The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-05-29
General John Fl. Morgan.
A NEW VERSION OF THE MANNER
OF HIS DEATH.

tl0n or GreenyIlle, Immediately TO
the left, after you have walked
some two hundred yards, there is
a large brick house, standing upon
a little rise of ground, back some
thirty yards from the street. The t
house is surrounded on all sides
by trees and shrubbery, which
make itone of the most picturesque |
residences in the the place. In
front ofEthis house, reaching the
sidewalk, there is about half an
acre in grapevines, and here and
there among them are apple trees.
This is called a garden, and near
the center of this garden, John III.
Morgan, the famous rebel raider,
was killed. At the time, he and
portion of his command occupied
the town, and he was asleep in the
house which l have just described.
Morgan had been in town sever
al days, but was intending to
leave the following day, as the
Federals were advancing in force.
1t was a dark, rainy, cloudy night
in October, when spy silently
stole out of Greenyille, and rode
with. all speed a distance of ten
miles where the Fedcrals were en-
camped. He communicated to
them that John Morgan was in
Greenville, with only a few of his
men, and that with proper dill
gence he might be caught.
Out into the darkness two hmm
dred Federal cavalrymen rode,
and q little before day they arriv-
ed in the edge of the town. They
surrounded the place, and dashed
in from all points of the compass
at once, with a terrible yell, that
sent terror to the hearts of all who,
heard it. The rebels were taken
completely by surprise, and made
but a feeble resistance. Morgan
was suddenly awakened by the
tumult, and for a moment seemed
bewildered. He knew not which
way to fly. go to the garden
Hide in the bushes and vines
Quick! Quickg cried some OF the
negro servants.
Morgan stood for a moment as
if undetermined what to do, and
then rushed out at the front door
into the garden. He was bare
footed, bareheaded, and had or
nothing but his shirt and drawer;
which were white and easily seer
in the distance, but it happened
that none of the soldiers saw him
There was one person who did
however, and that person was {
young lady, who lived near by
and being awakened by the frins
and shouting looked out anil saw
Morgan run in among the shrub
berry in the garden. Sheran dowr
the street to where four or fyt
Federals were, and said to them
"John Morgan is hid in that gar
den; shoot him." The soldiers say
a white object, and all of then
but one fired, but they only wound
ed and did not kill him. Morgan
remained perfectly motionless, a
to have moved was as certain
death as to remain still. TIL,
soldier who had not fred ha(
now advanced nearer, took de
liberate aim and fired. TIL
ball pierced the body of Johl
Morgan, and in a few hours HI
was no more.
The garden was surrounded b.
a paling fence. Three or four Q
the palings were removed to dral
his body cut, and their places ar
now supplied by others. But tn
spot is marked by a small piece Q
plank, which is nailed on the to-
of the fence, and all who choos
can see the spot where he fell, an
the place where he was dragge
out.
The young lady who betraye
him still lives near Greenville, an
when Morgan was laid out, sh
placed some flowers in his coffir
and with her own hands wipe
the clots of gore from his face.
At that time there was a lad
here whose husband had bee
killed in the rebel army. Havin
considerable gift of CAB, she wen
North and represented herself a
the woman who had betraye
John Morgan, and gave ''lectures.
Of course every body turned on
to see the woman who had bee
instrumental in ending the caree
Of the famous raider, and the II
suit was, she became rich an
quite a famous lecturess. She frs
l. l.