The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-09-20

any lhlormatlon on the subject, l'haye
no hesitation in answering. My COM
mand encamped at Bulls Gap on the
3lst of August, 1864. In the afternoon
Of the 81 of September Colonel j. X.
Miller brought boy some twelve
years of age to my tent. The youth
informed me that his name was Leidy;
that he lived with his parents in Green
vile, eighteen miles from Bulls Gap;
that at IL N. that day, Osman's Con-
federate scouts had entered Greenville;
that, fearing the loss of his mare, he
had sought to escape, but had been
captured; that after remaining in
Grecnville till the arrival of Osman's
scouts had advanced with that brigade
to Parks Gap, where. the brigade, COM
handed by Bradford, encamped; that
the scouts then advanced in the direc-
ton of my camp, about mile, and
stopped at farm house for dinner,
when the boy escaped through a corn
field, These soldiers and officers said
that General Morgan would spend the
night in Greenville. Such was the in
teliigence of the boy that l knew it
was Morgan's purpose to attack me,
and I determined to take the initiative
and attack him at daylight. A brave,
intelligent citizen guided us by the
Arnet Gap road to the rear of the left
of the enemy's position, the main body
of my force advancing at ten O'Clock at
night, by the direct road to Greenville,
without encountering picket. Infor-
nation was obtained from q trustwor-
thy woman that Clark's battalion and
Meetings. battery were on the further
side Of the village, and that Morgan
and his staff were guests of Mrs. G. d.
Williams. Receiving this information,
Colonel lngerton ordered Major Will
cox, with troops Of the Thirteenth
Tennessee Cavalry, to charge into the
village and secure Morgan. This order
was executed with spirit and DASH
Before Wilcox's command arrived at
Mrs. Williams house its inmates were
,goused by the firing in the streets and
at the stable where General MOrgan's
orderlios, with his horses, were sleep
ing. The General and his staff, half
dressed, rushed out of the house and
found the streets on all sides filed With
national cavalry. In the melee, and
while attempting to escape through the
garden, pistol in hand, and without be-
ing recognized, General Morgan was
}, shot with carbine and instantly kill
ed by Sergeant a. J. Campbell, Tiir-
teenth Tennessee Cavalry, who was on
!, horseback some eighty yards distant
from Morgan, at the southwest corner
of Mrs. Williams lot. Sergeant Camp
bell did not know who the person was
. that had been shot by him, nor was the
body recognized as that of General
: Morgan until the papers on his person
i were examined. nor will this appear
J strange when it is known that he was
dressed in light blue pants, without
cap or coat. 1t has been charged that
General Morgan was shot after his sur
render. The assertion is not only
wholly groundless, but, under the cir.
cumstances, impossible. The soldier
who fired the shot was at least eighty
yards distant, and the wound clearly
demonstrated that the ball entered be-
low the right shoulder and came out
near the left breast.
Such are the facts connected with
General Morgan's death. Neither Mrs.
Williams nor any member of her house
hold gave me any information con-
corning the movements or position of
the rebel troops upon which predica-
ted the movement of my command
1t is very singular that such n rumor
should have gained circulation, when a
son of Mrs. c. D. Williams was pres
ent with General Morgan and serving
on his staff. It has been claimed that
a member of Mrs Williams household
conveyed to me at Bulls Gap informa-
ton of the arrival of General Morgan
in Greenville. This report is utterly
false. The only information received
is set forth in this letter. About the
time Wilcox's brigade entered the vii
lage, I attacked the enemy in front
vigorously, compelling Bradford's bri-
gade to fall back until it came upon
Ingertan's command, when it broke
and fed in confusion. The news OF
Morgan's death was rapidly spread by
members of his escort, who escaped
from Greenville, which very-probably
accounts for the rapid retreat of his
centre and right without scarcely an
) effort of resistance. After the engage
ment the body of General Morgan was
properly cared for by the captured
members of his staff, aided by my own
staff. 1t was my intention to send his
remains to his friends in Lexington,
KY, but in Difference to suggestions Of
some of his staff, the intention was
changed, and the remains were sent
through our lines under flag of truce,
| I am, sir, very respectfully, your
obedienb servant,