Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-11
Gen. MOrSan's Death.

From the Nashville (Tenn.) American, July l.
The following is clipped from a. Greeneville
Crenn) letter to the Nashville Union:
Another historic spot Is the place where
Morgan, the gallant confederate. loader, fell on
the night Of September a. 1864. It was on the
line fronting the elegant residence Of Mr. w. D.
Williams, who is still a respected and honored
citizen of Greeneville. Your correspondent,
asked him the other day to give the particulars
of MOrgans death He replied, with q smile:
Come around some OF these days when both OF
us are idle and will put in a couple of days
telling it,. He further states that the true facts
have never been published, and perhaps they
never will be-"
While in Greeneville last week, though most
Of the time confined in the court room too
ciosely toattend to OUTSIDE matters, essayed
compact and concise reference to the killing
OF Gen John Fl. Morgan and afterwards met
Major w. d. Williams, who assured me that
the "true facts had never been published, and
perhaps never would be- I thereupon be-
sought the gallant eX-contederate las an eye
witness of the sad EVENT. to render the story in
missed into publishing-and, as the court house
bell was then Summoning to the Johnson trial,
to please boil it down and let the world have
at last an absolutely true story of the import
ant event.
II can do it, kindly the major began, "for
the true facts have never been publ shed, and
perhaps never will be. l was confederate SOL
dier myself, and had returned to Greeneville
just about the time Gen. Morgan came in. 1t
was a very reckless thing in Morgan, and 1
begged him to bivouac in his camp over the
hill yonder, but no, he would stay. had seen
him two or three days before, had overtaken
Jonesborough; it was Bristol. Perhaps be-
tween Bristol and Abingdon, Waves, it was
in Virginia Now, to go back to Virginia"
for the court was already in session; # you
please, let us rather come ON to Greeneville at a
single bound and get exactly how and where
Gen. Morgan Was killed, without any Of the
trimming
"AlI right, certainly. That's what am com.
ing to; Well, was riding along the road with
an old comrade some distance beyond Bristol,
and now, what's his name? Oh, yes; Simmons:
poor John Simmons. Died in 1874 OF Bright's
tiful girl-who married Hardshei Baptist
preacher, whose sermon on the subject Of justi-
1icaton by faith L"
excuse me, major; let's get on with the Nor
gan part Of the story, or III be compelled to
leave you in the very midst Oft.
''Well, now, don't be SO 1idgety! That's just
lished, and perhaps never will be. You news.
paper men all run Off before can get to 'em
But, however, as I was saying, smmon $
Was down in South Carolina as the time; her
husband had taken her there to get her out o.
KAY old parck HepFSs she
her grandfather"
"But for heavens sake let's don't go bacl,
sir, but
"AIl right" .interposed the major, "all right
I'm coming to it! But that was hOrriDl,
death Patrick Henry's uncle (who was one OF
Summon > daughters anceStors} died Oft was
hydrophobia. l guess it'll make my story
somewhat shorter to tell IL as go long. When
George Washington was surveying over in
Fauquier county, about ten years before the
Revolutionary war broke out, he saw "A mad
dog break loose in Capt. Gililooley's back yard
and run into tue town and bite COW, {;
horse, goat, dog, and two other gentlemen
before
Before thunder impolitely calculated
"Voorhees will be done speaking before you
get as far as JoneSborouyh with your Morgan
story. I'm anXiaus to get it ill.,
Every well, >" continued my friend, every we'll
It's an important event, as you say, aud the
true facts In the case have never been pub
lished, and perhaps never will be. But Eve got
em-got em right at my finger tips-got 'em
right In my brain-gOt EN-
"Good-bve, major believe you! believe
you've got 'em, but can't wait on you any
longer, this time. With your kind permission
III call on you some day before leave Greene
Nllie-somc day, ior instance, when you have
time to go into the detail, OF Gen. Morgan's as
slssination. There's a sight more OF It than
thought there Was. begin to see now why the
world has been in outer darkness on the sub.
Ject for SO many weary years. You are the only
man IN the United States that knows all about
IL, and you know SO much that it takes O
couple OF days to tell it. l see now very clearly
why the true facts have never been published
and perhaps never will be. Good afternoon
miiorr'
1.-The same to you," politely rejoined the his.
torian. don't forget to CALI