
South. The great cause for apprehen-
sion, which our situation might have in
spired seemed only to make them reck
less. Calico was the Staple article Of
appropriation-each man (who could get
one) tied bolt Of it to his saddle, only
to throw it away and get fresh one at
the first opportunity. They did not pill
lage with any sort of method or reason
it seemed to be a mania, senseless and
purposeless. One man carried bird
cage, with three canaries in it, for two
days. Another one rode with chafng-
dish. which looked like small metallic
coffin, on the pummel of. his saddle,
until an officer forced him to throw it
away. Although the weather was intense
ly warm, another, still, slung seven pairs
of skates around his neck, and ohuokled
over his acquisition. saw very few
articles of real value taken-thcy pill
LACED like boys robbing an orchard.
would not have believed that such pas
sion could have been developed, so lu
dicrously, among any body Of civilized
men. At Piketon, o., one man broke
through the guard posted at a store,
rushed in (trembling with excitement
and avarice) and filled his pockets with
horn buttons. They would, with few ex.
ceptions, throw away their plumber after
awhile, like children tired Of their toys
The general must certainly have been
somewhat facetious when he says:
Before quitting Ohio, it is bat just TO
the kind hospitality of the
citisens At every hes'e that we, ap-
the dwellers thereof, them
selves absent, perhaps unable to endure
a meeting that would have been painful,
had left warm pies, freshly baked, upon
the tables. This touching attention TO
our tastes ~as appreciated, Some indi-
yiduals we're indelicate enough to hint
that the pieswere intended to propitiate
us and prevent the plunder Of the houses.
English Nobility and Gentry.
In On interesting little work called |
" Who's Who for 1867, We end some /