The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30
GEN. MoRGAN's DEATH.
The Kentucky Belief that he was Murdered Aftsr
Surrender-The Facts.
Especial TO ths Ns1O FORK Tribunal

Especial 10 the Mem Fork Tribunal
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19-The controversy
over the question as to whether or not John
Morgan was murdered by the Union troops
after he had surrendered continues to agitate
Kentucky In a Cincinnati dispatch to The
Louisville CoHrier-Joag7iaI, Major c. A. Withers,
formerly of MOrgan's staff, denies that he ever
wrote 20 anybody that Morgan was killed BE-
fore he surrendered, and declares that he has
repeatedly written and stated to the con-
trary." Major Withers also states that il was
by the courtesy of Colonel BrOwnlOw that ha
and Captain J. s. Rogers were enabled to ges
possession of MOrgan's body and prepare it for
burial. Captain Rogers was General MOrgan's
Assistant Adjutant- General, and 90 him Lieu
tenant French OF General Giiletns staff, adj
dressed a letter September ,, 1854 stating that
a report had been started that Morgan was shot
after his surrender, and asking if it was true.
In his reply Captain Rodgers said 50 1 was
with General Morgan when he left Mrs Will
hams'- He handed me one of his pistols and
said that he wished me to assist him IN making
his escape. / told him if was almost useless and
we were entirely surrounded. He replied, saying
that we must do II If possible. Viewers concealed
IN clumP of bushes when a soldier rode up 70
the fence, wearing brown jeans jacket. We,
naturally supposing him to De a COnfederats
soldier, came out of the bushes, General Nor
gan stepping at the same time through the
fence. The soldier demanded surrender, much
to our surprise. Captain Wilcox, of the Federal
army, with some other soldiers rode up. I,
with MIR. Johnson. fastened toward him. Look
ing back IN the direction of General Morgan
saw him throw up his hands, excIaiming: Oh,
God / saw nothing more of him until he was
brought to the street dead. / am satisfied
Johnson and myself were fred on after we sur
rendered, but by men so far from Us that it
must have been impossible for them to
know that we were prisoners ! asked Captain
Wilcox to leave soldier with me- after had
surrendered, for my own safety, which he did.
We were possibly fired upon from almost every
direction, but from such q distance that ana
satisfied the men did it innocently. I, how
ever, do not condemn them for firing on ma
after | surrendered, under the circumstances.
If General Morgan surrendered before being
shot, do not know it."
In General Gillem's official report Of Septem-
her 8, 1861, to Andrew Johnson then Military
Governor OF Tennessee, the following account OF
Morgan's death is given: Upon Lieutenant
Colonel Ingerton's arrival near Greenfield he
learned that General Morgan and his staff who
had arrived the previous evening, had head
quarters at Mrs. Williams in town. Colonel
lngerton detached a squadron under Captain
Wilcox, of the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry,
to surround the house and capture General
Morgan and his staff and escort who were un-
aware of the presence of the Federal troops
until dEdhtucN D3 ILC ECDOT5 OA buSlE OWL dfbl1-
lery, which was situated upon College Hill, and
opened upon Captain WileOx's squadron as soon
as they made their appearance in the street.
General MOrgan's headquarters were sur
rounded, and he was shot by Private Andrew
Campbell, of company G., Thirteenth Tennessee
cavalry, while he was endeavOring to make MS
escape and join his command His staff. with
a single exception, was captured" This re-
port has never been published
In his History of Morgan's Cavalry" Gen.
Basil Duke says: General Morgan was killed
in the garden-shot through the heart. 1t is
not known whether he surrendered OF was
offering resistance. His friends have always
believed that ne was murdered after his surren-
der. Certain representations by parties who
killed him, their rufianly character, and the
brutality with which they treated his body.
induced the belief" This was written several
years after the occurrence. The statement Of
! Captain Rogers, an eyewitness, was written
the day after Morgan was killed. The Louis
willie C0arier-J0lsraai. of Thursday, contains
another account Of MOrgan5 death, also pur-
porting TO be the statement of an eye-witness-
a Mr. Mason. of Greenville, Tenn. According
to this account Morgan was alone when he was
killed, hiding under grapevine. Standing st
a window of tae hotel which he keeps, Mr..
Mason pointed out the spot ard said " A Mrs.
/ Thompson from this -wiadoW ssEIV him and hol-
/ Tered TO the soldiers, There be is, hiding un-
| der the grapevine and Morgan made start
| to run again, Just as soldier spied and shot
him. saw it from the other window"