Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-08
THE TRUE VERSION.
Who Betrayed Gen. Morgan
An Account OF His TreacherOus Sur
prise and Brutal Murder.
From the Savannah New

SAVANNAH Oct. %, 1oTl.-My atten-
ton having been called to an article which
appeared in Memphis paper-under the
Signature of Gen. Alvin c. Gillem, u. S.
A.-purporting to be true version of the
manner in which Gen. John H. Morgan
was killed and the statement made by your
efficient correspondent, whom / suspect to
be an old and respected friend, in your is
sue of the oath inst, cOmpels me, very re-
-luctantly, to appear in print to refute a will
full misrepre on the part of the for
mer, Sand an unintentional mistake of my
worthy comrade. | had intended, soon
after the war, and several times since, to
have published statement of what hap
pened under my personal observation on
that eventful 4th of September, the desire
of our command, but cautious friends adj
vised against any re-opening of dead is
sues to incite fresh animOsities, which our
model (?) ccept-the-situationists declared
would delay the day OF the Prodigal's re-
turn to the bosom of this F'glorious Union"
The letter in the Memphis appeal deter
mined my course, and had already COM
menced a reply, when your correspondents
notice of the circumstance causes me to
hastily lay before your readers, and all who
love our dear South and the glorious cause
ment as | can possibly make of the true
events of the mOurnful day.
To anticipate: On the morning of the
I'd Of September, 1854, / received orders
from Gen. Morgan, then at Abingdon, Va,
to have tie command ready for Immediate
movement. AT that time it consisted of the
old brigade, under command of Col. d.
Howard Smith; the second brigade under
command of Col. II. L. Giltner; and a de-
tachment of Gen. Vaughn's brigade (he
latter composed of stragglers, men reporting
from leave of absence, etc, their brigade be-
ing absent with Gen. Early in Maryland)
under command of Col. William E. Brad
! ford-the whole force numbering, as we'll
/ as L can recolect, thirteen hundred men.
We were stationed at Carter's station, on
| the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad,
| about thirty miles from Greeneville. Later
! in the day orders came for the force to move
next morning early on Greenevie, and on
! the Sd Gen. Morgan, with Maj. w. c. Gas
! sett, g. NJ, Capt. Henry Clay, Acting
/ Abide Camp, Capt. James Rogers, Acting
! Inspector General, and L. c. Johnson, a
/ clerk in my office, arrived on the train, and
we immediately proceeded to JonesbOro, at
| that time the terminus of the road. We
here met the command, and advanced in
regular marching order on Greenevile.
! Not having an opportunity on the train
] of discussing his plans, the General invited
me to ride forward with him, and we rode
beyond our advanced videttes. | remon-
strated against this as dangerous, but the
/ General said that he desired to converse
with me quietly. He seemed to have a
foreboding of evil, for he remarked upon
my suggestion that we might be captured,
''they will never take me alive-they have
sworn to kill me if they ever catch me
again" We still rode in advance, and en-
! tered Greeneville fully fifteen minutes before
our advance guard.
The General after directing me as to the
disposition of the troops, established his
headquarters at the house of Mrs. Williams,
but Immediately sent for detail of a lieu
tenant and ten men; and upon going up to
the house, l learned that upon our arrival a
Mrs. Williams, daughter-in-law of our host
ess, had suddenly taken her departure, for
the Ostensible purpose Of getting some eva
termelons." To those who know that smile
when he was angry, / refer to whether the
General suspected treachery or no. His re-
piy to me was that she wished the men TO
assist Mrs. Williams in bringing back her
watermelons, and that they must go until
thew found her." When alone he told me
his suspicious that Mrs. Williams had gone
to rive information to the enemy-"but that
was nothing, as a thousand of our noble
girls had brought us news, but | must pre-
vent, if possible, the enemy getting wind
of olr approach" The scouting party re-
turned unsuccessful after diligent search,
and reported that she had not been TO the
farm, to which the elder Mrs. w. had said
she had gone. ..--. E.l-
In the disposition Of the division Col.
Bradford was placed on the extreme left,
his left resting on the Nolichuky river, and
his line extending in a semi-circle until ii
touched Col. Gitner's left, and the latter in
the same manner to the left of Col. Smith
thus forming two-thirds of a circle
around Greeneville, fronting the enemy's DO
sition, and about two miles from the town.
| minated the propriety of placing Col.
Smith in Brad1Ord's position, as the force of
the latter was without regular organization.
but the General said that he intended bis
men should lead the charge in the morning.
and that he desired they should befelieved
from all duty.
A written order was dispatched to Col
Bradford to select his best officer and fifty
picked men rs a scouting party, with in.
structiOns 20 advance toward Bull Gar
until they struck the enemy's position, and
to feel his picket until the command ar
rived the next morning. Capt. Clay and